SMALL BUSINESS ADVOCATE

DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS SERV.

Job Posting Notice

Job ID

467794

Business Title

SMALL BUSINESS ADVOCATE

Civil Service Title

BUSINESS PROMOTION COORDINATOR

Title Classification

Competitive

Job Category

Constituent Services & Community Programs

Career Level

Entry-Level

Work Location

1 Liberty Plaza NYC

Division/Work Unit

Business Launch Services

# of Positions

3

Title Code No

60860

Level

01

Proposed Salary Range

$ 42,324.00 – $ 72,774.00 (Annual)

Job Description

Small Business Advocates work directly with new businesses looking to open and operate in New York City. Small Business Advocates provide insightful advice to business owners and licensed professionals, assisting them to understand and navigate relevant City policies and regulations. They respond to business inquiries, conduct research into City policies and regulations, and develop expertise in related City and State regulations while providing a high level of customer service to business owners.

Small Business Advocates help businesses in the start-up and operating stages to open sooner and operate easier.

This role reports to the Director of Small Business Advocates. Specific responsibilities include:

• Working with business owners to identify all City requirements for operating or opening a new business, understand specific issues or concerns impacting the client, and provide guidance, information or steps towards resolution.
• Explain the sequence of activities businesses should follow to meet regulatory requirements.
• Conducting research into City, and relevant NYS, codes, permits, and requirements.
• Communicating clearly the sequence of activities businesses should follow to meet regulatory requirements.
• Assisting with expediting City services necessary to meet requirements for opening a new business by working with partner City agencies.
• Establishing and maintaining positive relationships with business owners by proactively engaging with clients and setting clear expectations regarding City requirements, timelines and next steps.
• Supporting promotional activities to raise awareness among business owners around the availability of SBS services, including door-knocking, participating in speaking engagements or distributing promotional materials at community events.
• Present agency services and relevant City services on the phone, over email, during one-on-one meetings, and at outreach events.
• Collaborate with all City agencies and their respective personnel to identify solutions for NYC’s business community, especially working with the team at SBS dedicated to programming to help businesses launch.
• Consistently and accurately collect and maintain information on all services to new business owners, including cataloguing policies relevant to each industry served.
• Maintaining accurate and specific status reports in the designated software or data analysis tools of establishments participating in these services, including inspection activity, plan examination, issues encountered, opening dates, and time saved.
• Collaborating with peers to ensure all Small Business Advocates are meeting core milestones and policy objectives.
• Assist other initiatives and programs in the agency toward shared goals as required
• Assist the senior leadership team with pipeline building projects, activities, and relationship management with key private and public partners.
• Other duties as required.

Minimum Qual Requirements

1. A masters degree from an accredited college with a major in business administration, public administration, urban planning, economics, urban affairs, marketing research, finance, or political science; or

2. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and one year of full-time satisfactory experience in one or more of the following:

a. business development, retention, expansion and relocation or assisting businesses in accessing public and private services and programs including workforce development; or

b. analysis of business records and documents to determine eligibility of businesses for programs and services; or

c. economic, market or site research and analysis for business and neighborhood development; or

d. facilitation and promotion of the film industry through the processing of various permits, marketing techniques and incentive programs; or

3. An associate degree or 60 semester credits from an accredited college and three years of full-time satisfactory experience as described in “2” above; or

4. A satisfactory combination of education and experience which is equivalent to “1”, “2”, or “3” above. However, all candidates must have least 60 semester credits from an accredited college or university.

Preferred Skills

• At least two years of customer service and/or experience that demonstrates a proven record of helping individuals, clients and/or business owners.
• At least two years of business development (B2B or B2C) working with new businesses, as well as operating.
• An understanding of issues concerning the establishment and operation of a business in New York City.
• An understanding of New York City’s operational agencies, including the ability to identify which agencies are relevant to a business’s concern via conversations with the business owner.
• Management and/or administrative experience including handling of business or economic development programs.
• Strong interpersonal skills: ability to interact positively with business owners, ask questions to understand the core issues facing the business, identify information to be researched, and build trust during the conversation.
• Ability to research, understand, catalogue, and maintain information related to all City codes, permits, and requirements that impact a new business in NYC.
• Ability to coordinate and communicate between business clients, other agencies, internal stakeholders while balancing requirements and resources to solve business needs.
• Flexibility, multi-tasking capability, and enthusiastic work ethic.
• Strong written, verbal communication and data analysis skills.
• Additional language capacity. Preferred fluency or working knowledge of Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Korean, or French Creole.
• Knowledge of MS Office (i.e. Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access).

To Apply

THIS POSITION IS OPEN TO CANDIDATES WHO ARE PERMANENT IN THE BUSINESS PROMOTION COORDINATOR (OR COMPARABLE TITLES) TITLE, THOSE WHO ARE REACHABLE ON THE CIVIL SERVICE LIST AND THOSE IN THE 55-A PROGRAM. PLEASE INDICATE IN YOUR COVER LETTER IF YOU ARE PERMANENT IN THE TITLE OR ARE REACHABLE ON THE CIVIL SERVICE LIST.

To apply, please email your resume and cover letter, after applying via ESS (for internal applicants) or nyc.gov/careers (for external applicants), and use the following subject line:

Small Business Advocate to: [email protected]

Salary: Commensurate with Experience

NOTE: This position expires on fiscal year 2023 (6/30/2023) and only those candidates under consideration will be contacted.

NYC residency is required within 90 days of appointment

If you do not have access to email, mail your cover letter & resume to:

NYC Department of Small Business Services

Human Resources Unit

1 Liberty Plaza, 11th Floor

New York, New York 10006

________________________________________

The Department of Small Business Services (SBS) is an equal opportunity employer, committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse and culturally responsive workforce. SBS has a zero-tolerance policy for any form of sexual harassment in the workplace, treats all incidents seriously and promptly investigates all allegations of sexual harassment.

All applicants will be considered without regard to actual or perceived race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, marital or parental status, disability, sex, gender identity or expression, age, prior record of arrest; or any other basis prohibited by law. These protections extend to all management practices and decisions, including recruitment and hiring practices, appraisal systems, promotions, training, and career development programs. SBS will continue to provide reasonable accommodations to employees and applicants with disabilities, and for religious observances and practices.

NOTE: This position is open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate in your cover letter that you would like to be considered for the position under the 55-a.

We appreciate the interest and thank all applicants who apply, but only those candidates under consideration will be contacted.

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

POSTING DATE

07/12/2021

POST UNTIL

10/10/2021

The City of New York is an Equal Opportunity Employer