Community Benefits Compliance Specialist

City of Pontiac•Pontiac, MI

2d•$61,000 - $95,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Under the supervision of the Economic Vitality Manager, the Community Benefits Compliance Specialist will focus on supporting small businesses and serving as a liaison to ensure that small businesses have the tools they need to participate in the community benefits agreements made with large developments. This position also serves as a key point of contact for business owners, helps identify operational challenges and service needs, coordinates connections to City and partner resources, and supports strategies that strengthen the local small business environment with a special focus on helping small businesses be able to scale and participate in the growth happening in the City of Pontiac.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business administration, public administration, economic development, urban studies, communications, or a related field
3-5 years experience in small business support, community engagement, business outreach, economic development, program coordination, or a related area
Proficiency in standard office software, database systems, and business correspondence

Nice To Haves

Experience working directly with small businesses, entrepreneurs, business associations, corridor development efforts, community benefits agreement programs, or municipal and community-based economic development programs.
Familiarity with business assistance resources, technical assistance providers, financing tools, procurement processes, or local government service delivery is preferred.

Responsibilities

Leads business retention efforts focused on helping existing small businesses remain stable, connected, and positioned for growth.
Conducts outreach to local businesses through site visits, phone calls, meetings, events, and relationship-building activities to better understand operational challenges, opportunities, and service needs.
Serves as an ongoing point of contact for business owners by responding to questions, identifying barriers to sustainability, and coordinating solutions through internal departments or external partners.
Maintains records of business outreach, assistance provided, follow-up actions, and trends affecting the small business environment to support reporting and program development.
Connects businesses to available resources, technical assistance, financing support, procurement opportunities, permitting information, and other services that help strengthen operations and growth potential.
Supports corridor-based engagement efforts and assists in developing strategies, recommendations, and initiatives that promote business retention and long-term economic vitality.
Builds and maintains effective working relationships with businesses, community organizations, lenders, service providers, and other stakeholders involved in small business support.
Researches business conditions, recurring concerns, and service gaps to help inform policies, programming, and resource coordination efforts.
Prepares reports, correspondence, outreach materials, and status updates related to business engagement activities and program outcomes.
Performs other related duties as assigned in support of departmental, organizational, and community priorities.