North Bay SBDC Area Director

NorCal SBDC; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement benefits

Health insurance

Dental and vision

Job summary

NorCal SBDC in Marin County, California, seeks an Area Director to serve as the primary local SBDC business manager and relationship lead, building trusted partnerships and translating community needs into SBDC services.

The role combines business development, partnership cultivation, and administrative coordination, with substantial field work—attending events, meeting entrepreneurs, and coordinating programs—while occasionally requiring evenings, weekends, and travel.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Strong working knowledge of the economic development landscape in Marin County, California.
• Ability and willingness to travel and attend evening/weekend events as needed.
• Cal Poly Humboldt SPF Employee Information Form for Applicants.
• Experience working with SBDC or similar economic development networks is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary SBDC ambassador and manager for Marin County, California.
• Develop and execute local business development and outreach plans.
• Cultivate relationships with city departments, chambers of commerce, lenders, and other partners.
• Conduct field outreach to commercial corridors and entrepreneurs.
• Attend and represent the SBDC at community events and meetings.

Skills

Entrepreneurship knowledge

Business development

Public speaking

Stakeholder engagement

Project management

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Economics, Finance, Economic Development, Management, Public Administration, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Google Workspace

CRM systems

Job description

Job Announcement This Is Not a State Position

Location

Hours

Full Time 12 Months/Year

$95,000 – $130,000, DOE

North Bay SBDC Area Director

Project

North Bay Small Business Development Center (North Bay SBDC)

Position open until filled Apply by 5:00 PM, November 2, 2026 for first-round review

The Business and Community Engagement Manager is a hands-on, community-facing role that combines business development, partnership cultivation, administrative coordination, and direct business assistance. Reporting to the SBDC Area Director, this position serves as the primary local SBDC business manager and relationship manager for Marin County, building trusted partnerships and translating community needs into responsive SBDC services.

The successful candidate will spend substantial time in the field: attending community and business events, meeting with partners and entrepreneurs, coordinating local activities, identifying referral and funding opportunities, and ensuring follow-through. The role also carries significant administrative responsibility, including scheduling, communications, event logistics, partner coordination, and support for grant and contract deliverables.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities

Business Development, Partnerships & Community Presence

• Serve as the primary SBDC ambassador and manager for Marin County, California.
• Develop and execute local business development and outreach plans that expand awareness, increase client referrals, and advance measurable business success.
• Cultivate relationships with city departments, economic development staff, chambers of commerce, lenders, business associations, nonprofit and community-based organizations, educational institutions, elected offices, and corporate partners.
• Conduct consistent field outreach to commercial corridors, neighborhood businesses, emerging entrepreneurs, and underserved business communities.
• Attend and represent the SBDC at community events, business mixers, workshops, public meetings, stakeholder convenings, and other evening or weekend engagements as needed.

Administration, Event Coordination & Client Interface

• Coordinate calendars, meetings, agendas, partner communications, follow-up actions, event logistics, and local program schedules across Marin cities.
• Maintain organized records of partner activity, commitments, outreach, referrals, deliverables, and next steps in the designated CRM and shared tracking systems.
• Coordinate workshops, office hours, trainings, outreach campaigns, and community events, including venue arrangements, speakers, registration, marketing coordination, supplies, and post-event follow-up.
• Provide business client assistance in areas such as startup planning, business strategy, financial readiness, access to capital, growth planning, operational improvement, marketing, and resource navigation.
• Work with specialized SBDC advisors, lenders, procurement resources, workforce partners, and other technical-assistance providers.

Knowledge, Skills & Attributes

The ideal candidate brings:

• 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.
• Strong public speaking and presentation skills, with experience representing an organization at community events, meetings, and stakeholder engagements.
• Strong organizational, project management, and performance management skills.
• Proficiency using Artificial Intelligence (AI), Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, CRM systems, and other business productivity tools.

Preferred Qualifications

Preference will be given to candidates who demonstrate the following:

• 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.
• Strong working knowledge of the economic development landscape in Marin County, 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, as needed.
• Cal Poly Humboldt SPF Employee Information Form for Applicants

Position will remain open until filled. Apply before 5:00 PM on Monday, November 2, 2026 to be included in the first round of application reviews.

This position may require 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 local, 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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