Office Assistant - Japanese Bilingual

Location: Plano, TX

Employment Type: Full-Time, Direct Hire

Compensation: $25/hour (Approximately $52,000 annually) + Bonus

Work Arrangement: Fully Remote Initially / Hybrid After Office Opening

Anticipated Start Date: Early January, 2027 (No Later Than Early February, 2027)

Languages: Japanese and English language fluency required

Position Overview

A Japanese law firm is seeking a highly organized and proactive Office Administrator to oversee the day-to-day operations of its Dallas-area office and ensure its smooth and efficient functioning.

The successful candidate will play a key role in managing office administration, coordinating operational activities, supporting attorneys, and serving as a liaison between the U.S. office and the Tokyo office.

This position requires strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills, as well as the ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities in a growing office environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Human Resources and General Administration
• Coordinate with the landlord, building management, cleaning providers, and other vendors; welcome office visitors.
• Provide remote administrative support for the Houston rental office.
• Track paid time off and assist with HR administration, including visa-related coordination with appropriate professionals.
• Support onboarding and relocation arrangements, including assistance with banking and other practical setup needs.
• Develop and maintain operational manuals and procedures to ensure continuity of operations and facilitate smooth handovers to successors.
• Accounting and Payroll Administration
• Perform bookkeeping and maintain financial records using accounting software (QuickBooks).
• Liaise with external accountants on monthly and annual closing processes.
• Monitor and manage bank account activity, including incoming and outgoing payments.
• Coordinate payroll administration and review information prepared by external accountants; specialized payroll calculation expertise is not required.
• IT Coordination
• Liaise between the Tokyo-based IT team and U.S. vendors by telephone and email; technical IT expertise is not required.
• Business Development and Client Relations
• Coordinate chamber of commerce memberships, event registrations, and seminar logistics.
• Research market developments and competitors' activities.
• Support client communications and vendor relationship management.
• Legal Secretarial Support
• Manage calendars, appointments, and meeting arrangements.
• Prepare and organize documents and presentation materials.
• Assist with communications involving clients, attorneys, and vendors.
• Provide supplemental administrative and secretarial support to attorneys as needed, particularly during hours when the Tokyo-based secretarial team is unavailable due to time zone differences. Primary secretarial support will continue to be provided by the Tokyo office.
  
  

Required Qualifications

• Authorized to work in the United States.
• Professional fluency in Japanese (including the ability to communicate effectively with Japan-based colleagues) and business-level English, both written and spoken.
• Strong organizational, communication, and time-management skills; ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and ability to work independently.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working for a Japanese company or in a Japanese business environment.
• Basic accounting or bookkeeping knowledge; payroll expertise is not required.
• Experience in office administration or professional services, ideally in a law firm.
  
  

Other Details

Office opening anticipated in March 2027. Parking available.

Work Schedule

Monday–Friday, generally 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m., with flexible scheduling subject to operational needs and applicable timekeeping requirements.

• Core hours: 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
• Lunch break: 1 hour
  
  

Work Arrangement

Fully remote until the anticipated March 2027 office opening; thereafter hybrid, with up to two remote days per week, subject to business needs.

Compensation

• Hourly Rate: $25/hour (equivalent to an estimated annual base salary of $52,000, based on 2,080 paid hours per year, excluding overtime pay and bonus).
• Bonus: A fixed annual bonus equivalent to one month's base pay, payable in March.
• Overtime eligibility and pay will be determined in accordance with applicable law.
  
  

Paid Time Off

• Vacation Leave: 14 paid days per year.
• Sick Leave: 7 paid days per year.
  
  

Benefits

• Insurance: The employer will provide a monthly allowance of up to $700 toward premiums for individual Silver-tier medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage obtained through insurance providers designated by the employer.
• Fitness Facility: Complimentary access to the on-site fitness gym.
  
  

Business Travel

No regular business travel anticipated. If required, reasonable transportation and lodging expenses will be reimbursed under company policy.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The employer provides equal employment opportunities to qualified applicants and employees in accordance with applicable law. Employment decisions are based on job-related qualifications and business needs.