The Project Director will function as the manager of the Utah MBDA Business Center. Director will be responsible for hiring and retaining staff and consultants, overseeing day-to-day operations of the Business Center, meeting budget and financial requirements, branding and space requirements, and successfully carrying out the mission of the MBDA in serving and growing disadvantaged business enterprises (DBEs). This includes working with MBDA and its network of funded centers to support and enhance MBDAs initiatives, performance, brand, customer satisfaction, and strategic partners.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• The Project Director will assure that Business Center Program staff possess the necessary skills and experience to effectively serve their MBE clients. The Project Director will assemble on-call consultants where appropriate, to provide specialized clients services.

• The Project Director is responsible for all contractual-related requirements as a federal grantee.

• The Project Director is responsible for responding in a timely, accurate and complete fashion to all reporting requirements of MBDA headquarters, including budget related requirements.

• The Project Director will also be held accountable for achieving a high level of customer satisfaction as evidenced by surveys and other client input.

• The Project Director will be required to meet goals set by MBDA headquarters. These will include goals pertaining to core services which lead to business growth, including securing financing, networking, and bringing procurement and partnering opportunities to clients.

• This position is at will.

• Client Acquisition and Advising:

  • Cultivate client relationships through partnerships.

  • Maintain client base and cultivate client opportunities for revenue and personnel growth.

  • Work one on one with DBEs seeking direction and assistance with the objective for business growth and capacity building.

  • Provide business counseling and assistance on numerous subjects, including but not limited to:

    - - Market research and analysis - Government contract procurement - Strategic planning - Business finance - Business management and administration - Identifying and accessing funding sources - Connecting to specific MBDA programs

     

  • Follow DBEs progress and impact in Salesforce Supervision:

    • Supervising additional counselor(s) and program staff
    • Supervising data collection such as DBE growth, contract acquisition, revenue and required analysis for tracking impact
    • Supervising grant benchmarks and deliverables

  • Review counselor performance such as:

    • Tracking project efficiency/effectiveness of department
    • Maintaining current information on client progress, addressing further needs of the client
    • Capturing client feedback
    • Maintaining contact with clients through follow-up meetings
    • Introducing clients to capital partners and lenders
    • Maintaining a database of resource partners

  Training and Events:

  • Develop a statewide en trepreneurial strategy for DBEs.
  • Maintain an active partner network through Utah business communities and stakeholder organizations.
  • Plan and market seminars, conferences and other MBDA events.
  • Assist with planning and attend MBDA and other community conferences and events Develop and implement new programs and assistance programs.
  • Mentor, coach and develop additional advising staff.
  • Represent MBDA at public meetings, seminars, tradeshows, community galas, award programs and promotion events.
  • Develop surveys that assess DBEs needs and learning outcomes.

  Marketing and Networking:

  • Create and maintain a MBDA brand and marketing campaign.
  • Research and develop materials to support advice and technical assistance given to clients.
  • Direct program marketing plans and materials.
  • Review MBDA business and professional materials and manage distribution of materials to resource partners.
  • Contact potential sources of referrals for prospective groups of clients.
  • Establish relationships with key lending and investing entities, commercialization-related strategic partners, as well as federal and state government representatives.
  • Develop and maintain press releases, social media campaigns for events, networking and program awareness such as website, Facebook, and email campaigns.

  Administration:

  • Adequately maintain confidential DBE records in designated CRM system.
  • Provide regular reports on client counseling and client impact data.
  • Diligently maintain up-to-date client information and session notes on the CRM database.
  • Obtain information from clients where assistance has helped client to create economic impact.
  • Deliver timely grant reports, renewals, metrics to MBDA administration.
  • Manage and direct other tasks as assigned by the Mill Executive Director.
  • Maintain statistics and contribute to The Mill annual impact report.
  • Attend training and MBDA program conferences, meetings and trainings.
  • Look for additional funding and write grant proposals for program support and sustainability.

  Other duties as assigned.