Chief Executive Officer

The Japanese American Service Committee (JASC) has served its
community with great care and integrity for 77 years. JASC was
founded by community members, with support from prominent local
academics, in late 1945, and incorporated as the Chicago Resettlers
Committee in 1946 in conjunction with the closing of the Chicago
office of the War Relocation Authority. The organization’s initial
focus was on jobs and housing for the tens of thousands of Japanese
Americans arriving in Chicago from incarceration camps. By the
mid-1950s, the organization was renamed as the Japanese American
Service Committee reflecting its shift to providing social
services. JASC supported seniors with the building of the Heiwa
Terrace Retirement Community and the Keiro Long Term Care Facility,
as well as creating its Home Support Services and Adult Day
Services. Since then, JASC’s programs have evolved to encompass a
myriad of community, cultural, and educational programs serving not
only the Japanese American community but the broader multi-racial
and -ethnic communities at large. Chicago’s Japanese American
history is a unique collection of ancestor stories and experiences,
lessons of history, and cultural values that serve as increasingly
relevant examples to others. As the need to preserve these
important stories, records and artifacts grew more urgent, JASC’s
Legacy Center archives and library was born as a resource to
scholars and the broader community. As a 77-year-old organization,
JASC feels an everlasting duty to adapt and change its programs to
best serve the physical, emotional, and social well-being of its
community.

The Japanese term, 伝統の継承, pronounced “dentou no keishou,” means
passing along a heritage to the next generation or to leave a
legacy. Historically, the Japanese concept of tradition is one of
unwavering continuity rather than celebrating individual innovation
in any one generation. One of the things that makes the JASC
special is taking the gift of knowledge and traditions learned in
previous generations and figuring out how to make the most of it in
creating works that fully respect the spirit of each era. The scope
of JASC’s programs and services have grown far beyond its humble
beginnings to serve a community wider than its founders could have
imagined. By “living our legacy,’ JASC creates a living culture and
hopes to live the values it cherishes through actions every
day.

JASC Mission &
Impact
JASC has
evolved into an organization that serves people of all ages, races,
and ethnicities from a foundation of Japanese American values. The
core of JASC’s mission is to preserve and raise awareness of
Japanese American culture, heritage, and experience, and to promote
the physical and spiritual well-being of Japanese Americans and the
greater multicultural community in the Midwest.

JASC programs include:

• Adult Day Services and Home Services in a social, caring, and
  medically supervised environment;
• Home Support Services for isolated seniors needing quality care
  at home;
• Youth Volunteer Program offering leadership and volunteer
  opportunities to help empower the next generation of leaders;
• Annual scholarships to high school and college students. To
  date, JASC has stewarded over 140 scholarships totaling
  $230,000+;
• The Legacy Center, an archive of materials that reflect the
  history of Chicago’s Japanese American community. The Center
  contains rare books, unique personal collections of documents and
  photographs, and other artifacts that provide a window into the
  experiences of Japanese Americans from the late 19th century to the
  present day with a focus on WWII incarceration and resettlement in
  Chicago. The Legacy Center is the Chicago area’s only publicly
  accessible, professionally managed, community-based archive
  specializing in Japanese American history;
• Tampopo Kai and Donguri Kai exposing and educating children
  about Japanese culture, customs, and language;
• Japanese language, art and cultural classes for all ages;
• Community events such as the Holiday Delight and Kodomo Matsuri
  (children’s festival) celebration, Soup and Rice, along with
  co-sponsored events such as Kagami-Biraki (traditional January
  mochi ceremony), Day of Remembrance, Japan Fest, the Japanese
  community picnic, and various author presentations, film showings,
  and other programs.

Looking forward, JASC is creating a bright and sustainable
future. In 2024, JASC is renovating and opening a new $8 million,
34,000 square feet forever home at 5700 N. Lincoln Avenue, a true
destination center for the community. This new building will open a
world of possibilities for program growth, longevity, and more
opportunities to bring the community together.

The Role
JASC is at an
inflection point. With its 77-year history as inspiration, an
exciting new space, and a foundation of successful programs and
community supporters, the organization is poised to take its impact
to the next level. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) will be a visionary leader who is
future-focused and capable of thoughtfully building upon JASC’s
legacy. The CEO will be an inspiring and seasoned executive leader
who is entrepreneurial, a convener of ideas and people, and has a
proven track record of delivering on strategic plans. By virtue of
assuming the CEO position, this individual will become a critical
leader and spokesperson in the Japanese American community and
Chicago’s broader cultural community with a seat on the Chicago
Japanese American Council and the Chicago Cultural Alliance and
other national networks.

Scope and Responsibilities

The CEO will be an executive leader who will guide the
organization, its leadership and team through its next phase of
growth. The CEO will be committed to JASC’s mission and lead in all
aspects of its evolution, while working collaboratively with its
board, staff, and community to build and strengthen its regional
and national impact.

