Small Business Counselor
International Rescue Committee
- Salt Lake City, UT
- $25.96-29.31 per hour
- Contract
- Full-time
- Provide one-on-one business counseling and technical assistance in small business development, finances, marketing, and outreach to refugee and other new American entrepreneurs, making outside referrals when needed.
- Support entrepreneurs in building personal credit and improving overall financial wellbeing as part of their business development.
- Manage a client pipeline by tracking prospective entrepreneurs, ensuring timely intake, consistent follow-up, and ongoing post-launch support to help businesses sustain and grow.
- Deliver services in a culturally responsive manner, adapting approaches to the cultural, linguistic, and educational needs of each client.
- Engage with community partners to share information about IRC UT's small business services, learn about other available resources, and make high-quality referrals. Attend at least 1-2 community partner meetings each month and actively participate in community events to expand program visibility.
- Assist the Senior Small Business Coordinator with pulling program data, preparing reports, and providing accurate numbers for grant and donor reporting.
- Develop loan applications, including business plans, cash flow projections, and other required documentation; underwrite loans to ensure alignment with IRC's loan policies prior to submission.
- Provide credit-building and small business loans to eligible participants.
- Assist entrepreneurs with developing branding, online presence, and marketing strategies to help grow their businesses.
- Develop and coordinate group training workshops as needed, including arranging guest speakers/trainers and identifying/purchasing appropriate incentives.
- Maintain comprehensive client case files, including required eligibility documentation, progress notes, and service outcomes.
- Conduct participant surveys, including post-workshop feedback forms.
- Collect, maintain, and enter data into the program's information systems in a timely and accurate manner.
- Provide ongoing resources to ethnic community-based organizations, community partners, and other community leaders to recruit qualified entrepreneur candidates for services.
- Identify and help build partnerships with lenders, vendors, and other small business ecosystem partners to increase resources available to clients.
- Participate in program meetings, weekly staff meetings, staff development activities, and national skills-building trainings, calls, and communities of practice, while fully engaging as a member of the team.
- Support general office logistics, such as office support and front desk coverage, as applicable and feasible.
Education:
- Undergraduate degree, or equivalent professional experience, in Economics, Business, Small Business Development, Finance, Entrepreneurship, Education, or related field.
- 2 years of professional experience working in entrepreneurship, business counseling, or small business development.
- Demonstrated understanding of U.S. businesses and business development systems and laws, with experience in business counseling, banking, entrepreneurship, or related endeavors.
- Experience with adult education, training, community building, and/or community development.
- Previous experience working with individuals from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds and varying levels of literacy and numeracy.
- Experience working in a direct service role preferred.
- Experience and training in trauma-informed and person-centered services.
- Strong organizational skills including multi-tasking, prioritizing, planning, and effective time management.
- Ability to work independently as well as on a close, collaborative team.
- Fluency in written and spoken English, with bi-lingual ability in a language commonly spoken by refugees in Salt Lake City (Arabic, Spanish, French, Dari, Pashto, Swahili, Kirundi, Somali, etc.) preferred.
- Ability to communicate with limited-English speakers, and demonstrated multicultural experience.
- Ability to work with refugee participants, community leaders, partners, and volunteers from a variety of backgrounds.
- Competency in Microsoft Office required; experience with web-based data entry systems preferred.
- Valid driver's license, active insurance policy, and access to reliable transportation.
- Standard office work environment along with travel in and around the service delivery area.
- Flexibility to work some Saturdays and some weekday evenings as needed to support programming.