Small Business Advocate

City of New York•New York, NY

About The Position

NYC BEST (Business Express Service Team) as outlined in the Mayor's Blueprint for New York City's Economic Recovery, is a dedicated team serving as a single point of contact between City agencies and small businesses operating in the five boroughs. As part of the NYC BEST Initiative, Small Business Advocate work directly with new and operating businesses looking to open sooner and operate easier in New York City. Small Business Advocate provide insightful advice to business owners and licensed professionals, assisting them to understand and navigate relevant City policies and regulations. Small Business Advocates also connect businesses with the Compliance Advisors unit to ensure they are in compliant with the City and State’s rules and regulations prior to inspection visit. Reporting to the Director of NYC BEST Initiatives, the specific responsibilities of the Small Business Advocate include:

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.

Responsibilities

Working with business owners to identify all City requirements for operating or opening a business, understand specific issues or concerns impacting the client, and provide guidance, information or steps towards resolution.
Explain the sequence of activities businesses should follow to meet regulatory requirements.
Conducting research into City, and relevant NYS, codes, permits, and requirements.
Assisting with guiding business owners through City services necessary to meet requirements for opening and operating a business by working with partner City agencies.
Establishing and maintaining positive relationships with business owners by proactively engaging with clients and setting clear expectations regarding City requirements, timelines and next steps.
Present agency services and relevant City services on the phone, over email, during one-on-one meetings, and at outreach events.
Collaborate with all City agencies and their respective personnel to identify solutions for NYC’s business community, especially working with the team at SBS dedicated to programming to help businesses launch.
Maintaining accurate and specific status reports in the designated software or data analysis tools of establishments participating in these services, including inspection activity, plan examination, issues encountered, opening dates, and time saved.
Collaborating with NYC BEST to ensure all team members are meeting core milestones and policy objectives.
Assist other initiatives and programs in the agency toward shared goals as required
Assist the senior leadership team with pipeline building projects, activities, and relationship management with key private and public partners.
Lead given projects and travel to meetings or events within the five boroughs and to be available for evening and weekend events.