Position Summary:

The Business Success Navigator will serve as a resource to the greater Chapel Hill/Carrboro/Orange County business and entrepreneurship community with particular focus on accelerating the establishment, growth, and long-term success of Black-owned, Latine-owned, and refugee-owned enterprises. The position will map and strengthen the local ecosystem and improve connections between priority-population enterprises and local and regional business-support organizations and resources.

The Chamber

The Chamber for a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro is a non-partisan, not-for-profit, business leadership organization with a mission to serve and support the local business community and to build a resilient community where business thrives. The Chamber believes that growing or starting a business can be difficult and that by improving connections to people, information, and resources, local enterprises and entrepreneurs have a better chance at success. The Chamber is comprised of 600+ members, including large employers, small businesses, nonprofits, local educational institutions, local governments, and entrepreneurs. The Chamber has 35-member board of directors, staff of 10, and a budget of ~$1.4 million.

Classification: 

     Full-time, at-will, exempt, employee reporting to and serving at the discretion of the President and CEO.

Salary & Benefits:  

Compensation is an annual salary ranging from $50,000-$65,000 with clear, achievable bonus opportunities.  Salary, bonuses, and benefits are valued between $74,000-$99,000. Employee benefits include flexible work hours, generous paid vacation, ample personal leave and sick time, paid holidays, health/dental/life/vision insurance, paid parental leave, retirement plan, potential first-time home buyer downpayment assistance, fun office environment (with hybrid work opportunities), fabulous co-workers, free parking, regular high-fives, and unlimited coffee, soda, and string cheese.

Work Week: 

Flexible 40+ hour workweek with hybrid work opportunities, Monday through Friday, with most state and federal holidays observed.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

Business Outreach and Engagement

• Build trusting relationships and serve as a navigator and connector that identifies priority population enterprises and entrepreneurs and connects them to the people, information, and resources they need to succeed.

Business Support

• Actively connect priority population enterprises and entrepreneurs to the people, information, and resources they need to succeed including business-support organizations, education and training opportunities, technical assistance, space, and sources of grants and capital.

Research and Information

• Map the ecosystem of local business-support organizations and services.
• Conduct and share an annual economic conditions survey and needs assessments of local priority population enterprises.
• Identify workforce needs and challenges to share with workforce development organizations and shape local talent development/access strategies.

Communications

• Create and maintain an accurate list of local BIPOC-owned and led enterprises and contact information.
• Actively communicate information, resources and opportunities to identified enterprises.
• Support branding and communications efforts designed to retain and recruit priority population enterprises.

Leadership 

• Work with economic development partners to identify local policy changes and systems improvements that would increase business success and communicate them to policy leaders and decisionmakers.
• Regularly seek and incorporate feedback from local funding partners including Orange County Economic Development, Chapel Hill Economic Development, and Carrboro Economic Development offices, and provide them with annual reports

Program and Event Management/Development

• Provide staff support to the Black Business Alliance and improve connections to the business-creation and support efforts of community partners like El Centro Hispano and local refugee-support organizations.
• Promote existing programming, and create new programming as needed, that connects and convenes business owners and entrepreneurs with each other, community partners, and resources.

Key Measures and Outcomes

Business growth and retention - Determine current business retention and persistence rates among priority population enterprises and work with partners to set a 4-year growth goal and achieve it.

New enterprise creation - 400 new priority population-owned enterprises by FY2028.

Improved business persistence - Identify and improve business longevity and persistence rates.

Economic mobility - Black and Hispanic per capita income grows faster than the county average.

Improved engagement and participation - Year over year increases in priority population event and program participation, grant applications, and business-support organization engagement

Improved reputation – Improve reputation of Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro and Orange County as a great place for people of color to start and grow an enterprise.

Essential Attributes and Core Competencies

Inclusivity - Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

Relationship mobilization - Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders, including business owners, community leaders, and government officials.

Innovative thinking - Creative problem-solving skills and the ability to think innovatively.

Communication skills - Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate the needs and successes of priority population enterprises to various audiences.

Results-oriented - Proven ability to set and achieve measurable goals and outcomes within established timelines.

Cultural competency - Knowledge and understanding of the unique cultural, social, and economic factors that impact Black-owned, Latinx-owned, and refugee-owned businesses.

Follow through – Dedication to fulfilling commitments with excellent organizational and administrative skills are essential to manage multiple projects.

Additional Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree plus three (3) years of experience in a business environment. A combination of education and experience may be substituted when proficiency is demonstrated.
• Goal-oriented with strong drive to make connections, set meetings, and engage individuals and organizations.
• Familiarity with the local business community and an understanding of challenges facing BIPOC-owned and led enterprises.
• Knowledge of the local business and economic development landscape.
• Analytical mindset to interpret and utilize data for decision-making with proficiency in data analysis and reporting.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and experience with customer management systems/software.
• Commitment to maintaining high standards of professional ethics and confidentiality

The Chamber for a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming work environment where all employees feel like they belong.  

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