Small Business Advocate

City of New York•New York, NY

About The Position

NYC BEST (Business Express Service Team) is a dedicated team who educate and advocate for entrepreneurs as they launch and operate their store front businesses across the five boroughs. Through their knowledge of city, state and federal agency rules and regulations, the team helps small business owners navigate licenses and permits as well as avoid and reduce fines and violations. The NYC BEST Small Business Advocate will work directly with new and operating storefront businesses in New York City. The NYC BEST Small Business Advocate will provide insightful advice to business owners and licensed professionals, assisting them with understanding and navigating relevant City policies and regulations. To facilitate this work, NYC BEST Small Business Advocates will become experts in the regulatory requirements of multiple City or State agencies, as well as relevant Federal regulations as needed, including but not limited to: the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), Department of Buildings (DOB), Fire Department (FDNY), Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Department of Sanitation (DSNY), Department of Consumer & Worker Protection (DCWP) and New York State Agriculture and Markets (Ags and Market) and State Liquor Authority (SLA).

Requirements

A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties described above; or
High school graduation or equivalent and six years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties as described above; or
Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least one year of experience as described in "1" above.

Responsibilities

Work with business owners to identify all City requirements for operating or opening a business, understand specific issues or concerns impacting the client, and provide guidance, information or steps towards resolution.
Explain the sequence of activities businesses should follow to meet regulatory requirements.
Assist with guiding business owners through City services necessary to meet requirements for opening and operating a business by working with partner City agencies.
Establish and maintain positive relationships with business owners by providing the best possible customer service, proactively engaging with clients, setting clear expectations regarding City, State, and Federal requirements, including City requirements, timelines and next steps.
Conducting research into City, and relevant NYS, codes, permits, and requirements.
Conduct research into rules and regulations of business industries, as assigned
Support deepening NYC BEST’s impact to storefront small business by proposing areas for improvement and development
Support internal trainings or knowledge-sharing sessions related to regulatory changes or agency processes.
Ensure Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) & program goals are met, and that data is correctly entered in SBS Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software
Maintain accurate and specific status reports in the designated software or data analysis tools of establishments participating in these services, including inspection activity, plan examination, issues encountered, opening dates, and time saved.
Utilize tracking systems to monitor service delivery and monitor client pipeline
Track performance metrics such as project milestones, business openings, and operational efficiencies.
Report KPIs on a regular basis for Executive-level staff through Dashboards, reports and presentations
Proactively identify and engage entrepreneurs at early stages of business development to provide regulatory guidance before licensing and permitting applications are submitted.
Present agency services and relevant City services on the phone, over email, during one-on-one meetings, and at outreach events.
Support pipeline development by identifying potential clients through outreach events, community partnerships, and referrals from City agencies and community-based organizations.
Support collaboration with all City agencies and their respective personnel to identify solutions for NYC’s business community, especially working with the team at SBS dedicated to programming to help businesses launch.
Assist other initiatives and programs in the agency toward shared goals as required
Assist the senior leadership team with pipeline building projects, activities, and relationship management with key private and public partners.
Lead given projects and travel to meetings or events within the five boroughs and to be available for evening and weekend events.
Participate in community events and forums to represent NYC BEST and increase awareness of City services for entrepreneurs.