Business Services Specialist

SUMMARY
This opening is not a counselor/counseling related position. This is a professional level employment opportunity requiring a high-level of independent judgment, creative problem solving, and interpersonal skills to address the needs of the local and regional business community. The primary responsibility of a

Business Services Specialist is to develop relationships with local businesses, and related industry associations to develop strategies to address employment and training needs, workforce skill gaps, and to establish sustainable careers for job-seeking customers. The successful candidate must possess significant knowledge of and expertise of the regional business climate, local workforce development, the local labor market, vocational training and economic development. Private industry experience in business development is a plus. The applicant should have advanced knowledge of the services and goals of the Workforce Innovations and Opportunities Act (WIOA) and the services and goals of the Workforce Buffalo System.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBLITIES
Business Services Specialists are required to work both independently and collaboratively to address a comprehensive range of responsibilities. This niche role services a number of different audiences including the business community, industry stakeholders, community partners, local and state officials, economic development agencies, training providers, and partners that may extend regionally and across county boundaries. Specialists work closely with the business community, career center staff, placement specialists and educational and training providers to match potential candidates with sustainable employment and or training opportunities. This role serves as a conduit to successful communication and partnering, providing technical assistance for examining specific hiring needs, skill gaps and required skills for training. The successful candidate will build, develop and maintain relationships with the local and regional business community and appropriate stakeholders to sustain engagement and close working relationships.

Strong communication skills are required to ensure information is conveyed clearly, concisely and accurately.

The four (5) core responsibilities of this role are:

1. Business Development

2. Workforce Expertise

3. Program Management

4. Office/Administrative

5. Job Seeker and Customer Support

Business Development 30%

• Develop and cultivate relationships with new and existing businesses to create strong working relationships, primary focus on assessing and identifying needs and providing relevant services to address training, recruitment and access to employer incentive support
• Serve as business/industry expert and liaison to the workforce system
• Work with regional employers to identify employment opportunities, identify skill sets, training requirements and establish reasonable workforce solutions and disseminate information to appropriate partner agencies
• Establish and attend regular employer visits, recruitments and other engagements offsite
• Attend business/industry engagements offsite and after hours – flexible
• Must be comfortable presenting before large audiences
• In-depth knowledge of local and regional business community and it’s needs and trends

Workforce Expertise 20%

• Familiarity with available support, training and business-related services available through WIOA, Workforce Buffalo, partner agencies and local community service providers
• Knowledge of local workforce development resources and services available to local and regional businesses and job seekers
• Familiarity with Western New York’s Regional Economic Development Council and it’s initiatives as they relate to demand occupations and target industry sector priorities, as well as competitive and emergent industry sectors
• Work closely with Workforce Buffalo system providers, career center placement staff, career counselors and WIOA partner agencies to identify and coordinate employment, training and or program opportunities
• Utilize successful business development, marketing and or sales related training
• Understand national labor market trends, demands and expectations of local and regional employers

Program Management 20%

• Training program design, facilitation, execution, reporting and oversight
• Ability to identify and work to secure partnering opportunities with outside agencies and the local and regional business community
• Collaborate with career center counseling staff to develop and maintain resources, programming and other business services support
• Macro and micro reporting of programming to satisfy continuous improvement and future training needs
• Research and compare workforce system best practices for potential model enhancements
• Act as a potential resource for community partners to implement programming both locally and regionally

Office Administrative 15%

• Collect vital information and data, disseminate and report into data management system
• Assist with developing systems and measures to obtain, review and analyze information from the business community to determine how needs are being met
• Develop and deliver presentations as requested
• Utilize local media, local business community, business directories, the internet, partner agency resources, community partner agencies, NYS Job Service, networking contacts, etc., to identify businesses with potential human resource and workforce development needs
• Demonstrate outstanding computer skills, including MS Office; presentation software
• Perform other tasks as assigned, may be assigned other duties, responsibilities, offices, programs and locations based on need

Job Seeker and Customer Support 15%

• Program and training facilitation as it applies to the Business Services department
• Limited interaction with job seekers as it applies to the Business Services department
• Serve as a resource to job seekers on workforce related employment and training opportunities
• Track and initiate reasonable referrals to job openings
• Participate in planning and facilitation of Business Services related events and workshops at the One Stop Centers including but not limited to Job Club and Job Fairs
• Assess job seekers needs and provide assistance in the application to Business Services Department related programs and services

QUALIFICATIONS AND BASIC REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree or higher and a minimum of 3 years’ experience in project management, workforce development, business development, and/or case management
• Knowledge of local, state and federal workforce systems
• Highly organized, proven analytical skills and track record in creative problem solving
• The ability to work independently and to plan, prioritize workload in a fast-paced environment, especially under tight deadlines
• Excellent communication and presentation skills

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• A Master’s degree in business administration, economic development, social work or other relevant discipline
• Strong interpersonal and networking skills with the ability to identify, create and develop advanced relationships with key stakeholders
• Experience in business development with local employer community
• Knowledge of workforce development and economic development planning
• Technology savvy with skills utilizing various computer applications to deliver presentations, prepare charts, graphs and visual reports, etc.

Additional specific job duties may include occasional altered work schedule or job assignments, which require availability and willingness to work occasional evening, and/or out-stationed assignments.

ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL/MENTAL FUNCTIONS

The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by employees to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Physical Elements:

• Lifting and carrying 5-10 pounds occasionally
• Pushing and pulling 5-10 pounds occasionally
• Ability to stand, walk and sit
• Ability to speak and hear, both in person and on the telephone frequently
• Repetitive use of hands to finger, handle, feel and operate standard office equipment frequently
• Ability to bend, sit, squat, kneel, reach, balance and climb stairs occasionally
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision and the ability to use focus

Mental Performing Elements

• Regularly required to use written and oral communications skills;
• Organizing and coordinating schedules
• Read and interpret data, information and documents
• Analyze and solve non-routine and complex office administrative problems
• Use math and mathematical reasoning
• Observe and interpret situations
• Learn and apply new information or skills
• Perform highly detailed work on multiple, concurrent tasks
• Work under intensive deadlines with frequent interruptions
• Interact with career center directors, managers, staff, customers, the public and others encountered in the course of work; and
• Completing written work related information and reports as requested

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Business Services Division of the Buffalo and Erie County Workforce Development Consortium, Inc., a partner in Workforce Buffalo works to convene industry, education, economic development, and other community stakeholders to address important workforce issues. Focusing in target industry sectors, the department works to identify solutions that meet employer’s needs and put job seekers back to work. We support the workforce system through successful business outreach and engagement. For more information visit workforcebuffalo.org/business-services.

To meet the needs of our clientele, we strive to provide high quality service including access to employer related services, job seeker assistance and collaborative opportunities with local stakeholders that align and address regional and local workforce related trends and concerns. Business Services staff are expected to embody the following attributes:

• Responsive: To customer needs, as well as internal and external stakeholders.
• Passionate: About workforce development issues and customer concerns. Staff is expected to take the initiative to learn and understand local and regional workforce issues, concerns, trends and needs.
• Collaborative: Both striving to work effectively and collaboratively, internally and externally.
• Strategic: Conscientious of limited staff resources, and continuously looking for ways to improve services or service delivery.
• Resourceful: Focused on continuous learning (i.e. knowing the issues before our customers) and striving to access knowledge and resources to improve internal practices and services to our audiences.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $53,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person

Salary : $53,000