Associate Director

NorCal SBDC; California (MO); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The Northern California Small Business Development Center (NorCal SBDC) seeks an Area Director to lead a regional team, provide high-level business advising, and drive growth across eight multi-county areas. Reporting to the Area Director, the Associate Director will manage day-to-day operations, oversee advisors, and expand partnerships with lenders, chambers, and economic development partners.

Travel across Northern California is required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Economics, Finance, Economic Development, Management, Public Administration, or a related field.
• Five+ years of progressively responsible management of staff and/or contractor teams.
• Ability and willingness to travel throughout Northern California, including occasional overnight travel.

Responsibilities

• Direct Business Advising: Build and maintain an active portfolio of entrepreneurs and small business clients.
• Regional Coordination: Implement annual work plans and coordinate regional initiatives.
• Knowledge, Skills & Abilities: Develop strategic relationships with lenders and community partners.
• Preferred Qualifications: Experience supervising staff and building partnerships with local governments and economic development agencies.
• Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree and five+ years leadership experience.

Skills

Entrepreneurship

Small business growth

Business lending

CRM systems

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business

Tools

CRM systems

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

Job description

New Partnership Opportunities Available. Explore current RFP opportunities.

Job Announcement · This Is Not a State Position

8 Areas Across Northern California

Hours

$85,000 – $130,000, DOE

SBDC Area Director

Project

Northern California Small Business Development Center (NorCal SBDC)

Position open until filled · Apply by 5:00 PM, September 14, 2026 for first-round review

The Northern California Small Business Development Center (NorCal SBDC) is one of the nation’s largest economic development networks, serving 36 counties and playing a pivotal role in the region’s economic development ecosystem. Through coordinated efforts across Northern California, NorCal SBDC connects entrepreneurs with the resources and support they need to launch, grow, and strengthen their businesses.

As one of eight of the NorCal SBDC Areas, each Small Business Development Center (SBDC) serves entrepreneurs and small businesses throughout each regional area. Annually each center provides no-cost business advising, training, and access to capital assistance to many businesses, helping them navigate challenges, seize opportunities, and achieve long-term success.

Each SBDC Area leadership team is responsible for ensuring their respective Area’s small business community benefits from accessible, high-quality one-on-one advising, education, and resources while fostering strategic collaborations with lenders, partner organizations, and regional stakeholders that support a thriving local economy.

All SBDC Areas are part of the Northern California SBDC Network, hosted by Cal Poly Humboldt Sponsored Programs Foundation, and funded through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), California Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GO-Biz), and other public and private sources.

Each SBDC Area will oversee all SBDC services conducted within one of eight multi-county areas. The eight service territory areas and a map are included below.

SBDC Area Territory

Counties

Position Summary

The Associate Director is a senior leadership role within each regional SBDC, combining hands-on business advising with operational management. Reporting to the Area Director, this position cultivates strategic partnerships, supports advisor success, and advances the center’s growth, visibility, and overall impact.

Working closely with the Area Director, the Associate Director guides day-to-day operations, oversees advisor activities, executes strategic initiatives, and ensures the delivery of high-quality services throughout the defined SBDC Area. This position also helps expand referral networks, increase business outreach, enhance the client experience, and strengthen community engagement.

Balancing direct business advising with regional leadership responsibilities, the Associate Director maintains an active client portfolio while serving as a resource for advisors by providing guidance on complex client engagements and supporting advisor onboarding and development. Approximately 50% of the role is dedicated to advising entrepreneurs and small businesses, while the remaining time focuses on advancing regional partnerships, supporting advisor development, expanding business development opportunities, and representing the SBDC Area.

The ideal candidate is an accomplished relationship builder who thrives on helping entrepreneurs succeed, cultivating strategic partnerships, mentoring advisors, and advancing initiatives that strengthen Northern California’s business community. Please specify which Area(s) you are applying for in your cover letter.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities

