Small Business Advisor

San Jacinto•Pasadena, TX

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Small Business Advisor provides professional business consulting and support to small business owners through the San Jacinto Small Business Development Center (SBDC). The advisor helps clients with specialized needs, including government contracting, product commercialization and technology, and international trade. The position assesses clients’ training needs, supports marketing strategy development, conducts financial analysis, and connects clients with specialized professional services. It also promotes SBDC programs and contributes to the team’s impact goals for job creation, new business starts, and capital raised. The position is based at the SBDC location in Pearland, Texas, and requires a physical presence at the assigned on-site work location during unrestricted operations, with very limited or no opportunity for remote work.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university.
Five years of direct job-related experience.
Small business ownership and/or management experience.
Thorough knowledge of business principles.
Ability to interact effectively and positively with clients.
Ability to quickly assess clients’ impact readiness and develop a pathway for their success.
Ability to facilitate dialogue on behalf of clients with professionals such as lawyers, bankers, CPAs, government agency personnel, and market researchers.
Computer literacy and working knowledge of word-processing, spreadsheet, and other commonly used business software.
Excellent interpersonal skills.
Experience with SBA and conventional borrowing.

Nice To Haves

MBA preferred.
Website development and maintenance experience is a plus.
Bilingual in Spanish and English is a plus.

Responsibilities

Provide professional business consulting and support to small business owners, including assistance with government contracting, product commercialization and technology, and international trade.
Assess clients’ management and technical education needs and recommend appropriate business training classes.
Assist clients in developing marketing strategies, including product or service development, promotion, pricing, and distribution.
Evaluate and diagnose client opportunities and make appropriate referrals to specialty centers and the Professional Services Network for legal, accounting, or other specialized assistance.
Perform financial analysis using spreadsheets and computer-assisted software, including Business Plan Pro and industry comparisons such as RMA.
Participate in public relations activities, give speeches and presentations, serve on committees, and attend trade shows and business expos to publicize SBDC programs.
Help the San Jacinto SBDC team meet or exceed impact goals for new jobs created, new businesses started, and capital raised.
Meet regularly with bankers to promote SBDC services and help clients access SBA-guaranteed loans.
Attend workshops, seminars, and training classes to improve skills related to the area of expertise.
Coordinate and integrate work efforts with other divisions, personnel, and students of the San Jacinto College District.