Application instructions are located at the bottom of the page. Please apply directly through the University of Montana's career portal UM Jobs at https://umjobs.silkroad.com/ for positions at the University of Montana – Missoula, University of Montana Western (Dillon), and Helena College. Do not apply through Indeed.com or use easy apply through Indeed.com*.
The Office of Research invites applications for a Business Advisor to join their team. The Missoula SBDC Business Advisor will support the national and state missions of the SBA’s Small Business Development Center program as well as the mission of the University of Montana. Specifically, the mission of Montana’s Small Business Development Center is to provide tools and guidance to help small businesses succeed. For an individual that is looking to start a new business or expand their existing business, the SBDC network is the best place to start. The SBDC network supports ten centers across the state, focusing on free one-on-one counseling and low-cost training in areas such as financial analysis, business planning, strategic planning, loan packaging, financial projections and market research to help small businesses achieve their goals of growth, innovation and success.
The Missoula SBDC program is part of the UM’s Office of Research and Creative Scholarship which supports research-driven student success. Through advocacy and advancement of basic and applied research, creative work, and academic scholarship, ORCS fosters an environment where research, scholarly activities, entrepreneurship, and economic development thrive and advance the educational and research mission of the University.
In addition, Missoula SBDC supports UM’s Business and Entrepreneurship Community of Excellence to prepare students to confront economic challenges and opportunities by promoting leadership and innovation, encouraging partnerships, and meeting workforce demands and needs.
It is expected that this position will support strategic objectives of the SBDC and UM through providing economic development services across the Missoula SBDC service area particularly through in-person and technology-based outreach to Missoula, Mineral, Ravalli, and Sanders counties. Outreach to the four counties in the Missoula SBDC service area may include organizing and executing training events, in-person consultations, attending networking events, and building on relationships with other economic development agencies and lenders.
The University of Montana is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and has a strong institutional commitment to the principle of diversity in all areas. In that spirit, we are particularly interested in receiving applications from a broad spectrum of qualified people who would assist the University in demonstrating its five priorities for action : Place student success at the center of all we do; drive excellence and innovation in teaching, learning, and research; embody the principle of “mission first, people always"; partner with place; and proudly tell the UM story.
Required Skills
- Discernment – Ability to execute assigned tasks with initiative and confidence without constant oversight. At the same time, ability to know when to ask for help and feedback in order to accomplish tasks effectively.
- Leadership – Ability to influence, motivate, and elevate others to do more than they knew possible. Keenly enjoy helping clients identifying scenarios that could lead them to achieve personal goals.
- Emotional Intelligence – Ability to recognize and discern emotions to guide thinking and behavior to adapt to dynamic environments and collaborative teams. Can appreciate and support the goals of diverse types of individuals particularly the ability to effectively interact in a rural setting.
- Strive for Excellence – Ability to deliver exceptional customer service by exceeding the expectations of clients, stakeholders, and colleagues with every encounter.
- Curiosity – Genuine interest in continual improvement and learning about a variety of topics integral and tangential to job requirements. Avid consumer of information from books, articles, news, podcasts, lectures, courses, and experts.
- Teamwork Oriented – Ability to effectively align within a collaborative effort to achieve common goals and outcomes.
- Positive Outlook – Approach to work comes with can-do attitude sprinkled with appropriate humor.
- Communication – Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, proper grammar, and professional etiquette.
- Technical – Strong proficiency in fundamental office and computer equipment (software programs such as Microsoft Office Suite, CRM platforms, and cloud-based software applications), cell phone, office phone. Experience with new media communication tools as well including at website content management, digital marketing and social media networks, blog engagement, press release writing, audio recording/editing, and basic video recording/editing. Podcasting and webinar experience a plus.
- Presentation/Facilitation – Ability to present, facilitate and lead small and large groups through curriculum in traditional lecture style as well as interactive/attendee-engaging presentations.
- Personal Effectiveness/Time Management - Ability to efficiently manage priorities, timelines, and deadlines with accuracy, and to a high level of proficiency.
Travel:
- This job requires work-related travel, with occasional overnight stays, to participate in business-related meetings. Occasional driving may be required. SBDC has quarterly meetings around the state and there is an annual ASBDC conference outside of Montana.
Minimum Required Experience
- Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management or related field; or equivalent combination of education and job-related experience
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience selling a product/service and/or launching and running a small business even as a side hustle
- Podcasting/webinar experience
About the Research Administration and UM
This position will be an employee of the University of Montana in the Office of Research and part of the national Small Business Development Center team, specifically, the Montana SBDC network.
The Missoula SBDC Business Advisor will support the national and state missions of the SBA’s Small Business Development Center program as well as the mission of the University of Montana. Specifically, the mission of Montana’s Small Business Development Center is to provide tools and guidance to help small businesses succeed. For an individual that is looking to start a new business or expand their existing business, the SBDC network is the best place to start. The SBDC network supports ten centers across the state, focusing on free one-on-one counseling and low cost training in areas such as financial analysis, business planning, strategic planning, loan packaging, financial projections and market research to help small businesses achieve their goals of growth, innovation and success.
The Missoula SBDC program is part of the UM’s Office of Research and Creative Scholarship which supports research-driven student success. Through advocacy and advancement of basic and applied research, creative work, and academic scholarship, ORCS fosters an environment where research, scholarly activities, entrepreneurship, and economic development thrive and advance the educational and research mission of the University.
The University of Montana is a unit of the Montana University System with over 10,000 students. It is located in Missoula, a culturally vibrant community of about 72,000, surrounded by mountain grandeur which was recently ranked in the “top 20 best college towns with a population of less than 250,000 ” by the American Institute for Economic Research and ranked 9th in Outside Magazine’s “The 16 Greatest Places to Live in America” in 2014 . Many national publications recognize Missoula for its high quality of life . Abundant recreational opportunities in surrounding state and national forests and nearby Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park complement a thriving intellectual atmosphere. The University of Montana offers eligible employees a generous benefits package that positively separates UM from other local employers and offers many programs and policies to support work-life balance for its employees.
To learn more about the University of Montana, Missoula, and the State of Montana, please visit the links below.
Position Details
Position Title: Business Advisor (Public Education Coordinator)
Position Number: 055530
Department: Research Administration
Work Schedule: Full-time, 1.0 FTE (40 Hours a week), Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, 12 months/year
Salary: $22.539/hr
Union Affiliation: FOCUS-MFPE
Probationary Period: Six months minimum
Benefits Include : Insurance package, mandatory retirement plan, partial tuition waiver, and wellness program
Criminal Background Investigation is required prior to the Offer of Employment In accordance with University regulations, finalists for this position will be subject to criminal background investigations. ADA/EOE/AA/Veteran's Preference Reasonable accommodations are provided in the hiring process for persons with disabilities. For example, this material is available in alternative format upon request. As an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, we encourage applications from minorities, veterans, and women. Qualified candidates may request veterans’ or disabilities preference in accordance with state law. References: References not listed on the application materials may be contacted; notice may be provided to the applicant. Testing: Individual hiring departments at UM may elect to administer pre-employment tests, which are relevant to essential job functions. Employment Eligibility: All New Employees must be eligible and show employment eligibility verification by the first date of employment at UM, as legally required (e.g., Form I-9).
How to Apply
Priority Application Date: Sunday, February 18, 2024by 11:59 PM (Mountain Time)
Complete applications received by the ‘Priority Application Date’ will be guaranteed consideration. The position will remain open until filled. Candidates are required to submit the following materials online via "New Resume/CV" button below.
A complete application Includes:
Missoula, Montana, United States