Title:  Director – Veteran’s Business Outreach Center of New England (VBOC of NE)

Location:  Flexible, preferably Providence RI or Boston MA, with the ability to travel regularly throughout New England

Salary:   $70K-$80K

Classification:  Full time; exempt

To apply:  Submit a resume and cover letter to Michelle Miller, [email protected].  A thoughtful cover letter relating your experience to the position is required in order to be considered.

The Center for Women & Enterprise (CWE) is a nationally recognized economic development organization that supports women and veterans with small business development. We offer a dynamic, fast-paced, and intellectually stimulating environment. We strive to provide opportunities for veterans, women entrepreneurs and women in business to increase professional success, personal growth, and financial independence. With offices in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire, CWE delivers business development programs and certifies women owned businesses. The VBOC program serves all six New England states.

Job Overview

The Director – VBOC of NE is responsible for the overall management and growth of the Veterans Business Outreach Center of New England. The VBOC is funded in part by grant from the Office of Veterans Business Development at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The incumbent oversees all daily operations in the Veteran’s Business Outreach Center (VBOC), which includes providing information on small business ownership to service members and military spouses. Programming includes consultations and workshops such as the SBA’s “Boots to Business” program which is a course offered within the Department of Defense Transition Assistance Program (TAP).

Additionally, s/he will provide counseling, training, technical and financial skill development, comprehensive business assessments and mentoring to veteran, service disabled veteran, active duty, Reserve, Guard, and military spouse/survivor entrepreneurs and small business owners interested in starting new or expanding/diversifying established small businesses. S/He recruits and manages instructors, and recommends and implements new programs and makes improvements to existing programs and services.

The ideal candidate is a veteran with a demonstrated knowledge of small business development and military culture. He or she should demonstrate strong leadership, organization, and communication skills, and have extensive business, administrative and logistical experience. Ability to develop and leverage partnerships with multiple stakeholders is critical.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Manage VBOC of New England’s relationship with U.S. Small Business Administration and ensure compliance with the program requirements of the VBOC grant
• S/He will work with the SBA, veteran organizations, and partners throughout New England to deliver programs and services to veterans throughout New England.
• Support the creation of new veteran-owned small businesses and development of existing VOSBs. Assesses the needs of small business owners; recommends and assists with the development of a plan of action.
• Manage program personnel, including two PT paid staff members who report to multiple Centers, and a team of volunteers and paid consultants. Recruit, hire, train and manage program instructors, consultants and volunteers.
• Work closely with the CWE Senior Director to track and analyze activities and outcomes of programs; prepares required reports
• Administer collaborative programming with the WBCs and refers clients to WBC programming as appropriate
• Administer education and training programs
• Build alliances with CWE’s WBCs and external community groups to offer programs collaboratively
• Work with program staff to ensure program quality
• Recommend new programs to address changing client needs and economic conditions
• Track and analyze activities and outcomes of programs
• Staff and/or attend programs as needed
• Implement marketing and outreach to attract new clients
• Attend and speak at community meetings and events
• Support the Chief Executive Officer, and Board of Directors as needed with networking event planning and educating the private sector regarding CWE needs, program and services.
• Related duties as assigned

Performance Measurements

Expectations Measurements Quality Programs

• Customer satisfaction
• Client/Economic impact
• Growth in participants/service hours

Development of a Robust Community

• Increase in members, volunteers, and alliances
• Retention
• Brand awareness

Operational Strength

• Revenue

Demonstrated Competence/Skills

• Strategic leadership
• Goal/Action orientation
• Constituent/Member focus
• Relationship-building/Communication
• Project management
• Resource development
• Flexibility/Adaptability to change
• Innovation

Modeling of CWE Mission and Values ·      Respect

·      Equity

·      Collaboration

·      Innovation

·      Joy

·      Connections

·      Diversity

·      Quality

·      Impact

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in economics, business administration or liberal arts; MBA preferred (significant work/life experience may be considered in lieu of degrees)
• Minimum of 5-7 years of professional experience in one or more of the following fields: small business management, economic development, micro-enterprise, education, program development, entrepreneurship, and/or not-for-profit management
• High level of business experience, defined as having owned a business or held a C-level or higher executive position within a business
• Demonstrated knowledge of military culture
• Confidence in a variety of client-facing roles
• Proven skills in client outreach
• Excellent organizational, communication, writing, and decision-making skills
• Innovative self-starter with ability to develop and drive new initiatives, and manage multiple projects and deadlines
• Sensitive to the needs of a diverse client base
• Enthusiastic about the mission of CWE and team player
• Bilingual Spanish speaking preferred, but not required
• Prior experience successfully managing and motivating a nonprofit team preferred
• Prior experience in the areas of leadership and management experience in leading other government program initiatives preferred
• Builds relationships and a healthy culture, both within CWE and among community partners
• Handles difficult situations with a high level of professionalism

Language / Computer Skills

• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations
• Ability to write reports and business correspondence
• Ability to effectively present information and communicate with a positive presentation and an excellent telephone presence
• MS Office proficiency required

Reasoning Ability

• May work in an environment where multiple projects are being executed at one time
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variable in situations where only limited standardization exists
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

• Required to have and maintain a valid Driver’s License

Additional Requirements

• Expect to work outside of normal business hours
• Travel (50-75%) within the southern New England region.       Travel to northern New England if needed.
• Remotely supervise programming in northern New England, led by CWE North Program Manager
• Must communicate clearly and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders on an ongoing basis
• This position supervises two paid employees, each of whom reports to multiple Centers. The incumbent must maintain a good working relationship with the directors of the other departments, especially as it relates to sharing the employees’ time among the programs.
• The Director will work closely with the VP of Strategic Partnerships to ensure that the VBOC is well resourced by supporting fundraising efforts with key partners.

Physical Demands

• Walking, bending, sitting, typing at a keyboard, driving, and occasional lifting up to 30 lbs. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work Environment and Environmental Conditions

• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• No or very limited exposure to physical risk.

The Center for Women & Enterprise is an equal opportunity employer.

Interested candidates should submit a resume, thoughtful cover letter and salary requirements to Michelle Miller at [email protected].