Get Involved

To apply for the Prefectural Council (PC), please submit a photo, short bio to elections@hajet.org and answer the following questions:

  • Why do you want the role?
  • What previous experience do you have?
  • What could you bring to the role?
  • What does HAJET / HEC mean to you?

Here are the positions that are currently open:


President

Estimated time commitment: 7 hours/week with increased hours during events

Responsibilities:

  • Represent HAJET as an organization to outside groups
  • Lead weekly PC conference calls
  • Work to support and encourage the rest of the team on their various projects
  • Contribute monthly articles to HAJET’s online magazine, “Polestar”
  • Help to run the PC as a member of the Executive team by attending HAJET Seasonal Meetings, contributing to committees, and voting on HAJET projects

Characteristics:

  • Good communicator
  • Good with goal setting 
  • Ability to deligate
  • Friendly and open
  • Previous leadership experience prefered

Vice President

Estimated time commitment: 5 hours/week

Responsibilities:

  • Plan and lead the 3 HAJET Seasonal meetings (Summer, Fall, and Winter)
  • Support the President in their duties
  • Help to run the PC as a member of the Executive team by participating in weekly calls, contributing to committees, and voting on HAJET projects

Characteristics:

  • Good organizational skills
  • Event planning experience is a plus
  • Japanese ability preferred, but not required

Treasurer

Estimated time commitment: 5 hours/week

Responsibilities:

  • Manage the HAJET bank account, budget, and cash box
  • Write the HAJET budget 
  • Work with other PC members to create and execute budgets for their projects
  • Help to run the PC as a member of the Executive team by attending HAJET Seasonal Meetings, participating in weekly calls, contributing to committees, and voting on HAJET projects

Characteristics:

  • Knowledge of excel
  • Attention to detail
  • Financial planning experience is preferred, but not required

Secretary

Estimated time commitment: 5 hours/week

Responsibilities:

  • Write the agenda and take minutes at both HAJET Seasonal meetings and more informal PC meetings
  • Be the lead writer for the annual End of Year Report
  • Keep the organization on track from an organizational standpoint
  • Help to run the PC as a member of the Executive team by attending HAJET Seasonal Meetings, participating in weekly calls, contributing to committees, and voting on HAJET projects

Characteristics:

  • Fast note taker and typer 
  • Organized
  • Experience with minute taking prefered, but not required

Polestar Editor

Estimated time commitment: 3 hours/week

Responsibilities:

  • Create monthly editions of the HAJET online magazine Polestar
  • Work with the Polestar Designer to create spreads
  • Recruit writers to contribute articles
  • Help run HAJET as a core PC member by attending HAJET Seasonal Meetings, participating in weekly conference calls, contributing to committees, and voting on HAJET proposals

Characteristics:

  • Strong writing ability
  • Experience with Adobe InDesign strongly preferred
  • Good communicator
  • Strong creative vision
  • Ability to work to a deadline

Publications Coordinator

Estimated time commitment: 4 hours/week (more during the late spring and early summer while making the HNG and contacting advertisers)

Responsibilities:

  • Create the Hokkaido Newcomers Guide (HNG) given to new Hokkaido JETs at Sapporo Orientation
  • Contact local businesses to sell advertisements in the HNG
  • Work with the HAJET Webmaster to create content for the HAJET website
  • Help run HAJET as a core PC member by participating in attending HAJET Seasonal Meetings, weekly conference calls, contributing to committees, and voting on HAJET proposals

Characteristics:

  • Knowledge of Adobe InDesign prefered
  • Ability to handle both soft and hard deadlines
  • Japanese ability (for communicating with advertisers) preferred, but not required
  • Ability to be flexible with the changing nature of the role

Regional Representative (5 in total, Southwestern, Central, Sapporo, Northern, and Eastern)

Estimated time commitment: 4 hours/week (more in the lead up to Sapporo Orientation and Welcome parties in August/September)

Responsibilities:

  • Help run HAJET as a core prefectural council (PC) member by attending HAJET Seasonal Meetings, participating in weekly conference calls, contributing to committees, and voting on HAJET proposals.
  • Attend and present at Sapporo Orientation in August
  • Represent regional members at PC meetings and make decisions at the PC level on their behalf
  • Submit articles to the HAJET publication “Polestar”, about regional events and activities.
  • Coordinate the regional welcome party for new arrivals in September.
  • Develop a regional sense of community and facilitate regional social interaction among HAJET members
  • Organize informal regional get togethers at least once every 6 weeks

Characteristics:

  • Resides in the region
  • Willingness to explore new parts of the region
  • Eager to create a sense of community

Social Coordinator 

Estimated time commitment: 4 hours/week. (More in the lead up to Snowcation from October to early February)

Responsibilities:

  • Plan and run the annual Snowcation fundraiser, which brings JETs from across Japan to Sapporo for the Snow Festival
  • Organize the enkais for HAJETs meetings, SDC, and Sapporo Orientation
  • Help HAJET regional Reps plan the Welcome Parties in the fall
  • Help run HAJET as a core PC member by attending HAJET Seasonal Meetings, participating in weekly conference calls, contributing to committees, and voting on HAJET proposals

Characteristics:

  • Organized, friendly, and hospitable personality
  • Event planning experience preferred, but not required
  • Japanese ability (for booking venues) preferred, but not required

Translators

Estimated time commitment: 4 hours/week

Responsibilities:

  • Translate documents for HAJET activities and events at the request of other PC members
  • Provide translation support for the HAJET website
  • Provide Japanese support for HAJET activities, such as translating emails or phone calls, when necessary.
  • Take part in weekly PC calls and group discussions
  • Work with other HAJET translators and support a system of peer review

Characteristics:

  • N2 or above Japanese ability
  • Good time management and organization skills