Description

Overview of Org/Position

Colorado Enterprise Fund (CEF) is a nonprofit business lending organization dedicated to the success of small businesses in Colorado. We provide access to capital for Colorado small businesses that are unable to access traditional financing. Our primary focus areas are business owners who may be low to moderate income, minority, women or veterans. We’re committed to creating meaningful impact in Colorado’s communities by providing equitable and affordable business financing for entrepreneurs who cannot access bank loans or other financial resources.

At CEF we see our community impact through job creation, wealth building for disadvantaged populations, and the growth and success of the businesses we fund. As a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), we offer loans, grants, and free business coaching to entrepreneurs to help them succeed.

Colorado small business owners and entrepreneurs seek assistance from our organization in moving towards the major step of asking for financial loans that they have not been able to find from traditional resources such as banks. The Business Navigation team provides coaching, tools, and resources to entrepreneurs to help them position their businesses for success, before and after the loan. This coaching may include assisting clients in the Southern Colorado region face to face with setting up financial documents such as cashflow or profit and loss statements, building their workforce, reviewing operations for increased profitability, and devising marketing strategies for a variety of business sectors. Business Navigators are provided with tools and templates to use with clients and are also encouraged to bring their unique set of skills and resources to their work.

The ideal candidate for this position will truly live by our core Guiding Principles, including a strong focus on being people-centric, adaptable, agile, collaborative, impact driven and fostering open and direct communication. 

We offer a hybrid work environment with a blend of in-office and remote work. 

Requirements

Pre-Loan

• As requested by loan officers, conducting comprehensive financial analysis for small business 

owners and entrepreneurs.

• Guiding small business owners with step-by-step instruction to prepare themselves financially and operationally to apply for and obtain small business loans.

Post-Loan

• Assessing borrowers’ progress towards business maturity using tools provided.

• Exercise independent judgment by offering business consulting advice to CEF borrowers 

including but not limited to the following areas: best practice in sales, marketing, people 

management, and financial management that impacts overall business growth.

• Identify financial risks through a detailed review of small business owners’ profit and loss 

statements and balance sheets.

• Providing accounting reporting and accounting system support in systems such as QuickBooks.

• Stay up-to-date tax regulations and legal understanding to detect possible issues and refer 

borrowers to appropriate tax and legal professionals as needed.

• Building strong, long-term relationships with assigned CEF clients.

• Conducting meetings with clients online or in person, based on their needs.

General

• Ability to articulate financial concepts and strategies in an understandable manner to 

clients with varying levels of financial literacy.

• Work closely with partner organizations by providing workshops for their small business 

owners.

• Executing requirements under a specific job program grant or initiative to fully support 

assigned communities.

• Compiling borrower data so that senior leadership can review progress towards goals set by 

the department and company.

• Daily/weekly collaboration with other Business Navigators staff and management virtually and 

in-person.

• Create, design, and implement innovative practices that can promote borrowers even more in 

the local community.

• Performing other duties as assigned.

Education/Experience

• Spanish fluency, spoken and written, required given the communities that CEF is serving.

• Minimum five years’ experience as a small business owner, small business coach, or other 

relevant entrepreneurial experience.

• Bachelor’s degree related to business, or equivalent work experience, is required.

• Experience working in an accounting, or a commercial lending institution is a plus!