Direct Business Advising

• Build and maintain an active portfolio of entrepreneurs and small business clients.
• Provide one-on-one advising and technical assistance in areas including startup planning, business strategy, financial analysis, capital readiness, growth planning, operational improvement, and resource navigation.
• Accurately document client activity, outcomes, and success metrics in the NeoSerra database.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performing advising team of both staff and independent contractors, focused on client success, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Support advisor onboarding, coaching and professional development initiatives.
• Facilitate advisor meetings, referral coordination, and knowledge-sharing activities.
• Serve as a resource for advisors on high-impact and complex client engagements, as needed.
• Promote service quality standards and consistent client experience across the advising team.
• Monitor center performance and support initiatives that improve client engagement, advising utilization, capital infusion, and economic impact outcomes.
• Review client satisfaction surveys, track results, and communicate feedback and required follow-up actions to the advisor team as needed.
• Maintain direct communication with the Lead Center’s Marketing Coordinator to support website updates, newsletters, email campaigns, event promotion, and other local marketing activities as needed.
• Support the Area Director in coordinating partner and community engagement, aligning deliverables, overseeing service activities, and supporting community and partner events.

Regional Coordination

• Assist the Area Director in implementing annual work plans and operational priorities.
• Participate in strategic planning efforts, regional meetings, and special projects.
• Collaborate with NorCal SBDC leadership, regional programs, and peer centers to support regional initiatives and organizational priorities.
• Join and support Area Director on monthly meetings with Neighborhood Branch leadership to align priorities, oversee office hours, events/trainings, and ensure high-quality, impactful service delivery.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong understanding of entrepreneurship, small business growth, business lending, and the challenges facing businesses in diverse and rapidly evolving markets.
• Demonstrated success generating new business opportunities, cultivating referral networks, and expanding visibility within the community.
• Ability to communicate effectively and build rapport with diverse audiences, including business owners, executives, elected officials, community leaders, and other senior-level stakeholders.
• Proven ability to develop and maintain strategic relationships with lenders, economic development organizations, community partners, and referral organizations.
• Strong public speaking and presentation skills, with experience representing an organization at community events, meetings, and stakeholder engagements.
• Experience leading, coaching, and developing professional staff, advisors, consultants, or cross-functional teams.
• Strong organizational, project management, and performance management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and drive results.
• Proficiency using Artificial Intelligence (AI), Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, CRM systems, and other business productivity tools.
• Ability to prepare clear, concise, and professional reports, presentations, correspondence, and other business communications.

Preferred Qualifications

Preference will be given to candidates who demonstrate the following:

• Robust knowledge of and experience using Artificial Intelligence (AI), with the ability to help others integrate AI into their work.
• Experience supervising professional staff, managing advisory teams, or leading programs with measurable performance objectives.
• Background in business advising, consulting, lending, entrepreneurial support, or technical assistance for small businesses.
• Demonstrated success building partnerships with local governments, chambers of commerce, lenders, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, or economic development agencies.
• Experience working within an SBDC network or as a small business owner.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Economics, Finance, Economic Development, Management, Public Administration, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Five+ years of progressively responsible management of staff and/or contractor teams.
• Strong working knowledge of the economic development landscape in Northern California.
• Ability and willingness to work at evening and weekend events, as needed.
• Ability and willingness to travel throughout Northern California, including occasional overnight travel.
• Cover letter (include which Area(s) you are applying for)
• Three professional reference contacts
• Cal Poly Humboldt SPF Employee Information Form for Applicants

Position will remain open until filled. Apply before 5:00 PM on Monday, September 14, 2026 to be included in the first round of application reviews.

This position requires regular travel throughout Northern California and includes occasional evening and weekend commitments. A competitive benefits package is offered, including retirement, health, dental, and vision coverage.

While long-term continuation is anticipated, all NorCal SBDC positions are contingent upon continued state and federal funding. This is not a state or federal position.

Cal Poly Humboldt Sponsored Programs Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex including sexual orientation and gender identity, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other legally protected status. For more information about Cal Poly Humboldt SPF’s Equal Employment Opportunity hiring, email [e-mail] .

SPF adheres to the policy of employment at will, which permits the employer or the employee to end the employment relationship at any time, for any reason, with or without cause or notice as permissible by law. No SPF representative other than the Executive Director may modify at-will status and/or provide any special arrangement concerning terms or conditions of employment in an individual case or generally and any such modification must be in a signed writing.

Maintaining eligibility to work in the United States is a condition of employment. Cal Poly Humboldt Sponsored Programs Foundation does not sponsor visas for staff, management, or temporary positions.

A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be offered this position within Cal Poly Humboldt SPF. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the application status of applicants or continued employment of current Humboldt SPF employees who apply for this position. Background checks will be conducted only after a conditional offer of employment and in compliance with California Fair Chance laws.

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