Business Advisor (Part Time) Sulphur, OK

Business Advisor (Part Time) Sulphur, OK

Salary $25-$28 Hourly

The core responsibility of the position is to provide small business management counseling and technical services to existing small business owners and to new entrepreneurs. The advisor will provide individual counseling as well as group training on topics such as business management principles, business finance, and marketing. Other responsibilities include identifying problem areas in a small business, developing outreach assistance programs, and developing relationships with area lenders and others providing support services to small businesses.

The advisor will be responsible for developing a diverse client portfolio to include existing small businesses poised for growth and expansion and startups and preventure clients. The advisor will demonstrate knowledge of accounting processes and financial statements and will provide financial analysis for the small business client to include cash flow management and business ratios. The advisor will be responsible for developing a network of lenders and funding partners within the assigned region to assist small business clients with business capitalization.

All work conducted by the advisor is strictly confidential and the advisor will be required to sign a Code of Professional Conduct and Conflict of Interest and Ethics Policy annually. This position is located at the Murray County Extension Center in Sulphur, OK. Work is performed independently. Continuation of employment is dependent upon program/operational needs, satisfactory work performance, and availability of funds.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Manages the portfolio of clients through the management information system database, currently Center IC, by ensuring the integrity of the data including but not limited to current contact information of the client, entering narratives of client sessions on a timely basis, collecting and reporting impact from clients, and updating client business status.
• Provides management consulting which includes business plans for strategic planning and financing, marketing, accounting, finance, production, and facilities management for existing and prospective businesses.
• Performs one-on-one confidential client consultation and works on attaining individual consulting goals set forth by the State Director as directed by SBA. Client consulting can take place face-to-face, via email or technological means, or by phone.
• Delivers training in workshops and seminars designed to enhance one-on-one consulting efforts.
• Works with the Training Manager in outreach consultation and training for small communities within the assigned region.
• Partners with state-wide network team to develop best practices.
• Prepares required reports for all counseling cases, training activities, monthly department reports, and all other paperwork required for program documentation as required by SBA.
• Works with the State Office to develop and implement promotional and advocacy strategies to create awareness of the SBDC and its services throughout the business and financial community. This may include public speaking to groups regarding the SBDC and its services. Such marketing efforts are conducted in alignment with SBDC branding guidelines and in consultation with the State Office staff.
• The advisor will travel throughout assigned regional-county areas to provide SBDC services and occasionally throughout the state to attend or deliver training at conferences, meetings, or workshops.
• Develops a diverse client base to include existing business clients poised for growth, startups, and preventure clients and does so with sensitivity to ethnic, social-economic, and educational level diversity.
• Actively engages in a wide variety of professional development activities in order to maintain and grow professional knowledge and meet the required number of hours of professional development.
• Meets or exceeds all assigned goals and impact metrics, including but not limited to clients served, business starts, capitalization, and jobs supported.
• Must have an excellent command of the English language including vocabulary, grammar, and organization of expression required for documenting client files, client correspondence, program promotion and advocacy.
• Advisor will maintain a high-level working relationship with clients, colleagues, partners and the public.
• The advisor will have well developed interviewing skills including the ability to listen to clients, elicit appropriate information, relate, and evaluate information and analyze and interpret information in order to develop and recommend solutions to business challenges.
• The advisor will have the ability to read, understand, and apply a variety of interrelated instructions, such as those found in guidelines, regulations, policies, and management directives.
• Ability to establish priorities according to relative organizational importance, manage time effectively, meet deadlines, and achieve goals.
• A 30-hour workweek is expected. The advisor may be expected to work hours in excess of the normal hours per week when the workload requires additional hours to include some overnight meetings as well as evening activities on occasion.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Additional Performance Responsibilities (Functions, Duties)

• Attendance and Dependability: The employee can be depended upon to report to the assigned duty station at the scheduled time. Employee can be depended upon to complete work in a timely, accurate, and thorough manner and is conscientious about assignments.
• Communication and Contact: The employee communicates effectively and professionally both verbally and in writing with superiors, colleagues, and individuals inside and outside of the University.
• Relationships with Others: The employee works effectively and relates well with others including superiors, colleagues, and individuals inside and outside the University. The employee exhibits a professional manner in dealing with others and works to maintain constructive working environment.
• Safety: Employee works safely, attends safety training offered/required, and follows appropriate safety rules and regulations. In relation to level of NIMs training completed, participates in incident management preparation, and performs incident duties as assigned.
• Skills: Computer proficiency and writing tests may be required. Demonstration of presentation skills may also be required.

Minimum Education, Training, and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Business/related discipline or equivalent job-related experience
• Three years of small business ownership or business management experience
• Knowledge of the principles and requirements of starting and operating a successful small business in Oklahoma
• Ability to provide exceptional customer service and client satisfaction
• Excellent communication skills, including oral, written, and/or nonverbal
• Proficient with personal computer capabilities, using the Internet, and the Microsoft Office Suite especially Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Attention to detail with ability to manage multiple concurrent projects and meet deadlines
• Professional appearance and interpersonal demeanor
• Intermediate knowledge of commercial lending, business capitalization, including financing, funding, and loan sourcing with the ability to develop a network of lenders and funding partners for client referrals
• Demonstrated knowledge of accounting processes, financial statements, financial analysis, cash flow management and business ratios
• Demonstrated expertise in a specialty which may include International Trade, Financial Analysis or Commercial Lending, Technology Commercialization, Marketing, Government Contracting, Human Resources, etc.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality
• Valid driver's license
• Ability to lift 40 pounds

Preferred

• Master's degree in Business Management or other closely related discipline
• Five years of business ownership or management experience to include financial and operational management, payroll, accounting, marketing, knowledge of QuickBooks
• Experience as a loan officer or other similar business lending background
• Experience in economic development
• Experience in advocacy at the local or state level
• Knowledge of the business counseling and consulting process
• Fluency in Spanish or other language in addition to English