Small Business Consultant

Salary Range: $65,000 - $68,000

Position Summary:

To provide no-cost, confidential one-on-one consulting to clients in the Tampa Bay region. As an APEX Accelerator Consultant, you will empower small business owners by providing expert specialized, professional technical assistance to individuals and businesses that are seeking to pursue and successfully perform contracting and subcontracting opportunities with government agencies.  You’ll work one-on-one with entrepreneurs and lead workshops to strengthen the government contracting and procurement knowledge of business owners.

• Provides direct technical assistance to small business clients seeking to work with local, state, and federal government contracting, including, but not limited to, registering for government certifications.
• Advises clients in small business government contracting practices, contracting suitability, securing government registrations and certifications, procurement research, identifying opportunities, proposal preparation and review, and contract performance and audit support.
• Creates and maintains reports required by Florida APEX Accelerator Network in the Customer Relationship Management System (CRM). Utilizes CRM data to assists SBDC consultants and account executives to measure the cost, quantity, quality, and impact of the Florida APEX program.
• Creates and maintains confidential client files, sends and reviews surveys to ensure accuracy of client information, and makes timely updates to records as necessary.
• Conducts assessments, follows up with clients, and gathers impact data and feedback from clients and customers. Creates client success stories on a regular basis.
• Contributes to knowledge creation and dissemination to APEX Accelerator peers and participates in networking activities.
• 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 & APEX Accelerators.
• Participates in the development, promotion, coordination, and delivery of small business management training programs and workshops regarding various government contracting topics.
• Collaborates with the department's marketing team to create, edit, and disseminate government contracting related information and updates to the small business community, departmental stakeholders, and the general public.
• Creates workshops and webinars related to government contracting. Represents the department in government contracting related events, boards, committees, reverse trade shows, etc.
• Collaborates with the department's administrative team to create government contracting related networking events and sessions.
• May be required to assist with disaster recovery during declared disasters by working as a staff member at Business Recovery and/or Disaster Recovery Centers.
• 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.
• Completes annual professional development hours as required.

Minimum Qualifications:

This position requires a Bachelor’s degree in business management or related field, with at least four years of directly related experience. Consultants hired without an advanced (3rd Party) certification must complete one within three (3) years of their hire date.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in client advisory skills and public speaking. 
• Prior experience with government contract procurement & principles, registrations like SAM.gov and SBA’s Dynamic Small Business Search, familiar with FAR/DFAR supplements, and state/local procurement guides.
• Knowledge in submitting bids and proposals, billing and execution of contracted work, and securing applicable socio-economic certifications such as 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB/EDWOSB, SDVOSB, and State/Local specific registrations and certifications.

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