Sharing a common love of anime and Japanese culture!

SPJA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to celebrating and uplifting the unique and deep culture that surrounds Japanese animation. Our roots originated from Cal Animage Alpha, an anime club at UC Berkeley, which co-sponsored the first Anime Expo in 1992, along with its predecessor Anime Con in 1991.

Since then, SPJA has grown exponentially in its endeavors, with Anime Expo becoming the largest anime convention in North America, as well as establishing B2B conference Project Anime, and partnering with World Cosplay Summit to organize its US preliminary. With each unique event we produce, our purpose never strays – we aim to promote, celebrate, and educate the public about Japanese animation, manga, video games, and traditional culture.

Purpose of this role: The Operations Coordinator is responsible for the management and coordination of services pertaining to any and all SPJA events. This includes overseeing processes and procedures, development and training on policies, customer service, and fulfillment/coordination with clients and vendors.

Education/Experience: Event planning experience a plus.

Functions of this Role: The major areas of responsibility include:

  • Coordination: Assist managers in day-to-day coordination and management.
  • Volunteer Management: Manage volunteers, including supervision of work, disciplinary actions, and motivation of volunteers. Departments include, but not limited to: Security, Quality control, Event operations, Bag check, Access control, Shuttles and EMT services.
  • Planning: Draft event and room layouts in accordance with all venue guidelines and regulations.
  • Customer Service: Respond and assist with operational customer inquiries.
  • Scheduling: Must review and approve all scheduling during event for all overseen departments ensuring staff working hours and conditions are in compliance with current labor laws.
  • Training: Provide training to appointed volunteers on Standard Operating Procedures as outlined in SPJA’s policies.
  • Development: Providing operational input to assist in the development of internal policies & procedures for SPJA related topics and needs.
  • Collaboration: Collaborate with all internal and external groups to achieve operational goals.
  • Research: Research, organize, compose, and present budgets, project proposals and reports as necessary. Assist in the implementation of cost-effective strategies.
  • Fulfillment: 1. Working directly with the sales team to ensure overall satisfaction and fulfillment of contracted items. 2.  Negotiating with production and fulfillment vendors to minimize fulfillment-related costs. 3. Provide pre-event, onsite, and post-event support for all aspects of fulfillment. 4. Create and update fulfillment reports and provide reports to sponsors as needed. 5. Liaise between clients and vendors to ensure services and service levels comply with SPJA operational needs.
  • Customer Service: Help to resolve any issues that arise with attendees, volunteer staff, industry partners, and guests as it pertains to the departments and events overseen. Ensure inquiries regarding the department as a whole are responded to in a timely manner while maintaining a positive and professional image of the organization.
  • Budgeting: Stays within budget for various departments by preplanning, forecasting, negotiating upfront and after the convention. Ability to analyze budget numbers for conformance to budgetary guidelines.
  • Staff Management: Help manage all staff, volunteers, and aspects of department including, but not limited to: calendar management, internal and external communication, and SPJA policy enforcement. Streamline communication among volunteer departments to ensure adherence to SPJA processes and procedures. Cross trains staff as needed.
  • Recruitment: Work with volunteer resources to ensure departments are appropriately staffed and informed. Identifies different staffing solutions for delivering work.
  • Other duties as assigned by management from time to time.


Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Desired:  

  • Experience in office management or administrative role.
  • Familiarity with SketchUp and/or CAD.
  • Excellent organizational and time management skills.
  • Demonstrated critical thinking and analytical skills and very high attention to detail.
  • Must possess strong problem-solving skills and judgment.
  • Ability to meet deadlines in a fast-moving environment.
  • Strong leadership skills.
  • Must be able to lead and supervise staff in an organized fashion amid disorganization.
  • Possess good problem-solving skills, judgement, and attention to detail in a high-stress environment.
  • Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office and online software programs.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills. Must be able to communicate and articulate directives and direction clearly.
  • No commitments to other conventions.
  • Able to maintain confidentiality within the organization with a high level of personal ethics.
  • Must be able to perform required tasks and manage staff at convention away from SPJA office.
  • Respect for anime, Japanese culture and its lifestyle, and familiarity with fandom communities is a plus.


Location: The Operations Coordinator will be based in SPJA’s principal office. However, this is a hybrid role that will allow working some days at home and some at the office. This position must also be able to attend off-site meetings, conferences, and events as necessary.

Physical Demands & Work Environment:

  • The duties of this position are performed indoors in a business/office setting. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud during events and minimal during non-event times.
  • During convention, this individual must have the ability to stand/walk for up to four hours at a time as there is constant walking required during the convention.
  • The person in this position needs to occasionally move about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc. Constantly operates a computer and other office machinery, such as copier, scanner, printer, etc.
  • The person in this position frequently communicates verbally with coworkers, supervisors and volunteers. Must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations.


Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions and requirements of this position.

Benefits:

SPJA offers a competitive benefits package which includes:

  • Medical, Dental, Vision and Life insurance
  • Flexible Spending Accounts – Health and Dependent Care
  • 401(k) plan with employer matching
  • Hybrid work schedule
  • 12 Holidays
  • Sick time off
  • Paid time off 


This position has been filled. Would you like to see our other open positions?