Director of Small Business Markets

Company: Washington Area Community Investment Fund

Location: Washington, DC

Job Function: Business Development


Background

The Washington Area Community Investment Fund (Wacif) advances equity and opportunity in the Washington, D.C. area’s underserved communities by providing financial capital, business advisory services, and strategic networking support to underinvested entrepreneurs. Since its inception in 1987, Wacif has deployed more than $100 million in capital, served more than 4,500 entrepreneurs with business advisory services, and helped create or retain more than 44,000 local jobs. To learn more about Wacif’s work, visit www.wacif.org.

Summary

The Washington Area Community Investment Fund (Wacif) seeks a Director of Small Business Markets (SBM). The Director, SBM knows how to work in a dynamic collaborative environment, has business acumen, financial analysis experience, networking skills, and seeks to play a pivotal role in a growing nonprofit community loan fund that is committed to mission-oriented small business lending and advisory services across the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

Under guidance of the Chief Program Officer (CPO) and collaborative efforts with the Lending department, the Director, SBM is responsible for sourcing new clients, as well as, interfacing with existing Wacif clients across all signature program initiatives. The Director provides outreach and awareness to the community regarding small business lending products, advisory services, and signature program initiatives offered by Wacif, conducts interviews with prospective borrowers, and participates with local community and business organizations to promote Wacif products and services.

Additional responsibilities include providing competent, thorough, courteous, and efficient customer service to both internal and external customers with a minimal level of direction, guidance, and oversight. The Director will provide strategic outreach and direction for Wacif’s expansion of services and offerings in Washington D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia.

Responsibilities

Daily duties include but are not limited to:

  • Working collaboratively with internal and external partners to provide financial solutions for small businesses throughout the DC metropolitan area.
  • Creating a consistent pipeline of prospective small businesses/clients by assessing the credit worthiness of potential small business borrowers and conducting outreach activities to support programmatic activities.
  • Maintaining a satisfactory level of customer service to all stakeholders (internal and external customers, etc.) and maintain satisfactory level of communication with all partners.

Business Development/Client Services

  • Identify business development activities by creating purposeful relationships with local small businesses to produce new loan applicants for Wacif’s loan products in various target markets.
  • Assist local entrepreneurs to overcome business development issues by strategizing with them; advises clients on the loan application process and basic criteria used to determine credit worthiness.
  • Respond to loan inquiries and assist potential borrowers with the development of loan requests in alignment with Wacif’s lending strategy, credit guidelines, and loan products/program availability.
  • Refer and track prospective borrowers to our Lending department.
  • Refer potential subject matter experts to the Small Business Advisory Services team.
  • Provide support to the Lending Department to expedite processing of applications as needed.
  • Provide support to the Program Department to build internal referral opportunities as needed.
  • Record client data and report to appropriate parties as instructed in our customer relationship management (CRM) system.
  • Collaborate closely with team members in the development, launch, and execution of technical assistance programs that support the expansion of loan products and services.
  • Participate in local small business and economic development organizations and prospect meetings.

Marketing/Relationship Management

  • Foster peer-to-peer networking opportunities to support clients and generate referrals.
  • Engage in public speaking to promote Wacif initiatives and product offerings, and participate in workshops, trainings, tradeshows, and networking events.
  • Engage public and private community partners, civic organizations, trade organizations, businesses, education centers, and financial institutions to build and maintain client referrals in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan and surrounding areas.
  • Market Wacif’s advisory services and lending products to partners and develop and manage relationships with partners, borrowers, and stakeholders.
  • Attend events, meetings, and other activities on evenings, and weekends as necessary relating to engaging and representing Wacif’s mission to cultivate community partnerships and promote lending activities.
  • Assist the Development and Communications team with implementing marketing initiatives to promote the availability of Wacif’s programs and lending products to local businesses.

Financial Management/Administration

  • Prepare quarterly market promotion and activity reports.
  • Work collaboratively with other departments to manage information, reporting, and document preparation for various internal and external needs.
  • Identify opportunities for collaboration with private sector, county, state, and federal organizations.
  • Create and implement a market area strategy to expand services in specific target areas.
  • Recruit and participate in the hiring process to attract other market leads.
  • Help establish, train, and manage a team of Market Managers, Small Business Advisors that will support geographic locations. Must provide strategic oversight and job responsibility direction.

Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree in accounting, business, economics, finance, or equivalent combination of training and experience from an accredited institution required.
  • 10+ years’ experience in small business development and/or small business lending.
  • Entrepreneurial approach to work.
  • Proven ability to build relationships with potential clients, as well as business and lending partners.
  • Prior work-related experience and knowledge of community development lending, Small Business Administration (SBA) Microloan lending, as well as traditional and alternative lending programs is beneficial.
  • Experience in the community development financial institution (CDFI) industry a plus.
  • Experience and desire to increase access to capital for low/moderate income, diverse and other underserved entrepreneurs.
  • Knowledge of and/or interest in community development, racial equity and economic inclusion.
  • Strong financial skills and ability to develop and interpret financial statements applied to business accounting
  • and finance principles are required.
  • Hands on experience working with small business owners is a plus.
  • Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
  • Detail–oriented individual, and ability to work independently and with a team.
  • Fluency in MS Office suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) are required.
  • Fluency in languages in addition to English is a plus.
  • Occasional evening and weekend hours may be required.

Compensation and Benefits

Competitive salary commensurate with experience. Medical, Dental, Vision, HSA, FSA, DCA, Life & Disability insurance coverages available. 401(k) retirement plan (employer matching contribution eligible); paid time off (increased with tenure), paid holidays and sick leave days, transportation benefits, and education assistance benefits (professional development, tuition reimbursement, and student loan repayment).

How to Apply

Interested candidates should email a resume/CV, thoughtful cover letter that outlines how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position, and salary requirements to Opportunity@wacif.org with “Director Small Business Markets” in the subject line.

Wacif is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes candidates from diverse backgrounds.
Wacif provides a flexible and hybrid working environment with the opportunity to work remotely.