Job Openings

Job Title: Business Development Officer

Please send resume along with a cover letter and salary requirements
before August 16, 2019

GROW is a service focused on current and aspiring business owners at various stages of business ownership. We are the entrepreneurial resource to help with the next steps, empowering and supporting with professional expertise for a lifetime.

Area: West Michigan
FLSA: Exempt
Reports to: CEO and Director of Lending

Position Summary:

GROW is seeking a qualified Business Development Officer (BDO) for the West Michigan area. This position will require you to establish and develop relationships with a focus on our lending initiatives and related technical assistance. The BDO also has overall client management responsibility for business consulting and coaching in target neighborhoods, and assists clients with business startup and growth issues utilizing our internal and external resources. This position will require someone who has worked in economic development, is self-motivated, driven, familiar with reading and understanding financial statements, and has a strong ability for outside sales.

Key Responsibilities:

Work independently in the field in target neighborhoods to build alliances and referral base among small businesses, business associations, community partners and participate in community events.
Assess client needs and provide direct business advice through site visits and one-on-one consultations to monitor business strengths and weaknesses.

  • Provide day-to-day business counseling services to clients.
  • Analyze business problems and assist clients with developing solutions.
  • Develop action plans for clients to achieve goals, monitor client progress and document outcomes.
  • Assist clients in creating cash flow projections and assist in financial analysis to provide guidance and options in making business management decisions.
  • Identify clients’ needs and business skill gaps in order to inform topics and content for GROW programs, seminars, classes, and specialized courses.
  • Educate staff on existing client resources and opportunities.
  • Help identify and recruit community members as program facilitators and volunteers.
  • Collect, track and enter client data in Salesforce database weekly as required by our funders and to ensure GROW meets its mission.
  • Track counseling hours; input them regularly into the Salesforce database.
  • Provide excellent customer service and fast turn‐around time to build client trust and GROW’s brand and reputation.

Loan Program Responsibilities

  • Assess loan applicants’ loan readiness and provide pre-loan technical assistance as needed.
  • Build pipeline and continually refer loan-ready applicants to Loan Coordinator.
  • Provide post-loan technical assistance to loan clients. Ensure monthly financial statements are submitted and continue to provide business assistance throughout life of loan.

Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree in business, finance or related field preferred
  • Banking experience preferred
  • Small business ownership experience and/or small business consulting experience
  • Demonstrated leadership to network with small business owners
  • Track record of community development work

Skills Required:

  • Ability to use own initiative and pay close attention to detail
  • Efficient, highly effective work-ethic: ability to work in a fast-paced environment, ability to learn quickly
  • Ability to work well individually, within a team, and leading a team to deliver exceptional results
  • Capable of hands on problem-solving, with ability to generate ideas and solutions
  • Dedication to the highest levels of quality and ethical conduct
  • Highly proficient with computers, Internet, CRMs, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Microsoft Outlook
  • Strong communication skills in all forms including written, oral, email, telephone, and presentation
  • Ability to listen to and understand client circumstances and context, and respond with appropriate solutions
  • Ability to maintain accurately tailored documentation (i.e. presentations, proposals, brochures, etc.)
  • Ability to pick up the phone and conduct cold/warm calls for meetings; ensure diligent and timely follow-up
  • Strong client management skills
  • Ability to travel as necessary to meet with clients / build business relationships

Work Schedule & Conditions:

  • Normal work hours are Monday – Thursday, 8:30AM – 5PM, Friday 8:30 – 1:00PM
  • Frequent evening and weekend work is required as directed by the CEO
  • Occasional travel during business and non-business hours is required as authorized by the CEO
  • Fast-paced environment subject to multiple interruptions, changes in workload, competing priorities, varied and/or extended hours, and deadline situations. Exposed to and expected to respectfully interact with a variety of attitudes and personalities.

Salary will be commensurate with experience, benefits to include health, life and dental insurance, long-term disability, parking, paid time off and 1 to 1 match simple plan.

Please send resume along with a cover letter and salary requirements before August 16, 2019
Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women (GROW)
25 Sheldon Blvd SE #210
Grand Rapids MI 49503
Info2@growbusiness.org