SBDC Implementation Intern

The Governor's Office of Economic Development and International Trade ("OEDIT") was created to foster a positive business climate that encourages dynamic economic development and sustainable job growth throughout the State of Colorado. Our mission is to empower all to thrive in Colorado's economy. A comprehensive slate of programs within OEDIT's divisions work together to offer economic development services for all Colorado businesses - new and expanding, traditional and emerging, small and large - including retention programs to ensure continued competitiveness of Colorado's economic base, and job training to keep Colorado's workforce the best in the nation.

As a US Small Business Administration (SBA) Resource Partner, the Colorado Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network is dedicated to helping small businesses throughout Colorado achieve their goals of growth, expansion, innovation, increased productivity, management improvement, and success. The SBDC Network has 14 service centers across the state hosted by universities/colleges, city and county governments, economic development agencies, chambers of commerce, and incubators. The SBDC provides no-cost business consulting and no- or low-cost training for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs on topics including business planning, accessing capital, marketing, regulatory compliance, technology development, international trade, and similar areas impacting business operations.

The Business Support Division consists of four major programs within OEDIT: Employee Ownership Office (EOO), Cannabis Business Office (CBO), Minority Business Office (MBO), and the SBDC Network.

NOTE: This announcement may be used to fill multiple openings.

The SBDC Implementation Intern(s) will report to the Colorado SBDC Special Projects Manager and work closely with the State Director, the Senior Grants and Fiscal Compliance Manager, the Marketing and Outreach Manager, and the Senior Learning and Development Manager, with engagement with other members of the SBDC and OEDIT teams as needed. The SBDC Implementation Intern(s) will support implementation of one of the two following projects:

Essentials for Childcare Business Launch: This project will support the launch of a program developed in partnership with the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) focusing on providing business advising for childcare small businesses. This is a statewide program, and will be run by the 14 Colorado Small Business Development Center service centers. This project involves collaborative work across silos in state government, including multiple state agencies, institutions of higher education, and local ecosystem partners. Work tasks for this project may include:

• Implementing interagency agreement with CDEC

• Creating training materials for network staff on childcare programming options

• Managing development of a complete calendar of childcare offerings covering the entire state throughout the calendar year

• Developing best practices to ensure compliance with program requirements as well as state and federal regulations

• Supporting network operations

Salesforce CRM Transition: This project will support the transition to a new customer relationship management (CRM) system to support the SBDC in delivering advising and training to over 14,000 Colorado small businesses per year. The Colorado SBDC network is transitioning to a purpose-built Salesforce instance to modernize its systems and improve data collection and utilization. This project involves collaborative engagement with vendors, state government entities, and service centers to deliver operational upgrades that will improve government service delivery. Work tasks for this project may include:

• Managing system testing and deployment

• Staffing ongoing meetings with vendors

• Identifying and communicating core business requirements

• Creating and implementing data collection and utilization strategies

• Developing and refining standard operating procedures (SOPs) and other job aids

• Supporting network operations

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Conduct research on relevant best practices, including through conversations with SBDC networks across the country

• Provide project management functions, including developing project timelines, identifying potential bottlenecks, and driving ongoing communication

• Develop and communicate updates on project progress across the full SBDC network

• Supporting ongoing engagement with small business communities, service center personnel, and OEDIT staff members

• Maintain strict client confidentiality protections in accordance with federal grant compliance

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Graduate-level coursework in public administration, public policy, business administration, government finance and operations, grant management, or similar

COMPETENCIES:

• Teamwork - Builds and supports effective teams; encourages a spirit of participation and belonging; enhances group cohesiveness by emphasizing team objectives and reinforcing cooperation.

• Interpersonal Skills - Builds and maintains effective working relationships with a wide range of individuals; quickly establishes rapport with others; shows sensitivity to people of diverse backgrounds; values diversity and seeks to understand differences in cultures and personal styles. Strong organizational skills with attention to detail.

• Communication - Is understood and understands others; clearly articulates key points when writing and speaking; actively listens; effectively interprets non-verbal communication and truly hears what a wide variety of people are trying to say; accurately assesses personal styles and adjusts own style of communication to optimize personal effectiveness.

• Customer/Client Focus - Responsively addresses the needs of both internal and external customer/client; assures that customer service is a top priority; accurately diagnoses customer needs and responds accordingly; establishes customer rapport and partners with customers.

Pay Rate: $20 - 25/hour

This position is considered non-classified, which means the position is not part of the Colorado State Personnel System. Therefore, the individual appointed to this position is considered at-will, and is not covered by the State Personnel Rules or the State Classification System.

Benefits

Interns qualify for choice of 2 retirement plans (defined contribution or defined benefit) with generous State contribution.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.

To learn more about the "State of Colorado For All", visit our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion website.

ADAAA Accommodations

The Office of the Governor is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAAA Staffing Coordinator, the Director of Human Resources: jennifer.salvatore@state.co.us

Application

Please submit a cover letter and resume addressing the minimum and preferred qualifications; required knowledge, skills and abilities; that pertain to the key duties and responsibilities of this position.Your application must provide sufficient detail about your background and experience to allow the screening panel to properly assess your experience in the required elements, including your experience and achievements.

Due to the large volume of resumes we receive, we do not acknowledge receipt of each application and are unable to give status updates. If a strong match is found between your qualifications and the requirements of the position, a member of the recruiting staff will contact you to further discuss the career opportunity.