Invest Local Program Director

Organization: Lowcountry Local First 

Title: Invest Local Program Director 

Location: Charleston, SC  

Term: Full-time. Some evenings and weekends. 

Reports to: Executive Director 

Application Deadline: Open until filled; Interviews begin early February 

Rate of Pay: $57,000-65,000 

ABOUT US: Lowcountry Local First advances economic prosperity and local ownership through inclusive and innovative initiatives that build our community’s wealth and wellbeing. We are an entrepreneurial nonprofit organization made up of more than 500 local businesses and community leaders working to transform and model a sustainable local economy. Direct your passion and exceptional skills to support a community of innovative, local, independent businesses and entrepreneurs. 

SUMMARY: The Invest Local initiative of Lowcountry Local First propels traditionally overlooked local entrepreneurs and their businesses through crowdfunding. The Invest Local Program Director should have a passion for supporting emerging entrepreneurs and supporting local, independent businesses. The Program Director is a leads a small team and coordinates efforts across the organization in order to plan, manage, implement and track the four core components of the Invest Local initiative:  

• Community Business Academy: A 12-week course offering hands-on training in business planning and management for existing and aspiring entrepreneurs.  
• Kiva Cohort: Supporting entrepreneurs from application to execution, through technical assistance and small group coaching sessions to ensure that borrowers are capital ready, stay on track, and are supported throughout the process. 
• Graduate Support Services: Graduates of the Community Business Academy will receive a year-round suite of services to take their business to the next level, with access to coaching, workshops, meetups, and the annual Pitch event. 
• Invest Local Workshop Series: Educational workshops introducing businesses to platforms including Kiva, Kickstarter, Honeycomb Credit and others. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES  

Program Director will perform a wide-range of duties including:  

• Invest Local Advisors: Coordinate a support a team of professionals who review financing needs and endorse select small businesses for 0% interest loans on Kiva or make referrals to other platforms. 
• Kiva Hub: Manage and develop the Kiva Hub program, a resource to originate crowdfunded and matched microloans for area small businesses (designed to support loans up to $15,000) by conducting outreach, checking applications, responding to loan inquiries, and providing assistance to applicants and borrowers. 
• Coordinate sessions of the Community Business Academy by contracting with and supporting instructors and class monitors, recruiting and building relationships with students, and handling program database and administrative tasks.  
• Coordinate Graduate Support Services including ensuring that annual surveys are completed and the graduates are connecting with the services they need to thrive. 
• Invest Local Resources: Contribute to the ongoing maintenance of the Invest Local Virtual Platform (a resource hub for local investors and businesses to learn about and connect through crowdlending platforms. 
• Data collection: Ensure that students and graduate data are up to date and accurate; oversee the collection and maintenance of records and ensure client confidentiality/privacy. Regularly update program metrics and participant demographic data to support grant reporting.   
• Assist with workshops, meetups, and additional programming that support ongoing learning and engagement opportunities for program participants and graduates.  

QUALIFICATIONS 

LLF is a small, committed, supportive team environment. We are here for each other, we lend a hand to our colleagues when needed, we deeply care about our work and community and it shows. We’re looking for a super-organized, enthusiastic, scheduling and data-headed mastermind to join our team. 

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent and three-five years of relevant experience in program management, project management, and/or small business support.  

• Strong financial analysis skills, time management and organizational skills, with a high level of attention to detail. 

• Superior interpersonal skills and ability to interact with a diverse range of individuals and organizations, including but not limited to, current and potential program participants, community development organizations, public agencies, investors, donors, and Advisory Committee members. 

• Proven ability to be self-starting, highly organized, and detail-oriented, comfortable with unstructured assignments, multi-tasking, and quick deadlines. 

• Experience in federal and/or state lending programs, such as, the CDFI Fund or U.S. Small Business Administration a plus.  

• Tech-savvy and proficient in the use of computers for: databases, spreadsheets, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems.  

• Excellent communication skills, both spoken and written; Spanish language proficiency a plus.  

Working Conditions  

The Program Director works in an office environment, but the mission of the organization may sometimes take them to non-standard workplaces. The Program Director works a standard work week but will be required to work some evenings and/or occasional weekends for outreach, member mixers, or to monitor program activities. We will work with the Program Director to ensure appropriate comp time.   

Benefits 

• Three weeks of paid time off in year one, with increases annually. 
• Eight paid holidays (including MLK Day, Juneteenth, and your birthday), PLUS Dec. 24th through Jan 1st. 
• 3% company matching SIMPLE-IRA retirement fund (after three [3] months of employment). 
• Monthly cell phone and insurance stipends. 
• Parental leave up to [14] weeks (after one year of employment), including four [4] weeks paid leave in addition to any Paid Time Off employee would like to utilize. 
• Annual stipend provided for professional development. 

Equal Opportunity Employer 

We’re an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to ongoing organizational improvements to create an inclusive environment for all employees. We cannot achieve a thriving local economy without racial justice, and we believe that achieving true equality requires dismantling racism and repairing the centuries of harm inflicted on Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. We aim to identify candidates committed to these values of equity and justice. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status. 

Physical Demands 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Work may be performed indoors and outdoors during all but the most severe weather. The employee is occasionally required to sit, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, or crouch. The employee must frequently lift or move objects weighing up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift or move objects weighing up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of the activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. 

To Apply  

• NO PHONE CALLS, PLEASE. Please email cover letter and resume in PDF format to HR@lowcountrylocalfirst.org  with “Program Director” in subject heading.