SBDC Business Consultant

SBDC Business Consultant

The Michigan Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Lake Huron Region provides consulting, education, and research to help small businesses launch, grow, transition, and innovate. The SBDC Business Consultant is responsible for client portfolio management, working with federal, state, and local partners to help business owners and entrepreneurs start, grow, and strengthen their businesses. This position is funded by a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and the employer, Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU).

SVSU expects job performance to be consistent with its mission, values, and business objectives and believes that each employee contributes to improved performance by continuously searching for ways to improve offerings, products, services, and processes.

Essential duties and responsibilities include:

• Providing confidential one-on-one consulting services to small business clients of the Michigan SBDC, including analyzing business problems, developing solutions, and providing access to resources; conducting demographic and market research as needed to assist clients; helping clients develop business plans, sales & marketing strategies, cash flow forecasts, and similar projects as required; and educating clients on financing options and credit practices appropriate to their stage of business development.
• Conducting ongoing assessment and understanding of tools, resources, systems and technologies designed to improve or enhance small business operations, sales and/or financial functions.
• Participating in, developing and leading business education workshops, seminars and other types of presentations, both online and in person.
• Maintaining client records to Small Business Administration (SBA) compliance standards in the SBDC CRM System, currently Salesforce.
• Meeting or exceeding individual key performance indicators and implementing strategies as directed to achieve goals established in the regional annual strategic plan.
• Developing and maintaining relationships with private, public, and non-profit business service providers to ensure a strong support network for serving and attracting MI-SBDC clients.
• Actively participating in network and regional meetings via GoToWebinars, conference calls and in-person gatherings, some of which may occur outside of normal business hours and at locations outside the four-county Region.
• Other duties determined necessary to further goals of the SBDC Regional operation.

Supervision received is general supervision from the Associate Regional Director and Regional Director of the Lake Huron Region of the Michigan Small Business Development Center. Supervision exercised includes supervising assigned volunteers, student aides, and other support staff.

Minimum qualifications include:

• BA or BS degree in business or a closely related field, Masters degree preferred.
• 2-3 years of small business ownership, general management, business consultation, or direct supervisory experience in a business organization.
• Knowledge of financial analysis, accounting & budgeting practices, capital structures, loan products, and private equity resources available to small businesses.
• Knowledge of sales, marketing, and new business development strategies.
• Intermediate-level proficiency in a broad range of computer applications, online databases, tools, and systems used in business planning, accounting, market research, e-commerce, analytics, and/or financial reporting, as well as customer relationship, project, & file management systems, databases, and web-based communication & e-learning tools.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and networking skills.
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office and Google Suite applications.
• Willingness to attend business functions that may occur outside of the normal work hours and locations.
• Ability to communicate with staff members, students, and corporate customers and remain neutral in stressful situations.
• Ability to prioritize work assignments and multi-task when needed. Ability to meet with clients independently and work autonomously to achieve defined objectives with minimal supervision.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists, and to seek the guidance of a supervisor as needed.
• Valid driver's license and the ability to travel in the region served by the SBDC.
• Ability to lift an average of 30 pounds (boxes) if needed.
• Knowledge of small business ownership, business consulting, office systems, high customer service, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience and ability to positively interact with all members of the campus community.
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without accommodations.

Working environment and employment conditions include:

• Duties are generally performed inside and not exposed to adverse conditions.
• Some weeknights and weekends, including intermittent travel, will be required.
• All work associated with this role must be performed within the state of Michigan.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire and throughout their employment. The university does not provide employment visa sponsorship now or in the future for this job classification. Since SVSU does not participate in E-Verify, candidates for employment are not eligible for STEM OPT extensions.

About SVSU:

Saginaw Valley State University is a comprehensive university with more than 100 programs of study for its roughly 7,000 students. Located on a suburban campus in Michigan's Great Lakes Bay Region, SVSU is committed to a supportive and empowering environment for students, faculty and staff. SVSU emphasizes undergraduate teaching and learning, and community-based research. SVSU earned the Community Engagement classification from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, a distinction achieved by only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities. By their senior year, 84 percent of SVSU students have engaged with community employers and agencies in internships, field placements or some other component of their academic preparation. SVSU is establishing itself as a leader in STEAM education for the Great Lakes Bay Region, partnering with businesses, foundations and school districts to improve students' performance in math, science and the arts at the middle school, high school and university levels. SVSU is constructing the first university research facility on Lake Huron to improve public health and the economy in the Saginaw Bay watershed. More than 70 percent of SVSU freshmen live on campus in student housing that has been rated No. 1 among public universities in the U.S. (2018-2025). SVSU fields 20 varsity sports at the NCAA Division II level. The average class size is 23 students.