Job description

318 Main Street, Suite 400

Evansville, IN 47708

812-423-2020

Evansvilleregion.com

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

SBDC Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Navigator

Effective: May 2023

Type: Full -time, Non-Exempt

Reports to: Southwest Indiana SBDC Regional Director

• Do you have a desire to assist aspiring entrepreneurs and existing business owners to expand and/or strengthen their businesses?
• Are you self-motivated and goal oriented?
• Does the idea of building a better community and Evansville Region excite you?

The Evansville Regional Economic Partnership (E-REP) is passionate about building a stronger Evansville Region. E-REP serves as the regional partner for the Southwest Indiana Small Business Development Center (SBDC). The Indiana Small Business Development Center Network is composed of 10 regional offices focused on positive and measurable impact on the formation, growth, and sustainability of small businesses in Indiana, and to help Hoosier Entrepreneurs start stronger, grow faster, and work smarter.

Scope of Work

The SBDC Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Navigator works with entrepreneurs and community partners to foster a vibrant regional entrepreneurial ecosystem. The Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Navigator helps entrepreneurs get connected with the right resource at the right time in their entrepreneurial journey. Success for this role will be measured by increases in local connectedness, cadence of businesses starting and thriving, and the speed of help for entrepreneurs.

Position responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Entrepreneur Support

• Be the regional point of contact for the statewide entrepreneurship resource portal
• Serve as a boundary-spanning connector in and between various groups of
• entrepreneur-serving organizations and local entrepreneurs
• Meet one-on-one with entrepreneurs to guide them to the right resource or mentor at the right time in their journey
• Organize and facilitate founder peer groups
• Work from workspaces in the region to meet entrepreneurs where they are, hold walk-in office hours, and host group coffee hours. Examples include Cowork Evansville, The Pantheon in Vincennes and the Elmer Buchta Technology Center in Petersburg.

Community Collaboration

• Identify and execute community partnerships to support local entrepreneurial ecosystem initiatives like the Supplier Development Program focused on creating a pipeline of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC)-owned businesses matched with procurement opportunities.
• Regularly collaborate with local partners to support and grow the entrepreneurial ecosystem, including but not limited to coworking centers, incubators, accelerators,universities, local economic development organizations, etc.
• Develop and manage relationships with cities and counties within the region as an active partner in developing the local entrepreneurship ecosystem
• Represent the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), E-REP and the Indiana SBDC at regional events promoting entrepreneurship
• Identify gaps in the entrepreneurial ecosystem and provide recommendations to fill them

Supplier Development Program Coordination

• Support the Supplier Development Program Manager in program execution
• Represent and promote the program externally to potential program participants,
• community stakeholders, anchor companies and partner organizations
• Engage with and monitor progress of program participants, proactively following up as needed

Operations

• Identify and amplify success stories: work with clients to document their stories and obtain media releases, then coordinate with Communications team on marketing and social media
• Administrative and data related tasks to measure impact
• Develop progress reports for the SBDC Regional Director, E-REP leadership, IEDC, and regional stakeholders
• Regularly meet with SBDC Regional Director, E-REP leadership IEDC, and other Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Navigators

Minimum Qualifications:

• High School Degree is required; Bachelor’s Degree is preferred
• At least three years of work experience with relevant experience in entrepreneurship and community facilitation preferred
• A valid driver’s license and reliable transportation are required; mileage is reimbursed at the GSA Schedule rate, currently $0.655/mile

The ideal candidate:

• Thrives in ambiguity
• Resides or will reside within the region they serve
• Team-player - willing to coordinate, collaborate, and cooperate with others in the ecosystem-building space
• Goal-oriented with strong project execution capabilities
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with multiple stakeholders
• Flexible with work hours and locations for the purpose of being accessible to and present with entrepreneurs in different spaces
• Experience teaching, coaching, or mentoring
• Active listener skilled in asking thoughtful, probing questions
• Well-connected and has built relationships in the community
• Able to build and maintain trust in the community
• Entrepreneurial spirit
• Strong speaking and writing skills
• Strong collaboration and strategic thinking skills
• Has access to reliable transportation for work-related travel throughout the region
• Self-motivated, goal-oriented, team player able to work independently and with groups

E-REP is proud to be an equal opportunity employer focused on fostering an inclusive workplace and committed to hiring a workforce of diverse backgrounds, cultures and thinking styles.

About the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership:

The Evansville Regional Economic Partnership (E-REP) was formed on April 1, 2021 as a result of a strategic alignment of three existing business organizations serving the Southwestern Indiana area – Southwest Indiana Chamber of Commerce (Chamber), Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana (EDC) and the Growth Alliance for Greater Evansville (GAGE) as well as two separate Foundations—Southwest Indiana Chamber Foundation, Inc. and Quad County Development Commission, Inc. This unique and innovative partnership, which includes a 1,200-member Chamber of Commerce and Southwest Indiana’s two leading economic development organizations, represents a comprehensive approach to support the business community. The primary mission of E-REP is to encourage business attraction and expansion, job creation, and business investment to foster and promote a thriving economy throughout Southwest Indiana. By aligning the three organizations and the two foundations, E-REP provides a more comprehensive set of supports and services and is as the single point of contact for companies looking to locate or expand in Southwest Indiana. In addition, through effective and ongoing advocacy efforts, E-REP represents a powerful voice in promoting policies that foster a more business friendly environment throughout the region. The regional partnership with the Indiana Small Business Development Center continues with E-REP. Guiding Principles for E-REP:

• Operates regionally
• Commitment to equitable prosperity
• Small business is front and center
• Leverage the unique value of both the public and private sectors in delivering success
• Advances regional prosperity and global relevance

More information can be found at www.evansvilleregion.com and www.isbdc.org.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: Up to $26.50 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Education:

• Bachelor's (Required)

Work Location: In person

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