GENERAL INFORMATION
The North Coast Small Business Development Center (North Coast SBDC) provides business assistance services across California’s northwestern region of Humboldt, Del Norte and Adjacent Tribal Lands. Primary activities include business information & referral, business workshops and learning programs, and one-to-one business advising services with individual entrepreneurs. The center works with over 500 businesses each year.
Funding for this program comes primarily from the federal Small Business Administration (SBA), and the California Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GO-Biz), along with other state and private grants. CalPoly Humboldt’s Sponsored Programs Foundation has hosted Northern California’s regional (NorCal) SBDC program since January 2006, and North Coast SBDC since 2016. While continuation of this position is foreseen for years to come, all NorCal and North Coast SBDC positions are contingent on continued federal and state funding. This is not a state or federal position.
POSITION SUMMARY
Under the direct supervision of the Director and in collaboration with the staff and Business Advisors, the Program Coordinator plays a key role in helping our community's small businesses access the help they need to succeed. In a busy, deadline-driven work environment this organized, friendly person is the glue that keeps clients connected to the right services and the office functioning smoothly.
The Coordinator works directly with the public in person and virtually. The Coordinator also independently performs key tasks related to information & referral, training event logistics, data and file management, and office operations. Must be confident using and learning a variety of office technologies and software. Ideally bilingual in English and Spanish.
The job offers a competitive benefits package including retirement, group health, dental, and vision. Schedule is 30-40 hours per week, Monday through Friday, with occasional evening and
infrequent weekend hours.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS & RESPONSIBILITIES
Client Relations & Services:
● Run business information and referral service and maintain the virtual small business resource library. Answer (or route to colleagues) public inquiries about various business topics, or how to access SBDC services.
● Manage logistics and communications for both in-person and webinar training events. This may include managing registrations, setting up webinars or securing meeting facilities, helping instructors with logistics, etc.
● Help design and produce online and offline marketing collateral. Perform basic event marketing tasks.
● When appropriate, help perform new client screening and intake interviews.
● Help staff and Business Advisors identify and capture client economic impact metrics and stories.
Data & File Management:
● Maintain volume, quality, and integrity of client, service, and advisor data in various Center systems, and keep internal cloud files organized and accessible.
● Monitor training program data for quality and program compliance with all regulations and policies of funding sources.
● Collect, process, and track confidential client income self-certifications.
● Help Center Director capture client economic impact metrics and support entry of data into client system.
Office Operations
● Staff office during open hours.
● Oversee smooth office operations and work with operating system vendors as needed (phone, internet, etc.)
● Maintain copies of all necessary Center materials and handouts—wall displays, training materials, etc.
● Perform occasional administrative support tasks, along with other Center staff, like deadline and meeting tracking, note taking, etc.
● Other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS
Preferred
Preference will be given to candidates who demonstrate all or many of the following:
● Interest in or experience with small business and entrepreneurship.
● Experience in a professional office setting providing customer relations, administrative, bookkeeping, marketing, or other support to the public.
● Competence with client or customer databases, and Zoom or similar web-conferencing
platforms. ● Basic digital marketing skills: using web page CMS, making social media posts, simple graphic design using Canva or the like, etc.
● Ability to stay organized and accurate while managing interruptions.
● Spanish language intermediate proficiency.
● At ease working with people from diverse socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, and disability backgrounds.
● Capacity to create healthy and cooperative working relationships with team members.
● Bachelor’s Degree.
Required / Minimum Qualifications
These qualifications are necessary to do the job:
● Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Excel, and Powerpoint.
● Working knowledge of Google Suite, especially Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, and Sheets.
● Excellent customer and public relations skills.
● High proficiency and attention to detail for accurate data entry, tracking, and management.
● Strict respect for confidentiality.
● High School diploma plus continuing education coursework or certifications, or equivalent experience.
● A valid California driver’s license. (Very occasional travel to event venues or our satellite offices may be required.)
WORKING CONDITIONS
This individual will work in an office setting open to the public Monday-Thursday, 9 am to 5 pm, with the option to work from home on Fridays. The position requires working occasional evenings, and rare weekends, to support learning programs and perform community outreach duties. This individual will spend a significant proportion of working hours on a computer and/or telephone.
Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions, including: lifting and carrying materials weighing up to 20 pounds; reading printed materials and a computer screen; and communicating over the telephone and via Zoom or similar web-conferencing programs.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Qualified applicants should submit the following items via email to careers@norcalsbdc.org
1. Cover letter
2. Résumé
3. Three professional reference contacts
4. Cal Poly Humboldt SPF Employee Information Form for Applicants
Position will remain open until filled. Apply before 10 am on July 31st, 2024 to be included in
the first round of application reviews.
Cal Poly Humboldt Sponsored Programs Foundation is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex including sexual orientation and gender identity, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other legally protected status. More information about Cal Poly Humboldt SPF’s Equal Employment Opportunity hiring can be found here.
SPF adheres to the policy of employment at will, which permits the employer or the employee to end the employment relationship at any time, for any reason, with or without cause or notice as permissible by law. No SPF representative other than the Executive Director may modify at-will status and/or provide any special arrangement concerning terms or conditions of employment in an individual case or generally and any such modification must be in a signed writing.
Maintaining eligibility to work in the United States is a condition of employment. Cal Poly Humboldt Sponsored Programs Foundation does not sponsor visas for staff, management, or temporary positions.
For assistance with the application process, please submit an Accommodation Request Form, which can be found here or contact ADA Coordinator at 707.826.3626 or confidential fax at 707.826.3625. For more information regarding accommodation, you may also visit the Cal Poly Humboldt Human Resources website at https://hraps.humboldt.edu/reasonable-accommodation. Individuals in need of a telecommunications relay service may contact the California Relay Service at 877.735.2929 TTY
