Entrepreneurship and Self-Employment Developer

ADAPT Community Network•New York, NY

7d•$60,000 - $65,000•Hybrid

About The Position

ADAPT Community Network is seeking an Entrepreneurship and Self-Employment Developer to assist individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in exploring their talents, developing small business ideas, and creating pathways to income, independence, and community connection. This role requires creativity in marketing, coaching abilities, and a belief in empowering individuals to build their own ventures. ADAPT Community Network, formerly United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) of NYC, provides a wide range of services to individuals with developmental disabilities and is a strong organization committed to helping people live fuller lives. They offer paid training, competitive benefits, and foster a culture of learning, support, collaboration, and career growth.

Requirements

Ability to help individuals move from idea development to planning, launch, and ongoing support.
Strong coaching, communication, organization, documentation, and relationship-building skills.
Ability to develop accessible tools, plain-language materials, and person-centered business planning resources.
Understanding marketing, customer engagement, basic pricing, online visibility, and community partnership development.
Commitment to dignity, choice, inclusion, disability rights, economic self-determination, and meaningful community-based employment.
Ability to work collaboratively across departments and with people supported, families, staff, community partners, and leadership.
Ability to read, write, speak, and understand English.
Travel across the five boroughs of New York City may be required.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in human services, vocational rehabilitation, business, education, social work, psychology, disability services, or a related field preferred.
Experience in supported employment, vocational services, workforce development, entrepreneurship, small business development, disability services, or community-based program development preferred.
Experience supporting people with intellectual, developmental, physical, or communication disabilities preferred.
Experience with social media, online marketplaces, product sales, community events, vendor fairs, digital media, accessibility consulting, or creative enterprise models preferred.
Familiarity with OPWDD services, SEMP documentation, person-centered planning, benefits planning, or employment-first practices preferred.
Knowledge of small business development, entrepreneurship, self-employment, job development, or customized employment practices.

Responsibilities

Identifies individuals who may be interested in self-employment, micro-enterprise, consulting, creative business, or non-traditional employment opportunities.
Conducts person-centered discovery to understand each individual’s interests, strengths, talents, communication style, support needs, preferred work routines, and employment goals.
Develops individualized business plans that include the business concept, target customers, pricing, startup needs, support plan, marketing strategy, benefits considerations, risk factors, and measurable milestones.
Provides coaching in business readiness, communication, customer service, scheduling, money management, product development, quality control, marketing, technology use, and follow-through.
Supports individuals in safely and professionally developing visibility through appropriate social media, online marketplace, digital storytelling, community showcase, or vendor opportunities.
Builds partnerships with internal departments, local businesses, community organizations, markets, creative spaces, accessibility partners, technology partners, and other potential collaborators.
Coordinates with Supported Employment, Day Habilitation, Residential, Smart Living Center, TechWorks, clinical, finance, human resources, quality, and compliance teams as needed.
Ensures entrepreneurship and self-employment activities are connected to the person’s employment goals, service plan, business plan, documentation, and measurable outcomes.
Maintains accurate records, progress summaries, business plan updates, coaching notes, partnership trackers, and outcome reports.
Assists with staff training, referral tools, coaching guides, and program materials that support consistent identification and development of self-employment opportunities.
Tracks and evaluates program outcomes to identify opportunities to entrepreneurship and improve self-employment services.
Stays informed about developments in supported employment, entrepreneurship, self-employment, customized employment, accessibility, technology, and community-based business opportunities.
Performs other related duties as requested.