Small Business Advocates

Agency Description
The New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS) is a vibrant, client-centered agency whose mission is to serve New York’s small businesses, jobseekers and commercial districts. SBS makes it easier for companies in New York City to start, operate, and expand by providing direct assistance to business owners, supporting commercial districts, promoting financial and economic opportunity among minority- and women-owned businesses, preparing New Yorkers for jobs, and linking employers with a skilled and qualified workforce. SBS continues to reach for higher professional standards through innovative systems, new approaches to government, and a strong focus on its employees. SBS also works to make changes to the overall regulatory environment to help the small business community.

Division Description
The Division of Business Services (DBS) is dedicated to helping NYC businesses start, operate and expand in New York City while leading systemic change to improve the regulatory environment for businesses. The Division is guided by principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion.


Job Description:

NYC BEST (Business Express Service Team) as outlined in the Mayor's Blueprint for New York City's Economic Recovery, is a dedicated team of Small Business Advocates and Compliance Advisors serving as a single point of contact between City agencies and small businesses operating in the five boroughs.
The City of Yes for Economic Development was adopted by the City Council on June 6, 2024. It aims to make it easier for business owners to find commercial space and grow their business. It will eliminate certain zoning restrictions that will boost growing industries and create a more business-friendly streetscape in New York City. Small Business Advocates will join NYC BEST to support industries such as, clean production and other manufacturing, amusement and recreation, urban agriculture, tattoo shops, nightlife businesses, and other affected personal care business types.

As part of the NYC BEST initiative, Small Business Advocates work directly with new and operating businesses looking to open sooner and operate easier in New York City. Small Business Advocates provide insightful advice to business owners and licensed professionals, assisting them to understand and navigate relevant City policies and regulations. Small Business Advocates also connect businesses with the Compliance Advisors to ensure their commercial space is compliant with the City and State’s rules and regulations prior to inspection visit.

Reporting to the Director of NYC BEST Initiatives, the specific responsibilities of Small Business Advocates include:
- Work with business owners to identify all City requirements for operating or opening a new business, understand specific issues or concerns impacting the client, and provide guidance, information or steps towards resolution.
- Conducting research into City, and relevant NYS, codes, permits, and requirements especially as they relate to City of Yes for Economic Opportunity
- Participate in inter-governmental classroom trainings and field trainings and shadowing including but not limited to DOHMH, DOB, FDNY, SLA, DCP, DCWP, and DEP.
- Assisting with guiding business owners through City services necessary to meet requirements for opening a new business by working with partner City agencies.
- Ability to communicate complex, technical information, such as City codes, zoning requirements, and permitting procedures, in plain language that individuals without technical training can easily comprehend.
- Identify opportunities for policy and program development to assist the small business sector and improve interactions between small businesses and city agencies.
- Explain possible actions business owners could take to meet regulatory requirements and eliminate conditions contributing to noncompliance with City, State, and Federal laws, rules, and regulations.
- Establish and maintain positive relationships with business owners by proactively engaging with clients and setting clear expectations regarding City requirements, timelines, and next steps.
- Support promotional activities to raise awareness among business owners around the availability of SBS services, including door-knocking, participating in speaking engagements or distributing promotional materials at community events.
- Communicate agency services and relevant City services on the phone, over email, during one-on-one meetings, and at outreach events.
- Collaborate with City agencies and their respective personnel to identify solutions for NYC’s business community.
- Working alongside the SBS teams to design and deliver programming that supports business launch and operation.
- Consistently and accurately collect and maintain information on all services to new business owners, including cataloguing policies relevant to each industry served.
- Maintain accurate and specific status reports in the designated software or data analysis tools of businesses in these services, including inspection activity, plan examination, issues encountered, opening dates, and time saved.
- Collaborate with peers and training new staff to ensure all NYC BEST members are meeting core milestones and policy objectives.
- Cultivate and maintain partnerships with advocacy organizations, industry representatives, community groups, and other associations to drive case referrals to ONL team and other SBS program teams and broaden reach of SBS programs and services.
- Provide compliance support and awareness of SBS services for nightlife businesses to ensure quality of life conditions in neighborhoods.
- Support related initiatives and programs at SBS 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 conduct field work consisting of visiting business owners and traveling to meetings, consultations, or events within the five boroughs and to be available for evening and weekend events.


Preferred Skills:

- At least two years of customer service and/or experience that demonstrates a proven record of helping individuals, clients and/or business owners.
- At least two years of business development (B2B or B2C) working with new businesses, as well as operating.
- An understanding of issues concerning the establishment and operation of a business in New York City.
- Working knowledge of and their related industries.
- An understanding of New York City’s operational agencies, including the ability to identify which agencies are relevant to a business’s concern via conversations with the business owner.
- Extensive experience supporting businesses or implementing economic development initiatives, including familiarity with business-related programs and services.
- Strong interpersonal skills: ability to interact positively with business owners, ask questions to understand the core issues facing the business, identify information to be researched, and build trust during the conversation.
- Ability to research, understand, catalogue, and maintain information related to all City codes, permits, and requirements that impact a new business in NYC.
- Ability to coordinate and communicate between business clients, other agencies, and internal stakeholders while balancing requirements and resources to solve business needs.
- Flexibility, multi-tasking capability, and enthusiastic work ethic.
- Strong written, verbal communication and data analysis skills.
- Additional language capacity. Preferred fluency or working knowledge of, Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Polish, Haitian Creole, or French.
- Knowledge of Smartsheet and MS Office (i.e. Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint

Qualifications:

1. 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
2. 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
3. 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.


How to Apply:

All Applicants: Apply through https://cityjobs.nyc.gov/ search for Job ID: # 700261

Current SBS Employees: Please email your resume and cover letter including the following subject line: Small Business Advocate and send to [email protected]

Note: We appreciate the interest and thank all applicants who apply, but only those candidates under consideration will be contacted.

If you are unable to apply via NYC Jobs, you can email your cover letter and resume to [email protected] with the following in the subject line: Small Business Advocate

If you do not have access to email, mail your cover letter & resume to:
NYC Department of Small Business Services
Human Resources Unit
1 Liberty Plaza, 11th Floor
New York, New York 10006

1. 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
2. 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
3. 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.

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.