Business Advisor

Background

The Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers (MCCD) is a consortium of housing and economic development organizations and a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) working across the Twin Cities area to work collectively to build strong, stable communities by leveraging resources for the development of people and places.

MCCD performs three core activities: advocacy and public policy around economic development, affordable housing, and small business development, including providing technical assistance and small business loans for startup and growth-stage entrepreneurs and convening MCCD member organizations and partners for peer-learning, networking, and professional development.

MCCD supports entrepreneurs at all stages of business development and growth by providing free 1-on-1 technical assistance and access to capital to emerging entrepreneurs who are unable to access the commercial banking system. The program’s core constituencies include Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), low-wealth residents, and other groups which often struggle to access traditional capital markets.

Summary

The Business Advisor will provide information, referrals and direct technical assistance to current and prospective entrepreneurs to help start, improve or expand a small business, along with providing assistance in obtaining business financing, including underwriting potential loans. Advisors will work with the entrepreneur to identify areas of need and opportunity, and to formulate and implement solutions. Assistance can include general business planning, development of financial projections, feasibility review, market identification, regulatory compliance, and development of administrative, financial, and operational systems.

Responsibilities

Entrepreneurial Assistance

• Respond to client inquiries in assigned geography, or as assigned.
• Meet one-on-one with clients to identify their needs. Serve as an independent sounding board for the entrepreneur; helping clients to clarify goals and identify next steps. Meetings with clients are conducted in-person and by video meeting (Zoom or Teams).
• Assist clients over time and at their request, in exploring, developing, launching, and growing a small business venture.
• Provide direct training/assistance where appropriate; make referrals to additional training and resources when necessary.
• Maintain client confidentiality.
• Collect, update, and maintain basic client information, including number of clients, hours, nature of assistance, financing, and certain demographic data.

Loan Origination

• Assist potential borrowers in completing application materials and gathering required documents.
• Review requests for program fit, need and eligibility; identify and propose funding recommendations as appropriate to client needs, including MCCD programs, non-profit and governmental partners, and traditional commercial funding sources.
• Where appropriate draft loan reports outlining the strengths and weaknesses of a request, analyzing the client’s request, their business acumen, historical and projected operating results, credit, collateral, and ability to repay proposed debt.
• Present loan packages to MCCD loan committee for approval.
• Assist in gathering of follow-up information and documents for closing of approved loans.
• Conduct post-loan technical assistance with borrowers; gather periodic business information for review and reporting purposes.
• Assist in work-out and collection activities when necessary.

Requirements

Candidates of most interests include the following:

• 3+ years relevant experience in small business development or financing; demonstrated experience working in the small business sector (e.g. business technical assistance provider, business owner, sales)
• Knowledge and experience working with cooperative models a plus.
• 3+ years’ experience working in partnerships and collaborations across-sectors and with multiple partners.
• Capacity to work cross-culturally to achieve understanding and results. Ability to establish and maintain trust readily with a diverse set of partners.
• A strong commitment to racial justice and an ability to apply racial justice lens to their work.
• Excellent oral and written communications skills.
• Competent computer skills including Microsoft Office programs (Excel, Word, and PowerPoint). Design skills a plus.
• Must have reliable transportation as the position will require travel throughout the greater Twin Cities area.
• Experience in direct underwriting and/or lending.

Compensation and Benefits

SALARY RANGE: $60,000 – $70,000

BENEFITS:

• Hybrid work schedule.
• Medical & Dental Insurance 100% paid by the organization for the employee and employee’s partner and/or family.
• 403(b) Plan – Eligibility starts at date of hire, MCCD will match contributions up to 5%. Employees are 100% vested at the date of hire.
• Life Insurance – MCCD provides and pays for a benefit level up to $50,000.
• Long-Term Disability & Accidental Death and Dismemberment – MCCD provides this at no cost to the employee.
• Holidays – MCCD has 9 designated paid holidays all of which are chosen by the employee.
• Paid Time Off – For the first two years of service, employees accrue5 days (148 hours) annually.
• Parental Leave – Eight weeks of paid parental leave for employees who have given birth, adopted or is fostering a child. (Employee may be a spouse or committed partner who has given birth to a child)
• End of Year Respite – MCCD closes its office for the last week of the calendar year.
• Professional Development – Annual allowance for the employee’s professional development activities.
• Wellness – MCCD provides its staff with quarterly wellness activities.
• MCCD is a dog-friendly office environment!

How to Apply

Email the application materials to HR@mccdmn.org. The application should include a resume and cover letter in one PDF.  The resume and cover letter should reflect your motivation to work at MCCD and how your experiences will advance our work to create more equitable communities.