Senior Small Business Advocate

City of New York•New York, NY

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS) is seeking a Senior Small Business Advocate to play a key leadership role in supporting the successful implementation of NYC BEST (Business Express Service Team). NYC BEST is a dedicated team that educates and advocates for entrepreneurs launching and operating storefront businesses across the five boroughs. The Senior Small Business Advocate will supervise Small Business Advocates, ensuring comprehensive support for specific industries and serving as the primary liaison between the team and the Director of Advocacy. This role involves developing and implementing engagement strategies, collaborating with city agencies, and providing guidance to businesses navigating zoning and regulatory policies. The position also leads initiatives in regulatory processes and stakeholder engagement to promote economic development and equitable access to commercial spaces.

Requirements

A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties described above; or
High school graduation or equivalent and six years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties as described above; or
Education and/or experience which is equivalent to '1' or '2' above. However, all candidates must have at least one year of experience as described in '1' above.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of city agency rules and regulations.
Experience navigating licenses and permits.
Experience avoiding and reducing fines and violations.
Experience with zoning and regulatory policies.
Experience with economic development and equitable access to commercial spaces.
Experience with regulatory processes and stakeholder engagement.
Experience with data analysis to enhance business engagement, community outreach, and workshop effectiveness.
Experience creating and maintaining training materials, guides, and presentations.
Experience developing protocols and procedures.
Experience with case management and auditing case notes.
Experience with customer escalations.
Experience conducting research and analysis on industry trends.
Experience informing the creation of new policies and practices.
Experience identifying training needs.
Experience with onboarding and training new staff.
Experience with mentorship and professional development.

Responsibilities

Provide direct supervision, guidance and support to Small Business Advocates assigned to NYC BEST.
Monitor performance, assign tasks, and ensure deliverables are met.
Oversee the day-to-day operations of NYC BEST Small Business Advocates and support programs and services within NYC BEST.
Establish and maintain positive relationships with business owners by proactively engaging with clients and setting clear expectations regarding City requirements, timelines, and next steps.
Establish and maintain relationships with community partners, business associations, and other City agencies to maximize impact.
Represent NYC BEST at external meetings, workshops and events.
Provide direct, high-level technical assistance to business owners navigating zoning updates, permitting processes, and regulatory requirements.
Ensure a high standard of customer service and problem-solving for complex business inquiries.
Assist in preparing briefings, presentations, and reports for agency leadership and external stakeholders.
Lead projects and travel to meetings or events within the five boroughs.
Be available for evening and weekend events (as needed).
Analyze data to enhance business engagement, community outreach, and bootcamp workshop effectiveness.
Support in the creation and maintenance of training materials, guides, and presentations to support learning and development.
Maintain and develop Small Business Advocate protocols and procedures to educate and train staff and enhance NYC BEST SOP.
Ensure timely and clear communication with partners on joint initiatives while tracking agency partnerships contributions and outcomes to drive continuous improvement.
Establish and maintain strong relationships with agency partners, ensuring timely and clear communication on joint initiatives.
Audit case notes to ensure completeness, accuracy and follow-up.
Handle customer escalations and direct client service as needed.
Conduct research and analysis of storefront trends across the five boroughs for designated industries.
Help expand and deepen the impact of NYC BEST’s small business support by proposing areas for improvement and development in assigned industries.
Use quantitative and qualitative research to inform the creation of new policies and practices.
In partnership with leadership, identify training needs as industry regulations arise.
Supervise Small Business Advocates including direct supervision, workflow planning, and professional development.
Review and monitor the caseload of the assigned advocates to ensure consistency in case management and optimal service delivery.
Coordinate with senior management to ensure maximizing the reach of the team by using data to determine outreach sites and dissemination of new rules and regulations.
Assist with overall management and administration including monitoring and enforcing timekeeping and personnel policies.
Conduct onboarding training for new staff on NYC BEST services, agencies rules and regulations, resources and small business services.
Collaborate with the Director of Advocacy to manage and develop NYC BEST programs, ensuring alignment with strategic goals and compliance standards.
Assist in analyzing and reporting key data trends, performance metrics, and insights to inform decision-making and drive business strategies.
Provide mentorship and identify professional development for NYC BEST Small Business Advocates.
Support onboarding and training period through assessment and certification process.