Business Development Specialist – Miami, Florida
The Business Development Specialist will be responsible for providing business counseling
to at-risk populations on a wide range of small businesses issues including resolving current
business issues and planning for growth, developing comprehensive business and marketing
plans, determining capital needs, conducting short and long-term planning, projecting
cash flow, preparing and analyzing financial statements, performing market research and
feasibility studies and assisting in the preparation of loan packages.

Responsibilities:

1. Conducting Community outreach, promoting Business Development Services and recruiting clients;

2. Conducting and documenting initial client needs assessment to determine business strengths and weaknesses and formulate solutions;

3. Responsible for converting clients' inquiries into business plans, loan applications, providing credit recommendations, and assisting in the preparation of loan documentation;

4. Responsible for collaborating together with the ASSETS Coordinator, Financial Literacy Coordinator, and Economic Development Assistant on all aspects of the ASSETS Miami Program;

5. Helping clients learn how to start a business, save a failing business, develop comprehensive business and marketing plans, determine capital needs, conduct short and long-term planning, project cash flow, prepare and analyze financial statements, perform market research and feasibility studies, and assist in the preparation of loan packages;

6. Providing individual and group counseling and training for small business owners, managers, and aspiring entrepreneurs in areas which include, but are not limited to, business planning, financial management, marketing, and business certification;

7. Establishing connections to other micro-enterprise resources in the community and cultivating positive relationships with program partners, volunteers, and stakeholders;

8. Assisting with general office work as needed, such as submission of newsletter articles, timely program reports for grants and board meetings, and other duties as needed; and

9. Participating in the planning and implementation (if schedule allows) of annual special events such as the Thanksgiving Meal Deliveries, Annual fundraising dinner and the Dare to Care service event.

Qualifications:

•  Master's degree from an accredited institution with major course work in accounting, finance, or business administration plus one year of successful experience, or bachelor's degree from an accredited institution with major course work in accounting, finance, or business administration plus five years of successful experience. Experience must be in servicing at-risk populations in economic development or micro-lending in a non-profit business or micro-enterprise development context, or in a closely related field. Any combination of education and experience may be qualifying.

•  Knowledge of business plan format and experience in writing and critiquing business plans, including marketing plans and financial projections.

•  Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written; must be able to demonstrate ability to communicate with, sympathize with and relate to: recent immigrants, minority populations, micro-entrepreneurs, and people with disabilities.

•  Strong computer skills necessary.

•  Self-motivated, able to work independently on several projects at the same time.

•  Willing to adapt to a flexible work schedule (i.e. includes evening meetings and some weekend work).

•  Vision for and commitment to micro-entrepreneurs.

•  Innovative and creative, able to analyze problems and propose solutions.

Other details :

Position is full-time and includes some evening and weekend work; a majority of the work is performed in regular office setting; job requires approximately 20% travel to area client and partner sites for meetings and to perform training.