Account Manager (Small Business Advisor) job in Buffalo

Next Street: Where teamwork and entrepreneurship meet

Next Street was founded in 2005 with the belief that small businesses are the engines of inclusive growth in underserved markets. Serving as trusted advisor to some of the country’s most dynamic organizations, Next Street revolutionizes how organizations provide capital, customers and services to small businesses and entrepreneurs. We create strategies and tools for public, private and social institutions to drive equitable small business growth in the communities across the US. Next Street directly serves hundreds of individual businesses every day through tailored small business development services and programs.

We look for professionals who aim to combine their diverse backgrounds and experiences with a passion for mission, offering our team members an unparalleled opportunity to work at the intersection of doing well and doing good. Next Street is a for-profit ‘business for good’ and a certified B Corporation with offices in New York City, Chicago, and Boston.

Beverly Gray Business Exchange Center

The Beverly Gray Business Exchange Center (The Exchange) is the first-of-its-kind, brick and mortar small business technical resource center that is located on Buffalo’s Eastside neighborhood. It is a comprehensive, one-stop small business technical resource center developed to support entrepreneurship and innovation for Minority and Women-Owned Enterprises (M/WBE), Service-Disabled Veteran–Owned Businesses (SDVOB), and small businesses in the City of Buffalo and WNY region. The purpose of The Exchange is to serve as an information clearinghouse for small businesses, and, by extension, a hub of entrepreneurship and community wealth generation on the Eastside.

Position Summary:

Next Street is seeking a dynamic and entrepreneurial individual to serve as an Account Manager of the Beverly Gray Business Exchange Center, operated by Next Street. The Account Manager will be responsible for performing their day-to day duties while helping achieve the Exchange’s goals. The Account Manager and will report to the Deputy Director of the Beverly Gray Business Exchange Center.

Your Work:

 Service Delivery

 >       Deliver the Exchange’s suite of services to small businesses and entrepreneurs of various stages and sectors to achieve goals set by the Exchange and Next Street

>       Understand the needs and make recommendations to a wide range of small businesses for the types of resources and services the City can provide these businesses to help them be successful

>       Serve as a connector for clients to services and other resources

>       Coordinate business planning, legal, and accounting services; manage appointments, coordinate with service providers, and develop partnerships

>       Assist clients with City, County, and State M/WBE certification processes; develop subject matter expertise

>       Respond to all customer inquiries in a timely and appropriate manner

>       Ensure that assigned service delivery goals are regularly exceeded

Business Development

>       Assist in business development and marketing efforts to attract, cultivate and retain clients as well as other key stakeholders

>       Support and implement the team’s business development plans; monitor and analyze the efficacy of those activities

>       Develop promotional materials for the Exchange’s educational and community events

>       Engage community-based organizations, community boards, BIDs, and other relevant stakeholders interested in engaging businesses and improving the access that they have to support services

Center Management & Operations

>       Drive customer acquisition, partnership, and marketing efforts; track and analyze activities in CRM

>       Perform data entry within 48 hours of delivering a service; maintain high data integrity standards

>       Provide feedback to team members, Firm management and City of Buffalo on an ongoing basis in order to improve the system’s ability to achieve outcomes and provide high-quality services

>       Collaborate across Next Street offices to ensure our client’s strategic, financial, and organizational needs are met and learnings are shared

>       Attend morning, evening, and weekend events, as necessary, in the interest of strengthening partnerships and business development efforts

Preferred Skills/Knowledge:

>       Bachelor’s degree preferred

>       2-3 years’ experience in banking, finance or lending; experience working with entrepreneurs or small business owners is a plus

>       Excellent customer service and relationship management skills

>       Familiarity with Buffalo’s economic and community development organizations

>       Ability to review loan applications and documentation for clients; experience developing and analyzing business financials a plus

>       Experience using customer relationship management (CRM) tools or other database systems in order to track and manage services and outcomes

>       Ability to manage towards goals to ensure the successful achievement by specific deadlines

>       Flexible, adaptable, customer-focused, and goal-oriented with commitment to high standards of excellence

>       Ability to think innovatively and generate new ideas that can translate directly into results

>       A strong belief in the potential of small businesses and the value of understanding their needs

>       Willingness to challenge and be challenged, regardless of seniority

 Next Street is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, disability, or Vietnam era, or other eligible veteran status, or any other protected factor.