Business Advisor, Capital Pathways

George Mason University•Fairfax, VA

32d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Business Advisor, Capital Pathways is responsible for advising prospective and existing Capital Pathways clients to help them strengthen their businesses, improve financial, credit, and legal readiness, and successfully access capital. The Business Advisor provides individualized advising, delivers group training, and contributes to outreach and partnership activities that advance the program’s impact across Virginia. This role requires deep knowledge of small business finance, strong interpersonal and communication skills, and the ability to work independently while collaborating closely with program staff and partners. Fluency in Spanish is strongly preferred to effectively serve the program’s target client base.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience
Typically, 3+ years of relevant experience
Knowledge of small business finance and common barriers entrepreneurs face in becoming “capital ready” (cash flow management, documentation, credit readiness, projections), with ability to apply these concepts in client support
Skill in verbal and written communication, including the ability to explain complex financial concepts clearly
Ability to work one-on-one with clients/customers/stakeholders to assess needs, diagnose issues, and provide actionable recommendations
Ability to support outreach and build relationships with diverse business communities; comfort representing the program at events
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, work independently, and collaborate effectively with staff/partners
Ability to analyze business information and make sound recommendations
Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while managing multiple priorities
Ability to build trust and maintain professional relationships with diverse clients and stakeholders
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word and Excel.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in related field
Typically, 5+ years of experience providing financial, business, or small business consulting/advising/mentoring/counseling to entrepreneurs or very small businesses
Experience delivering one-on-one client advising on business strategy, financial management, and access-to-capital readiness (e.g., projections, statements, KPIs, credit-building, compliance, accounting systems)
Experience designing and/or delivering trainings (workshops, webinars, bootcamps) and facilitating group learning
Spanish fluency (professional, client-facing) and/or bilingual communication experience; translation experience a plus
Experience with CRM systems and strong comfort with data entry, reporting, and maintaining client records
Experience supporting entrepreneurs with access-to-capital pathways (lending products, alternative financing, lender/investor readiness)
Experience working in grant-funded programs and/or compliance and reporting requirements
Experience as a small business owner/operator (or direct operations leadership in a small business)
Knowledge of access-to-capital programs, lending products, and alternative financing options
Knowledge of federal or state grant-funded programs and compliance or reporting requirements
Skill in designing and delivering adult education or workforce training programs
Ability to communicate fluently in Spanish or another language commonly spoken by program clients
Proficiency with Client Resource Management (CRM) systems.

Responsibilities

Provide one-on-one advising to prospective and existing small business clients on business strategy, financial management, and access-to-capital readiness
Analyze client situations and provide recommendations related to legal foundations, financial practices, pricing and profitability, financial projections, financial statements, KPIs, credit building, tax compliance, lender and investor readiness, and accounting systems
Maintain an appropriate client load consistent with annual deliverables and strategic plan objectives.
Document all advising, training, and client interactions in the CRM system in a timely, accurate, and comprehensive manner
Maintain client files and records in compliance with Virginia SBDC Network, VSBFA, and U.S. Treasury SSBCI reporting requirements
Support collection, validation, and submission of required client and program data.
Design, develop, and deliver group trainings, workshops, and webinars related to small business finance, operations, and access to capital
Serve as a presenter or facilitator for program events, bootcamps, and peer learning sessions.
Contribute to Capital Pathways outreach and awareness within target markets across Virginia
Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with diverse business communities, including minority-, women-, and veteran-owned businesses
Represent Capital Pathways at business community events, partner meetings, and public forums.
Provide input to the SSBCI Program Manager regarding program operations, improvements, and strategic initiatives
Collaborate with program staff on marketing, outreach, partnership development, and special projects
Perform other duties as assigned in support of Capital Pathways objectives.