Small Business Consultant - Specialty Finance

Consultants provide no-cost, confidential one-on-one consulting to clients in the Tampa Bay region.  
As a Small Business Consultant (Finance), you will empower small business owners by providing expert financial guidance, strategic planning, and access to capital.  You’ll work one-on-one with entrepreneurs and lead workshops to strengthen the financial health of businesses.

Consultants hired without an advanced (3rd Party) certification must complete one within three (3) years of their hire date. Two (2) years of experience performing, or advising businesses on, management, marketing, and/or finance. Experience operating personal computers with proficiency in MS Office Suite. Experience operating video-conferencing equipment and software, such as GoToWebinar, Microsoft Teams, or WebEx. 

• Consult business owners by providing strategic guidance to help shape the future direction of their organization. This includes, but not limited to, analyzing current operations, financial performance, and market positioning to identify areas for growth, improvement, or innovation. Guide clients through loan application processes and help identify other sources of capital. Conduct market research, market segmentation, competitive analysis, and SWOT analysis. 
• Develop and maintain relationships with stakeholder i.e. chambers of commerce, lenders, economic development organizations, and trade associations, to inform the community of resources available through the SBDC. 
• Deliver educational webinars and seminars tailored to both start-up and established small businesses, providing practical guidance on key topics such as business planning, marketing, financial management, and growth strategies to support their development and long-term success.
• Fulfill administrative functions related to the duties of the position, including tracking of client progress and maintaining an accurate MS Outlook calendar. Responsible for confidentiality and protection of client information. This position may require travel through the county, state, and U.S. 
• Performs other duties as assigned. 

Minimum Qualification Requirements: 

This position requires a bachelor’s degree in business management or related field, with at least one year of directly related experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

• QuickBooks Pro Advisor certification.
• Experience in business valuation and loan packaging.
• Strong understanding of small business financial statements.
• Bilingual English/Spanish

Degree Equivalency Clause: Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree.
• Senate Bill 1310- The Florida Senate (https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/1310) is conditional upon meeting all employment eligibility requirements in the U.S.
• SB 1310: Substitution of Work Experience for Postsecondary Education Requirements
• A public employer may include a postsecondary degree as a baseline requirement only as an alternative to the number of years of direct experience required, not to exceed:
• (a) Two years of direct experience for an associate degree;
• (b) Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree;
• (c) Six years of direct experience for a master’s degree;
• (d) Seven years of direct experience for a professional degree; or
• (e) Nine years of direct experience for a doctoral degree
• Related work experience may not substitute for any required licensure, certification, or registration required for the position of employment as established by the public employer and indicated in the advertised description of the position of employment.
• Minimum Qualifications that require a high school diploma are exempt from SB 1310.

Working at USF

With approximately 16,000 employees, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay area. We are dedicated to cultivating a talented, engaged and driven workforce that strives to be bold. Employees excel in USF‘s rich academic environment, which fosters their development and advancement. In 2025, Forbes recognized USF as one of Florida’s best large employers, ranked No. 1 among the state’s 12 public universities. Our first-class benefits package includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, employee and dependent tuition programs, generous leave, and hundreds of employee perks and discounts.

About USF 

The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in th