Director, Women’s Business Resource Center - Capital Region

Position Title: Director, Women’s Business Resource Center - Capital Region

Organization Overview
The mission of the Urban League of Louisiana is to support African Americans and others seeking equity to secure economic parity and self-reliance. Founded in 1938 as the Urban League of Greater New Orleans, Inc., the organization expanded its footprint to Baton Rouge and changed its name to Urban League of Louisiana (ULLA) in 2017. ULLA is one of nearly 100 affiliates of the National Urban League, headquartered in New York. Today, ULLA’s work lives in three Centers of Excellence: Education and Youth Development, Economic Development and Workforce Development and Policy and Social Justice.

Benefiting from a remarkable history and tradition, ULLA has a strong and positive brand coupled with a track record of successfully serving the African American community. Using this as a foundation, ULLA is poised to expand to other cities across the state, making it an integral part of the state’s economic growth and development.

The organization’s leadership structure includes the President and CEO, Executive Vice president, Vice President of Finance, Vice President for Workforce Development, Vice President for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Vice President for Education and Youth Development, Vice President for Policy, Strategic Partnerships and Development, and Vice President of Research and Evaluation, along with director level positions.

Position Summary

ULLA is seeking aDirector, Women’s Business Resource Center – Capital Region to lead the business operations of the Women’s Business Resource Center in Baton Rouge and surrounding parishes. The Director is responsible for program management, curriculum development, ecosystem collaboration, managing strategic partnerships, and achieving the goals of the Center as established by the U.S. Small Business Administration – Office of Women’s Business Ownership. This role is also responsible for leading special projects that support women and minority-owned firms within the Center’s service area. This position is also responsible for creating and maintaining a foundation for the efficient and effective operation of the Center - one that fosters consistent and impactful service to the Center’s clientele.

The Director, Women’s Business Resource Center – Capital Region reports directly to the Vice President, Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, ULLA. The Director position supervises all WBRC-Capital Region staff and its contractors. This role is stationed at the Urban League of Louisiana, 445 N. 12th Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• § Creates and maintains a foundation for the efficient and effective operation of the Women’s Business Resource Center – Capital Region to foster consistent and impactful service to the Center’s clientele
• Responsible for developing and managing the SBA Women’s Business Center’s grant, work plan, reporting and budget in compliance with the SBA’s operational, financial, and reporting requirements; accountable for complete oversight of the business operations of the WBRC, its employees, and contractors
• Manages and approves all programmatic expenditures
• Responsible for establishing goals for the WBRC, business development, establishing strategic partnerships and promotion of the Center’s goals
• Recruits, hires, on-boards, and trains all WBRC staff and contractors in compliance with SBA and ULLA policies and standards
• Provides guidance and assistance to employees and contractors in implementing their work plans
• Conducts individual and group trainings with staff and contractors for activities-based interactions and outcomes-based advising services
• Increases the Center’s client base by delivering outreach and recruitment programs throughout the WBRC service area; represents ULLA and the WBRC by supporting and coordinating community-based events and activities
• Develops entrepreneurship training programs and curricula to meet the needs of small business clients
• Consults with and advises clients on effective marketing, operations, management and the growth of their businesses; conducts working sessions and group trainings and workshops with clients as required
• Leads special projects related to small business development i.e. access to capital, risk management, disaster preparedness and recovery, etc.
• Manages the client management system and produces monthly, quarterly, and annual reports relative to Center’s impact and activities
• Collaborates with ecosystem partners to garner resources for small business clients
• Manages the functions of the WBC Advisory Board
• Other duties as needed

Position Requirements:

• Business-related degree in administration, finance, or marketing is required; graduate degree preferred.
• At least 5 years of experience leading and managing small business development programs in underserved communities
• At least 5 years of training and public speaking experience
• At least 3 years working in non-profit organization management, economic development, or commercial finance
• At least 3 years of staff supervision experience
• Grants management and technical writing experience is a plus
• Knowledge of and experience of SBA programs, funding programs, and other resources is a plus

Other requirements:

Candidates must also possess a thorough understanding of current market trends and innovative teaching methods that support entrepreneurial development for small businesses across various stages and industries. Comprehensive knowledge of best practices, tools and strategies for business sustainability, scalability, management, operational efficiency, financing, and marketing are essential. In depth knowledge of the preparation and analysis financial statements and the production of accurate business pro-formas and budgets are mandatory.

Ideal Candidates:

This job is ideal for someone who is:

• Dependable -- more reliable than spontaneous
• People-oriented -- enjoys interacting with people and working on group projects
• Adaptable/flexible -- enjoys doing work that requires frequent shifts in direction
• Detail-oriented -- would rather focus on the details of work than the bigger picture
• Achievement-oriented -- enjoys taking on challenges, even if they might fail
• High stress tolerance -- thrives in a high-pressure environment

Compensation and Benefits: Compensation commensurate with experience and expertise. Health and dental insurance benefits available.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $65,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Education:

• Bachelor's (Required)

Experience:

• Training & development: 5 years (Preferred)
• Small Business Development: 5 years (Preferred)
• Supervising experience: 3 years (Preferred)

Work Location: In person