Small Business Advisor

Start Date: May 06, 2024 | End Date: August 01, 2024
County: Androscoggin County
Job Type: Other

Are you looking for an opportunity to share your business expertise and knowledge? Have you had experience owning, running, or working closely with start-ups and small business enterprises? Would you find counseling, educating, and advising small business owners and entrepreneurs to be challenging and rewarding? Come put your skills to work as a Small Business Advisor!

The Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments (AVCOG), which serves small businesses located in Androscoggin, Franklin, and Oxford Counties, is looking to fill the position of Small Business Advisor for Maine Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at AVCOG.

What is an SBDC? TheSmall Business Development Center network offers professional, high quality, individualized advising and training to individuals and small businesses to support business start-ups and existing business expansions in a variety of areas. The SBDC program assistance includes problem-solving to help small businesses access capital, develop and exchange new technologies, develop and improve business planning and strategies, operations, financial management, personnel administration, marketing, export assistance, sales and other areas required for small business growth and expansion.

Through this role you will provide one-on-one confidential counseling sessions to assess client needs and expectations; and provide clients with the required technical assistance. Advisors deliver programs to individuals and businesses in his/her assigned geographic territory in the following areas: business start-up assistance, financing business and loan packaging, marketing, accounting cash flow analysis and other related small business activities.

Advisors should have a broad base of business knowledge, excellent research, and analytical skills, be a creative thinker to assist with problem-solving, and have the ability to effectively manage multiple projects and clients simultaneously.

Required qualifications: Applicants shall possess a bachelor’s degree in business management (or significant related business and/or professional experience). Applicants for this position must demonstrate an enthusiasm for working with small business of all types and should have a good working knowledge of basic business tools including financial analysis, business research, marketing, and accounting, and be proficient in the use of computers and MS Office. Applicants should have a minimum of five years’ related business and/or professional experience and should be comfortable speaking in public to represent AVCOG/SBDC at functions such as panel discussions, educational workshops and other events, and in speaking with a diverse group of individuals such as bankers, government officials, and resource providers. The ability to be self-motivated and self-directed is essential.

Desirable (but not required) qualifications: An advanced degree, especially an MBA; Prior business ownership or management; QuickBooks experience.

Benefits & Compensation: This full-time position offers a competitive starting salary ($60,000.00 - $65,000.00 per year) and excellent benefits including medical, dental, and vision insurances; HSA with company contribution; HRA with deductible reimbursement; life and voluntary disability insurances; medical and dependent care flexible spending; Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MPERS); paid vacation and sick leave; 13 paid holidays; flexible schedule with 37 ½ hour workweek and a hybrid remote work schedule.

Application instructions: Interested individuals should submit cover letter with resume to avcog@avcog.org. 

AVCOG is an equal employment opportunity employer and complies with applicable employment laws prohibiting discrimination, including without limitation those based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and related conditions, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability or genetic information and any other status protected by federal, state, or local laws.