Leadership

• Organizational Leadership: Ensure the
  effective and thoughtful delivery of programs and activities that
  advance JASC’s mission and values. Be the face of JASC by creating
  visibility for the organization, representing its purpose and
  impact to internal and external audiences.
• People Leadership: Provide people-centric
  leadership ensuring JASC creates a culture that attracts the right
  talent, participants, volunteers, and supporters to the
  organization and builds a sustainable team of people to ready to
  lead and work together for purpose.
• Executive Leadership: Maintain executive-level
  business acumen and communication to manage the business side of
  JASC, including its ongoing operation, finance, administration,
  fundraising, communications, and community relations.
• Community Leadership: As a key leader and
  spokesperson in the community at large, actively engage and
  collaborate with the JASC community, board members, staff,
  volunteers, partner organizations, government entities, interested
  scholars and academic institutions, and funders. Position JASC as a
  catalyst of ideas relevant to the Japanese American community.
• Strategic Planning: In collaboration with its
  leadership, create a strategic plan for JASC’s next phase, and
  develop a vision that will serve as a roadmap for the JASC’s
  future.

Management

• Mission: Be mission-focused, working
  effectively and collaboratively to establish JASC’s culture and
  standards of excellence required to serve its mission.
• Operations: Oversee the management of the
  operations to ensure efficient systems, processes and an
  organizational structure that allows team members to accomplish
  individual and organizational goals laid out in the strategic
  plan.
• Budget: Ensure the organization maintains
  strong financial health with proper financial management of its
  budget, investments, fundraising, and risk profile.
• People: Effectively provide direction,
  motivate, oversee, and hold accountable JASC’s staff to deliver on
  operational and strategic plans. Coach and develop people to
  achieve their professional goals.

Fundraising & Communications

• The CEO will play a critical role in leading and executing on
  JASC’s fund development plan that supports the organization’s
  goals, both short and long term;
• Lead creative strategies to grow JASC’s donor base, secure
  grants, plan events, engage corporate sponsors and other donors,
  and find innovative ways to promote support the organization’s
  work.
• Support the organization in the completion of the Serve,
  Preserve, Grow Campaign; work with the Board and team to build on
  the momentum established with donors.
• In collaboration with the Board and senior staff, lead the
  cultivation and solicitation of significant donors; identify
  opportunities to engage and solicit new donors.
• Oversee the execution of all marketing and communications
  efforts, working with senior staff to ensure creative and
  consistent communication with JASC stakeholders.

Finance

• Work with the Board to establish budgetary priorities and
  manage the annual budget while maximizing its impact; monitor
  JASC’s financial performance and report to the Board.
• Establish financial plans to identify pathways for growth and
  sustainability.
• Ensure legal compliance, accountability, and proper risk
  management.
• Properly manage the organization’s investments, grants, gifts,
  and overall portfolio.

Board Relations

• Develop and support a strong Board of Directors; work
  collaboratively with JASC’s Board Chair to develop a strategic
  vision for engagement and recruitment.
• Serve as an advisor and resource to the Board in the areas of
  program, fundraising, governance, and finance; cultivate a strong
  and transparent working relationship with the Board.
• Seek and cultivate relationships on behalf of JASC with
  individuals who might serve as Board members.
• Provide ongoing reports to the Board on finance, fundraising,
  program delivery and team management.
• Work with the JASC Board Chair to prepare for Board
  Meetings.

Other Qualifications

• Affinity, inherent passion, and understanding of JASC’s
  community; familiarity with Japanese American history and cultural
  dynamics and a passion for preserving community history.
• Related nonprofit, public administration, or related business
  experience; experience in education or archival work a plus.
• Experience leading strategic planning, setting a vision, and
  ability to operationalize that vision, working at the strategic or
  tactical level as necessary.
• A strong track record of working with boards and staff to
  deliver short and long term goals.
• Proven experience in management, administration, systems
  development, budgeting and staff management.
• Experience managing and building effective teams and serving as
  an effective internal leader.
• Experience in an externally-facing leadership role.
• An ability to cultivate effective relationships with and
  mobilize the engagement of a wide variety of stakeholders (donors,
  staff, corporate sponsors, government officials, audiences,
  scholars and academic institutions, the national and international
  arts community, the media).
• Experience and familiarity with funding environments.
• Bachelor’s or equivalent degree required; Master’s degree or
  higher preferred.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft programs. 

Personal /
Professional Attributes

• Vision, an ability to see potential and develop plans to expand
  an organization’s programs and reach.
• Developed leadership skills; a flexible self-starter who is
  nimble and able to navigate thoughtfully through change.
• Excellent communication skills with a broad range of
  constituents.
• A developed understanding of how to develop operational
  complexity as an organization grows.
• A collaborative, solutions-oriented work style that
  demonstrates initiative and sound judgment.
• An ability to make persuasive presentations to assist in the
  development of relationships for JASC.
• Self-awareness and empathy; a healthy combination of confidence
  and humility, political savvy, and a sense of humor.
• An authentic commitment to JASC’s work and
  accomplishments.
• Self-motivation, integrity, sound judgement.

Additional
Information

Base compensation is commensurate with candidate experience,
estimated between $130K – $160K. As an equal opportunity employer,
JASC encourages applications from all individuals regardless of
age, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, marital status,
physical ability, or any other legally protected basis.