LaGUARDIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Goldman Sachs’
10,000 Small Businesses Initiative
BUSINESS SERVICES DIRECTOR
Job Description
Background: 10,000 Small Businesses is a national $500 million investment by Goldman Sachs to spur growth and job creation in small businesses over the next five years. Goldman Sachs selected LaGuardia Community College of the City University of New York as the pilot partner to design and launch 10,000 Small Businesses. Through an unprecedented combination of classroom training, expert advice and mentoring, business owners will develop and implement strategies to grow their firms. Those business owners selected to participate in this intensive six-month program will receive rigorous training on business fundamentals through a curriculum devised by the nation's top business schools and tailored to the practical needs of small firms. Consulting and executive mentoring from business professionals at Goldman Sachs will give participants the chance to transform their learning into action. By the time business owners graduate from the program, they will have formulated their growth plans and be on track to expand and develop their businesses.
LaGuardia Community College has made the 10,000 Small Businesses initiative a significant program in its Adult and Continuing Education (“ACE”) division. The resources of the entire division have been committed to making the program a success. The ACE staff has worked hard to develop the key components of the program. The College is now seeking individuals to launch, lead, manage and continuously improve the program to ensure that it is meeting the small business needs of the New York City community.
The Position: Under the direction of the Executive Director, the Business Services Director will lead the successful development, implementation, and delivery of effective business services for 10,000 Small Businesses at LaGuardia Community College. Expected business services will include direct technical assistance to assist participants to develop business growth plans and implement change strategies. The successful candidate will demonstrate vision, an in-depth knowledge of small business growth strategies, and an understanding of service delivery operations. The Business Services Director will ensure that services are coordinated with the education components of the program, providing participants with a comprehensive experience.
The Business Services Director must be a self-starter with the desire and ability to generate innovative methods for helping small businesses and bolstering job creation. He or she will be able to effectively lead and coordinate the staff, departments and partners required to deliver meaningful and effective services to businesses. The successful candidate will be outcome-oriented and convey a compelling vision to staff, partners, and program funders, as well as to current and potential program participants. The Business Services Director will be a leader, problem solver, skillful communicator, creative, opportunistic, and an effective collaborator.
Specific responsibilities:
· Manage a small staff in the delivery of services to business
· Develop effective and innovative services for program participants that drive job growth
· Define and implement successful structures for engaging businesses to provide technical assistance accounting for program staff expertise and availability
· Create and deliver business services, including staffing, data capture, performance measures, and quality assurance
· Provide direct business services and expert advice to business participants
· Monitor effectiveness and relevance of services, adjusting as necessary
· Develop strategies within various business sectors for improving services to the business customer
· Prepare management reports and implement action plans to improve performance when needed
· Coordinate with the Education Services Director to ensure that business services properly align with the educational components of the program
Business Development, Networking, and Mentoring Duties
· Spearhead business recruitment to identify and attract qualified leads for the program
· Develop and maintain relationships with participating businesses
· Develop partnerships with other organizations providing business assistance to ensure that businesses receive the services they need
· Conceptualize, develop, and execute value-add networking opportunities for present and former participating businesses
· Develop a network of professionals to provide mentoring services to businesses
· Create a program by which participating businesses and mentors partake in quality interactions
· Generate performance metrics to measure outputs and outcomes from the program
· Collect relevant information and perform analysis to identify areas for program improvement
· Develop new mentoring relationships to meet changing business needs
Qualifications:
· Advanced degree from an accredited school
· Entrepreneurial spirit and ability to find innovative ways to serve program participants
· 5 years of management experience with a track record of progressive responsibility
· Background in consulting, clients services, sales or other relevant field
· Background in service operations, including a familiarity with the use of technology to record customer information and track outcomes
· Experience in operating a small business and/or an in-depth knowledge of growth strategies for small businesses
· Excellent spoken and written communication skills
· Must be a passionate advocate for the program, its participants, and LaGuardia Community College
· Experience with program design, implementation and operations
· Ability to develop and oversee quality assurance measures to ensure program effectiveness
To Apply: LaGuardia Community College has retained the services of Harris Rand Lusk to conduct this search. Inquiries, nominations, and applications may be directed in confidence to:
Michael Hopkins, Consultant
Harris Rand Lusk
261 Madison Avenue, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10016
mhopkins@harrisrand.com
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