Rockville Economic Development, Inc. – Associate Program Manager

• Associate Program Manager
• Maryland Women’s Business Center (MWBC)
• Location: Rockville, MD
• Reports to: MWBC Managing Director
• Employment Type: Full-Time
• Filing Deadline: August 9, 2024

Rockville Economic Development, Inc. (REDI), a nonprofit organization, was founded in 1997 by the City of Rockville to serve as the economic development agency for the City. Today with a budget of $2.4 million, it helps businesses launch, locate, and expand. In 2010, REDI established the MWBC to help women throughout the region start and grow businesses positioned for long-term growth through training, business counseling and other resources. Now funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), MWBC hosts more than 100 workshops a year and interacts with more than 1,500 clients through its various services and programs. Learn more about MWBC at marylandwbc.org and REDI at rockvilleredi.org.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Oversee the day-to-day operations of the MWBC Shop Local retail incubator program in multiple locations.
• Program participant recruitment for incubator program.
• Offer business counseling and training to MWBC Shop Local participants and other MWBC clients.
• Act as a mentor and recruit a network of mentors for participants and graduates.
• Develop and maintain collaborations with partners.
• Accurately collect, record, maintain data and metrics as required.
• Meet annual performance goals and metrics.
• Assist in launching new MWBC Shop Local locations.
• Undertake other project-related tasks and responsibilities assigned.
• Support liaising with local jurisdictions and property owners.
• Contribute to curriculum development.

Operations

• Lead administration of the MWBC Shop Local retail incubator program to include program oversight, application process, interviews, onboarding, and graduation.
• Oversee participant adherence to MWBC Shop Local sub-license agreements, participation agreements, social media guidelines.
• Establish, monitor, evaluate, and improve processes, procedures and/or standards, ensuring alignment with the program mission, goals, and objectives.
• Collaborate with the MWBC Managing Director to develop, administer, and monitor budgets; implement and allocate resources.
• Manage tracking of participants and graduates and ensure that CRM data is maintained accurately including participant and graduate contact information, brick-and-mortar or online store openings, monthly sales, maker-events hosted and number of attendees, and other applicable data.
• Develop monthly reports for funders and specialized packages of information for inquiries and prospects.
• Supports diversity, equity, and inclusion practices and model leadership.

Programming and Technical Assistance

• Oversee planning, teaching and/or moderating of program curriculum, ensuring alignment with mission and sharing of knowledge. Assist with presentations: creating, developing, updating/editing, and electronic filing.
• Mentor and provide business counseling to cohort participants through industry experience and connections and leverage the entrepreneurial and business community to create new opportunities and support channels.
• Work with cohort participants to ensure MWBC Shop Local is connecting with the public and generating retail foot traffic instances through effective maker-events.
• Collect data and evaluations from participants and ensure proper reporting in MWBC’s CRM and LMS platform.
• Other duties as assigned.

Relationship Management and Outreach

• Proactively help to develop and maintain relationships with property owners/managers, being an advocate and conduit for information and issue resolution.
• Participate in outreach activities; nurturing existing and assist with seeking out new relationships with property owners/managers, local governments, key stakeholders and partners of MWBC Shop Local.
• Identify funding prospects and assist Managing Director in crafting funding campaigns and grant applications.
• Work with the MWBC Managing Director, Marketing & Communications Director, and Marketing & Events Manager to facilitate outreach efforts and oversee communication strategy for the program, ensuring timely execution and accurate messaging on social media, printed communications, and website.
• Research and stay abreast on business and financial trends for small business entrepreneurs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent amount of experience, knowledge, and skills that will enable you to perform the tasks of the job proficiently.
• Applied experience in retail, economic development, commercial real estate, and/or small business administration preferred.
• Understanding of the operations and successful development of small businesses, including but not limited to retail and product-based business models.
• Possess excellent written and verbal communication skills and be comfortable interacting with diverse groups including developers, business entrepreneurs, property owners, and government officials.
• Demonstrated skills with Google and MS Office Suite programs.
• Proficiency in Spanish, French, or Mandarin desired.

Compensation

• Commensurate with qualifications and experience.
• Full-time position benefits: paid holidays and annual leave, health care benefits, 3% matching contribution to a Simple IRA plan, and parking in office location.

Application
Submission of application (resume with cover letter) indicating interest to HR@rockvilleredi.org by Friday, August 9, 2024.

Rockville Economic Development, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.