Washington State University Hiring for Business Advisor – Southwest Washington Coast at Cowlitz County Full Time

Available Title(s):

1196-NN_ADMINPRO – Business Management Counselor, 1196-YN_ADMINPRO – Business Management Counselor

Business Title:

Business Advisor – Southwest Washington Coast

Employee Type:

Admin. Professional

Time Type:

Full time

Position Term:

12 Month

Position Details:

The Opportunity:

The primary focus of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) program is business development education through individual and small group advising. In addition to the instruction/advising component of the position, as the Business Advisor, you will perform significant outreach activities to engage the community through regular contact with Chambers of Commerce, Economic Development Councils, service clubs, and community organizations and legislators in conjunction with the Lead Office staff. The SBDC is a network of entrepreneurial minded professional business advisors with significant experience in small business who enjoy the intrinsic value of helping business owners/managers developing or improving their business knowledge and skills to effectively manage the operations of their business. In confidential, one-on-one relationships, we educate, mentor, and advise clients in all areas of growing a business.

You will also adhere to the conduct policies of the SBDC program. Most Business Advisors work independently in a community-located SBDC center, yet frequently collaborate with Business Advisors across the state who request assistance on behalf of a client with need for specific expertise. You must be well organized to manage more than 100 clients annually. Business clients will be from every sector of the local business community and require a full range of business services. You must have comprehensive knowledge and experience of small business operations. You must understand the client’s situation, analyze the problems, and guide the client in developing a solution they are willing and able to implement. You will typically identify a range of solutions, discuss the pros and cons of each, and explain abstract concepts with real world examples. You will constantly seek professional development opportunities to expand their core competencies in all areas of business, including technology, necessary to start, grow, sustain, and transition a small business.

Peer mentoring is valued within the Washington SBDC Network and you will often share your expertise in response to queries from other Business Advisors. You must develop and maintain a referral network within your local service areas to ensure you maintain a robust client caseload capable of delivering significant economic impacts to the local community and the state. You must also build relationships with various and diverse stakeholders to advocate support of the SBDC program, including elected officials, funding partners, businesses, and community leaders.

New Business Advisors in the SBDC network will need to successfully complete a certification program to become fully certified as a Business Advisor. Certification is designed to allow the new Business Advisor to demonstrate their comprehensive knowledge and abilities to be successful in guiding clients toward their goals while taking advantage of learning from experienced advisors sharing best practices, tools, and processes they use to assist their clients.

The primary work location for this position can be in one of the following Washington counties, depending on finalist’s home location. This position will require intermittent travel to each county listed below.

• Grays Harbor county

• Pacific county

• Wahkiakum county

• Cowlitz county

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in business or related field and four (4) years of experience in business ownership, business management and/or program development. A Master’s degree in a related field may be substituted for up to one (1) year of the required experience. Any combination of relevant education and experience may be substituted for the educational requirement on a year-for-year basis. These positions may require additional licenses or certifications.

• Strong computer skills including demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Office Word, Outlook and Excel.

• Within six (6) months of hire, complete or be making satisfactory progress toward completion as determined by the SBDC’s Certification and Professional Development Committee, the Washington SBDC certification. Upon successful completion, the candidate will be designated a Certified Business Advisor (CBA) and will be expected to pursue on-going professional development and continuing education to maintain their certification.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bilingual in English/Spanish or English/another language.

• Demonstrated local economic development, community, and business relationships.

• Experience advising small businesses.

• Five (5) or more years of small business ownership and/or management.

• Experience developing and/or teaching management workshops.

• Program and/or product development experience.

• Work experience with high-growth oriented firms.

Additional Information:

Area/College: Office of Research

Department Name: Washington Small Business Development Center

Department Link: Small Business Development Center website

Monthly Salary: $5,583.33 – $6,286.74 | In accordance with RCW 49.58.110, the above salary reflects the full salary range for this position. Individual placement within the range is based on the candidate’s current experience, education, skills, and abilities related to the position. Successful candidates typically begin up to mid-point of the salary range. For additional information, please review WSU’s Administrative Professional Compensation.

Benefits: WSU offers a comprehensive benefits package which includes paid sick and vacation leave; paid holidays; medical, dental, life and disability insurance package for employees and dependents; retirement; deferred compensation and optional supplemental retirement accounts. For additional information, please review the detailed Summary of Benefits offered by WSU for AP staff and Total Compensation.

Overtime Eligibility: Overtime eligibility will be determined based on final salary placement.

FTE: 100%

This is a permanent position.
Posting Close Date: Applicants must submit their completed application by Monday, March 4, 2024 at 11:59 p.m.

Background Check: This position has been designated by the department to require a background check because it requires access to children or vulnerable adults as defined by RCW 74.34, engages in law enforcement, requires security clearance, interacts with WSU students in a counseling or advising capacity, has access to personal identifying and/or financial information, unsupervised access to university buildings/property, or other business-related need. A background check will not be completed until an initial determination of qualification for employment has been made.

Application Instructions: All applicants must upload a cover letter and resume/cv to their online application. Application materials should clearly communicate how the applicant meets all required qualifications. Documents may be submitted in one file or separate files. Applicants are encouraged to upload as a PDF if possible. Applicants will be requested to provide contact information for professional references within the online application.

• External candidates, please upload all documents in the “Resume/CV” section of your application.

• Internal candidates, please upload all documents in the “Resume/Cover Letter” section of your application.

Required Documents:

• Resume/CV

• Cover Letter

WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EDUCATOR AND EMPLOYER. Members of ethnic minorities, women, special disabled veterans, veterans of the Vietnam-era, recently separated veterans, and other protected veteran, persons of disability and/or persons age 40 and over are encouraged to apply.

WSU employs only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized non-U.S. citizens. All new employees must show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

WSU is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact Human Resource Services: 509-335-4521 (v), Washington State TDD Relay Service: Voice Callers: 1-800-833-6384; TDD Callers: 1-800-833-6388, 509-335-1259(f), or [email protected].