Director, San Joaquin County Small Business Center at University of the Pacific

University of the Pacific • Stockton, CA

22d

About The Position

The Director of the San Joaquin County Small Business Center at the University of the Pacific (Small Business Center) will provide academic and operational leadership for a new student-centric, university-based, center supporting small businesses throughout San Joaquin County. The Small Business Center ( SBC ) will be housed in the Eberhardt School of Business and the Director will report to the Dean of the Eberhardt School of Business. This role involves mentoring students, overseeing client programming, and cultivating a strong pipeline of family business support through student applied consulting, education, and research. To strengthen the local economy by supporting small business development, the Director of the SBC will support, in collaborative experiential learning for students, the following: Assist local small businesses and entrepreneurs in starting, growing, and sustaining their ventures. Offer resources and expertise to address specific challenges based by small businesses. Serve as a learning hub for enterprising individuals and families who create economic value and societal impact. Key Services Provided Business Consulting : The SBC will offer consulting services to help with business planning, marketing, finance, analytics and general operations. In offering consulting services, the Director will either lead a team of students in a course or coordinate with an existing course at the University Workshops and Seminars: The SBC will conduct workshops on various topics such as business planning, financial management, marketing strategies, etc. Networking Opportunities: The SBC will facilitate connections between students and local business owners, industry experts, and potential partners or clients. Potential Services Provided Resource Library: The SBC will either provide or coordinate with other centers to provide market research, business templates, and industry reports. Access To Funding: The SBC will either assist or coordinate with other centers in identifying and applying for loans, grants, and other funding sources. Training Programs: The SBC will either offer or coordinate with other centers to offer training programs to enhance the skills of small business owners and their employees. University of the Pacific recognizes that diversity, equity, and inclusion is foundational to the success of our valued students and employees. We prioritize policy and decision-making that demonstrates awareness of, and responsiveness to, the ways socio-cultural forces related to race, gender, ability, sexuality, socio-economic status, etc. impede or propel students, faculty, and staff.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Public Administration, or a closely related field.
• Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in small business development, entrepreneurship support, economic development, and/or consulting.
• Experience supervising or mentoring students, early‑career professionals, or staff in an academic or professional setting.
• Experience building partnerships or collaborating with community organizations, business associations, or economic development agencies.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in Business Administration, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Public Administration, or a closely related field.
• Strong knowledge of small business operations, including planning, finance, marketing, and analytics.
• Experience designing or delivering workshops, training, or educational programs for adult learners, entrepreneurs, or business owners.
• Ability to lead applied learning projects, ideally within a university or similar environment.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and relationship‑building skills.
• Demonstrated project management and organizational abilities.
• Ability to work collaboratively with faculty, students, entrepreneurs, and community stakeholders.
• Commitment to serving diverse communities and supporting inclusive economic growth.
• Experience and sensitivity in working with people of diverse backgrounds and cultures.
• Demonstrated experience in advancing social justice, equity, and inclusion in a university setting.
• Ability to engage and integrate culturally responsive practices and knowledge in their work.

Responsibilities

• Assist local small businesses and entrepreneurs in starting, growing, and sustaining their ventures.
• Offer resources and expertise to address specific challenges based by small businesses.
• Serve as a learning hub for enterprising individuals and families who create economic value and societal impact.
• Business Consulting : The SBC will offer consulting services to help with business planning, marketing, finance, analytics and general operations.
• Workshops and Seminars: The SBC will conduct workshops on various topics such as business planning, financial management, marketing strategies, etc.
• Networking Opportunities: The SBC will facilitate connections between students and local business owners, industry experts, and potential partners or clients.
• Resource Library: The SBC will either provide or coordinate with other centers to provide market research, business templates, and industry reports.
• Access To Funding: The SBC will either assist or coordinate with other centers in identifying and applying for loans, grants, and other funding sources.
• Training Programs: The SBC will either offer or coordinate with other centers to offer training programs to enhance the skills of small business owners and their employees.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees