ECDI is a nonprofit organization, dedicated to serving small business owners. Our goal is to assure that every entrepreneur has access to funding and the business mentoring services they need to succeed and help their communities flourish.

We're based in Columbus, with offices in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Akron, Portsmouth, Toledo, and Dayton. For small business clients in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, we serve a one-stop resource center.

Our Recruiting Process:

20-minute call with recruiter
60-minute video call with panel interview
Reference checks
Job offer

ECDI is looking for a Program Director for our Women’s Business Center of Central Ohio.

The Program Director of ECDI Women’s Business Center (WBC) of Central Ohio leads a team to help entrepreneurs start and grow lasting businesses, strengthen their communities, create jobs, and achieve their dreams. The WBC offers services including one-on-one counseling, access to capital, networking, peer learning opportunities, and training to entrepreneurs in the Central Ohio market, including start-up and growth-stage businesses.

This position is a hybrid role required to spend time in-office and in the community, as determined by manager and business need.

The starting annual salary range for this position is $75,000-$85,000. Candidates for this position must be located in the Central Ohio Area.

Responsibilities:

WBC Administration:

Direct all operations of the ECDI Women’s Business Center of Central Ohio to ensure policies and procedures are being followed, goals and objectives are met, and services and projects are accomplished efficiently and effectively.
Work in partnership with ECDI and ECDI Client Services leadership to align WBC activities in support of ECDI strategic goals.
Collaborate with WBC Directors throughout Ohio and with leaders of other Client Services programs to assure a consistently positive client experience, cohesive procedures, and collaborative solutions for better serving entrepreneurs.
Use entrepreneurial principles of innovation, creativity, and collaboration to seek out, discover, and devise new and inventive programs and processes to help small business clients grow and succeed.
Provide direct client services, including training and one-on-one counseling.
Supervise and evaluate client activities, as needed.
Assist with the submission of program reports, collect data for compliance of grants, track and complete outcome reports for internal and external use, and troubleshoot technical submission challenges.
Ensure client and program records are secured and confidential, per institutional and program guidelines.

WBC Programing:

Oversee the consultation and preparation of loan applicants, conducting of business plan development, and support of clients in access to capital process, from loan application through disbursement of funds.
Oversee systems and records that provide for the proper evaluation, control and documentation of assigned activities; prepare a variety of written correspondence, reports, procedures, directives and other materials for local WBC training programs.
Prioritize and allocate available program resources.
Implement existing and develop new client and program assessment and evaluation processes.

Develop and conduct training curricula, and schedule and oversee workshop activities.
Maintain accurate and complete client files as directed by program policies and procedures.
Prioritize and allocate available program resources.
Assure all SBA- and grant-related outcomes are achieved.
Implement client referral process by creating new and maintaining existing relationships, including community resources such as the SBDC, SBA, SCORE, local chambers, community organizations, banks, and individual mentors.

Managerial/Administration:

Provide leadership guidance and general management oversight of a team.
Review and approve weekly time sheets.
Establish and support growth plans for each team member.
Develop, train, lead, and evaluate a cohesive, motivated staff, sufficient to meet daily department demand and long-term organizational goals.
Monitor team pipeline, workload, and volume levels for department, for balance and efficiency
Develop and maintain metrics that report on productivity, quality, and customer service.
Monitor team attendance, coordinate requests for time away from work to ensure coverage of all team functions.
Ensure coverage of WBC hours of operation, and review and approve weekly timesheets.
Maintain checklists for critical functions performed on the team.
Document and counsel employees regarding performance issues.
Ensure excellence in customer service externally and internally.
Work closely with other departments and senior leadership to ensure legal / regulatory compliance and implement strategic initiatives.

Provide a weekly activity report and conduct weekly meetings with supervisor.
Oversee the maintenance of accurate client files, documents, and profiles for necessary paper files and in appropriate tracking systems.
Maintain a thorough working knowledge of and adhere to all ECDI policies and procedures.
Perform other related activities, as required, to assure program/department success.

Minimum Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:

Demonstrated ability to direct, lead, motivate, and supervise staff.
Demonstrated ability to plan and implement projects and services incorporating effective decision-making skills.
Comprehensive knowledge of standard office practices, procedures, equipment, and techniques; knowledge of adult learning techniques.
Extremely strong administrative, organizational, interpersonal, communication skills.
Computer Skills
- Experience with and knowledge of computer operation.
- Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.).
- Comprehensive knowledge of database or CRM systems.

Education and/or Experience:

Associate’s degree in business, Public Relations, Economics, Marketing, or related field
Five (5) or more years’ experience in business diligence, business plan creation, business analysis, working on cross-functional teams, and managing critical external relationships.
Two (2) years leading or guiding team members, overseeing work output, and providing general performance oversight.
Success in working in a multi-ethnic environment that supports diversity.

Special Requirements: Occasional work outside of standard business hours and occasional travel to other WBC offices required.

Other:

This position is a hybrid role required to spend time in-office and in the community, as determined by manager and business need.
Must have access to transportation to travel to and from the office and to meet with clients.
Typically, the employee must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% or more of the time. The person in this position will occasionally move about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc., and operate a computer and other office productivity machinery such as a copy machine and computer printer. Positions self to move items up to 15 pounds, such as printer paper boxes across the office as needed. Requests for reasonable accommodation will be considered.
Must be able to avoid risks found in the typical office setting, which is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated, e.g., safe use of office equipment, avoiding trips and falls, observing fire regulations, etc.

Benefits

ECDI offers a holistic benefits package that reflects how much we value our employees. Benefits include:

Healthcare (including qualified dependents)
Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)
Dental Coverage
Vision Coverage
Pet Benefits
Life Insurance, STD, LTD
401(k) Plan
Educational assistance program
A generous time off package
Take your Birthday off - Its paid!
Hybrid Environment (during business hours)

ECDI is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) qualified employer.

Hybrid remote/in-office

#LI-Hybrid

Economic and Community Development Institute

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Program Director, Women's Business Center