On behalf of Sarnia-Lambton Business Development Corporation (SLBDC), The WorkPlace is recruiting for a Business Development Officer

About Community Futures Lambton

The Sarnia-Lambton Business Development Corporation, operating as Community Futures Lambton, is a member of the Community Futures network of offices in Canada. Community Futures Lambton is an independent, non-profit organization consisting of volunteers and staff who are committed to fostering business and economic development as well as sustainable employment within the Lambton county community.

The focus of Community Futures Lambton is to build economic and entrepreneurial capacity through a service offering menu that includes: The provision of business loans to new and existing businesses of up to $300,000 as well as access to other complementary financing (Southern Ontario Fund for Investment and Innovation (SOFII); The offer of business coaching, counselling and mentoring services to businesses at all points in their lifecycle and to refer them to appropriate community professionals where and as appropriate; The leadership and support of community economic development (CED) projects and activities.

Community Futures Lambton is funded by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev). Funding is provisional upon the achievement of specific annual Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that are articulated as part of a Contribution Agreement between Fed Dev and our office. Since 1988, Community Futures Lambton has written nearly 900 loans in support of Lambton County businesses totaling nearly $50 million. Through this support, Community Futures Lambton has enabled borrowers to leverage an additional $70 million from other sources. As a result, more than 10,000 jobs have been created to date in Lambton County. To date, Community Futures Lambton has a portfolio of just over $8 million in loans currently out in the local community with a little over $3 million available to lend. Community Futures Lambton is led and governed by a 9-member volunteer Board of Directors consisting of entrepreneurs and professionals from the Lambton County business community. It is staffed by four (4) highly qualified and professional employees. The entire Community Futures Lambton team has a passion for business and community development.

Our Ideal Candidate

If you are passionate about talking to, working with, and facilitating the success of entrepreneurs of every sort, we urge you to read on. We are looking for a perennially positive, highly motivated individual who derives a great deal of satisfaction from facilitating the success of others. This individual will be a stellar communicator with a proven track record of success working intuitively as both a team player and a team builder but will also thrive on taking ownership of a project and working independently to achieve agreed goals for it. We are a small, hard-working team whose members thrive on creative thinking and innovative problem-solving

Qualifications

Primary:

• Post-secondary degree/diploma in business, commerce, finance or the equivalent is preferred
• Three to five years’ experience providing business advice and/or business counselling or the equivalent
• Practical knowledge of the needs of businesses, the services available to them locally, and legislation affecting them
• The proven ability to time manage and prioritize tasks effectively
• High degree of written and financial literacy complemented by exceptional verbal and written communication skills and extraordinary attention to detail
• Ability to convey complex information, ideas and direction to audiences with varying degrees of business experience
• Experience and a high degree of confidence in public speaking and in-person networking in business settings.
• High functioning in situations which call for in-the-moment critical thinking and problem solving
• Demonstrable experience in cultivating referrals and in marketing products/service in a performance-based environment an asset
• Service driven with a passion for working with, supporting and developing people
• Working knowledge of MS office platform including e-mail, internet, client & loan management software and systems.
• Holder of a valid drivers’ license with daily access to a reliable vehicle and the ability to work flexible hours if/as required.

Secondary

• General accounting and financial knowledge with three to five years’ experience in business loan portfolio management or the equivalent would be a significant asset
• Practical knowledge with regard to reading/understanding basic financial documents (Financial Statements, Balance Sheets, Cashflow Statements and the like) would also be a valuable asset

Key Accountabilities

The incumbent to this position will work closely with the Business Loan Officer in support of Community Futures Lambton clients. While the primary responsibilities of this position are focused on business coaching, counselling and mentoring services, there is an expectation that the incumbent is sufficiently conversant with financial services so as to support or substitute for the Loan Officer during periods of annual leave or the like.

Specifically, the key accountabilities for this position are:

• Intake of new Community Futures Lambton clients inclusive of initial interview and needs assessment.
• In accordance with established KPIs, the delivery of business coaching, counselling and mentoring services to business clients at all points in their lifecycle. This can include but is not limited to:
•  The facilitation of Business Model Canvas sessions          
•  Assistance to clients in the registration of their business          
•  Personal support and assistance to clients in the development of a comprehensive Business Plan for their business      
•  Coaching and support for the development of Marketing & Succession Plans
• Facilitation of data-based decision-making by our clients through the encouragement of requisite due diligence and analysis coupled with research of applicable legislation and industry performance norms if/as applicable
• Delivery of coaching and counselling in both one-on-one and in group sessions both within our Community Futures office and out in the community
• Development of content for business workshops inclusive of pre-read, supplementary and materials. Monitor of business trends and liaison with community partners with an eye to continuous improvement and development of these materials.
• Delivery of business content workshops both within the Community Futures offices and out in the community as required. Engagement of local subject matter experts to enhance client knowledge and augment SLBDC deliverables as appropriate
• Networking within the business community to advance the mission of Community Futures Lambton and, by so doing, cultivate client referrals for the corporation. This includes, but is not limited to, attendance at and participation in such functions as may be hosted or presented by our economic development partners (City of Sarnia, Chamber of Commerce, Workforce Development Board, Tourism Sarnia-Lambton, the Sarnia Lambton Economic Partnership and the BDC) or similar such organizations.
• Development, support and participation in SLBDC-driven Community Economic Development initiatives and events o Diligent, accurate and timely record-keeping utilizing the corporation’s designated software in order to track and comply with FedDev KPIs as articulated in the corporation’s Contribution Agreement
• Any other such duties or responsibilities as may be assigned by the CEO from time to time

Job Type: Part-time

Expected hours: 21 – 28 per week