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About the Role

Japan Society seeks an experienced, visionary, and operationally rigorous Director of Film, Culture & Community to drive the strategy, curation, and execution of public and member programming across contemporary Japanese culture. This role offers a distinctive opportunity to help Japan Society engage audiences across generations, drawing on rising interest in Japanese culture among younger communities while deepening the reach, relevance, and sense of community of a leading cultural institution.

Responsibilities

Direct curatorial vision and long-range programming across film and multidisciplinary contemporary culture.
Lead programming for signature initiatives, including forming the curatorial team and co-programming the annual JAPAN CUTS festival.
Research, evaluate, and secure classic and contemporary film titles, negotiate licensing and rental fees with domestic and international distributors/lenders, and oversee print traffic.
Source, commission, and collaborate with guest curators, artists, scholars, and industry leaders across Japan and the United States.
Pitch program concepts to leadership and negotiate talent agreements and institutional partnerships.
Oversee end-to-end event production, from initial concept through day-of execution and post-event wrap-up.
Supervise operational workflows, including internal function forms, marketing assets, technical rundowns, and box-office coordination.
Contract and direct technical personnel (projectionists, audio engineers, videographers, photographers) and front-of-house staff/volunteers.
Manage talent relations and hospitality logistics (travel, lodging, car services, green rooms, interpreters, and VIP management).
Host events, deliver opening remarks, and moderate panel discussions or Q&A sessions as needed.
Serve as an organizational ambassador across the film, media, and cultural sectors in New York City, throughout the U.S., and across Japan.
Build strategic co-presentations, cross-promotions, and touring initiatives with peer institutions to expand geographic reach and share production costs.
Maintain an active network of industry contacts, distributors, studios, cultural agencies, and talent managers.
Partner with the Development team to identify funding prospects, draft grant proposals, build sponsor decks, and participate in patron cultivation.
Work closely with the Media & Marketing team to establish targeted audience development strategies, refine event positioning, and co-write promotional copy and press releases.
Develop and manage the annual department budget, monitoring revenue, expenses, and operational pacing.
Directly supervise, mentor, and evaluate departmental staff, contractors, interns, and volunteers.
Maintain cross-departmental alignment to ensure seamless institutional operations.

Requirements

5+ years of progressive experience in film programming, live arts curation, cultural event production, or related multidisciplinary leadership.
Robust professional network within Japanese cinema, media industries, and contemporary cultural sectors across both the U.S. and Japan.
Demonstrated track record directing live event production, including technical staging, AV requirements, talent logistics, and front-of-house operations.
Practical expertise in film rights clearances, print sourcing, distributor negotiations, and exhibition formats.
Proven experience managing departmental budgets, team members, and external vendors.
Exceptional communication, public speaking, and intercultural stakeholder management skills.
Ability to work on-site at Japan Society’s Midtown Manhattan headquarters.
Legal authorization to work in the United States (Japan Society cannot provide visa sponsorship for this role).

Skills

Film programming
Live arts curation
Cultural event production
Multidisciplinary leadership
Film rights clearances
Print sourcing
Distributor negotiations
Exhibition formats
Budget management
Team management
Vendor management
Public speaking
Intercultural stakeholder management
Japanese (preferred)

Location

New York, NY

Work Type

Full-time
Hybrid
Occasional evening and weekend hours

Experience Level

5+ years of progressive experience

Salary/Compensations

$115,000 – $130,000

Benefits

Comprehensive Health Benefits: Premium medical insurance, employer-funded Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA), optional pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), employer-paid dental and vision coverage.
Retirement Planning: Employer contribution of up to 10% of base salary after six months of service, optional Supplemental Retirement Annuity (SRA).
Disability: 100% employer-sponsored short-term disability, long-term disability, and basic life insurance.
Pre-Tax Commuter Benefit: Transit and parking flexible spending accounts.
Paid Holidays: 15 vacation days, 10 sick days, 11 paid holidays, and paid Summer Fridays.

About the Company

Japan Society is the premier organization connecting Japanese arts, culture, business, and society with audiences in New York and around the world.
We are inspired by the Japanese concept of kizuna (絆)—forging deep connections to bind people together.
We are committed to telling the story of Japan while strengthening connections within New York City and building new bridges beyond.
In over 100 years of work, we’ve inspired generations by establishing ourselves as pioneers in supporting international exchanges in arts and culture, business and policy, as well as education between Japan and the U.S.
From our New York headquarters, a landmark building designed by architect Junzo Yoshimura that opened to the public in 1971, we look forward to the years ahead, which will be defined by our digital and ideational impact through the kizuna that we build.