Director of Minority Contractor Resource Center - Cleveland

Company: Economic and Community Development Institute
Location: Cleveland
Posted on: November 8, 2024

Job Description:

ECDI is a nonprofit organization, dedicated to serving underserved and underbanked small business owners. Our goal is to assure that every entrepreneur -- -regardless of where they came from, where they live, their gender or their race -- -has access to funding and the business mentoring services they need to succeed. We're based in Columbus, with offices in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Akron, Portsmouth, Dayton, and Toledo. For small business clients in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, we serve a one-stop resource center.

• 20-minute call with recruiter
• 60-minute video call with panel interview
• Job offer ECDI is looking for a Minority Contractor Resource Center Director. The Director of the Minority Contractor Resource Center (MCRC), working with the Vice President of Strategic Programs, MCRC consultants, and Client Services division, is responsible for supporting small emerging commercial construction firms through one-on-one incubation services, consultations, and an education pathway to the commercial construction industry, industry specific navigator, and as an advocate for the success of all minority-owned firms. The successful candidate will be passionate about working hands-on with emerging commercial construction contractors to help them build scalable, sustainable businesses. As Director, the candidate will be responsible for understanding the business needs for our community of minority construction firms and guide them through the key stages of their growth. Under the director's guidance, combined with support from ECDI's Client Services, more emerging construction firms will develop a strong foundation and build the capacity to secure larger projects. This role is a hybrid position required to work part of the time on site, as determined by business need and manager, with frequent required travel to other markets in the state of Ohio. The starting annual salary range for this position is $80,000-100,000 Candidates for this position must be located in one of our major Ohio markets so they can report to the office, which include Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, or Dayton. Responsibilities: Programming
  • Lead industry education and training as well as technical assistance services for minority contractors and workforce development training for individuals, either directly through the incubator/accelerator or through partnerships with other organizations.
  • Coordination and logistics of incubation and acceleration services for the continued growth and strength of minority contractors and individuals, as an industry resource through special programs and in coordination with other advocacy groups, such as NAMC.
  • Develop and implement a program and schedule that includes but is not limited to training, workshops, technical assistance, strategy sessions, one-on-one consulting, third-party sessions, and networking events across the ECDI's geographic footprint.
  • Evaluate opportunities and create plans for new construction-focused programs including budgets, timelines, and success metrics.
  • Work as a small business advocate for mentoring and to help solve the barriers faced by minority contractors and individuals in construction.
  • Assess existing construction incubation, training programs, and operations to maximize profitability for the client and their effectiveness and implement improvement plans.
  • Create and manage program budgets and assure any program requirements, such as job creation, are achieved and reported on in a timely manner.
  • Manage recruitment and selection of incubator and accelerator participants, MBE firms, and early-stage individuals.
  • Work closely with ECDI Lending and Sales to process loan requests in a timely manner and organize quarterly loan packaging information sessions. Administration
    • Update and maintain MCRC database to monitor and measure clients for reporting purposes.
    • Work closely with ECDI leadership to identify new funding and key partnership opportunities throughout ECDI's geographic footprint.
    • Report the status of new business relationships on a regular basis to the VP of Strategic Programs and MCRC Advisory Board.
    • Expand and identify new funding and key partnership opportunities across the footprint.
    • Lead advocacy efforts at local, state, and national levels to promote policies that support minority contractors and equitable contracting practices.
    • Assist in developing long-term strategic plans to enhance the MCRC's impact throughout ECDI's footprint, aligning with organizational goals and community needs.
    • Assist with the submission of program reports, collect data for compliance of grants, track and complete outcome reports for internal and external use, and troubleshoot technical submission challenges. Team Management:
      • Provide leadership guidance and general management oversight of a team.
      • Review and approve weekly time sheets.
      • Create process guides and clear expectations of duties by updating team members' job descriptions and goals.
      • Establish and support growth plans for each team member.
      • Develop, train, lead, and evaluate a cohesive, motivated staff, sufficient to meet daily department demand and long-term organizational goals.
      • Monitor team pipeline, workload, and volume levels for department, for balance and efficiency.
      • Develop and maintain metrics that report on productivity, quality, and customer service.
      • Monitor team attendance and coordinate requests for time away from work to ensure coverage of all team functions.
      • Maintain checklists for critical functions performed on the team.
      • Document and counsel employees regarding performance issues.
      • Ensure excellence in customer service externally and internally.
      • Work closely with other departments and senior leadership to ensure legal and regulatory compliance and implement strategic initiatives.
      • Provide a weekly activity report and conduct weekly meetings with supervisor. Other Responsibilities:
        • Maintain accurate client files, documents, and profiles for necessary paper files and in appropriate tracking systems.
        • Maintain a thorough working knowledge of and adhere to all ECDI policies and procedures.
        • Perform other related activities, as required, to assure program and department success. Minimum Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
          • Knowledge of the construction industry and the barriers facing minority contractors.
          • Demonstrated ability to advance minority-owned small construction firms through job placement, mentorship/professional development, and training.
          • Demonstrated ability to implement a workforce development program utilizing external stakeholders.
          • Ability to understand and interpret financial statements.
          • Construction industry finance experience preferred.
          • Ability to effectively communicate and collaborate with all people from executive management to early-stage entrepreneurs.
          • Ability to work in collaboration with construction industry professionals and workforce development agencies.
          • Ability to build relationships with key individuals and organizations in the community.
          • Comprehensive knowledge of standard office practices, procedures, equipment, and techniques.
          • Computer Skills:
            • Experience with and knowledge of computer operation.
            • Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.). -
            • Proficient understanding of database or CRM systems required. Education and/or Experience
              • Associates degree in construction management or technology, business administration, or similar field, AND at least seven (7+) years of experience working in or with small commercial construction firms, vendor management, contract management, issue management, project management, and risk assessment.
              • Three or more (3+) years of direct people management. Special Requirements
                • PMP Certification preferred.
                • Frequent travel to markets in Ohio outside of home office. Other Requirements:
                  • Must have access to transportation in order to travel to and from the office and to meet with clients.
                  • Typically, the employee must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% or more of the time. The person in this position will occasionally move about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc., and operate a computer and other office productivity machinery such as a copy machine and computer printer. Positions self to move items up to 15 pounds, such as printer paper boxes across the office as needed. Requests for reasonable accommodations will be considered.
                  • Must be able to avoid risks found in the typical office setting, which is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated, e.g., safe use of office equipment, avoiding trips and falls, observing fire regulations, etc. ECDI offers a holistic benefits package that reflects how much we value our employees. Benefits include:
                    • Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)
                    • Vision Coverage
                    • Life Insurance, STD, LTD
                    • 401(k) Plan
                    • Educational assistance program
                    • A generous time off package
                    • Take your Birthday off - Its paid!
                    • Hybrid Environment (during business hours) ECDI is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) qualified employer. Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin. We are committed to attracting and retaining diverse talent while providing learning and professional advancement opportunities for our employees. We strive to advance our mission and bring equitable opportunity to all those we serve and employ. The Economic and Community Development Institute is an Affirmative Action Employer and members of underrepresented communities and demographics are particularly encouraged to apply, including women, people of color, LGBTQ and people with disabilities. - Economic and Community Development Institute
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