Who We Are:At the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, our mission is dedicated to working with all members of the community to increase the economic advancement of Hispanic-owned businesses and to support the professional growth of Hispanics in West Michigan. The Chamber has been advancing Latinx businesses and talent in West Michigan since 1983 by representing Hispanic business interests, providing access to economic development services, and advocating for the professional growth of the local Hispanic workforce. With 600 members, the Chamber provides business education to members while bringing visibility to the Hispanic business community and increasing its involvement in improving the social and economic climate of West Michigan. We are passionate about our mission, focused on Talent Development and Business Development in West Michigan. Our 8 and growing team is guided by our core values to accomplish this mission which are:

• Empower
• Educate
• Innovate
• Collaborate
• Advocate

What You'll Do:The Business Education Department Lead will support the development of WMHCC's business education programs, tailoring to the needs of the Hispanic community, managing the daily operations of the department including but not limited to: staff management, team development, grant funding, donor relationship management, and business education communication initiatives including external publications. This role is ideal for someone that has a strong background in business education, program development, community engagement and has a passion for the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's mission of economic advancement and LatinX community development.

We're looking for a talented bilingual individual who is enthusiastic about cultivating community, nurturing professional development of entrepreneurs, and fostering business growth while approaching the work with passion, agility, and resourcefulness, who will:

• First and foremost, align to our mission and values as an organization.
• Apply your business education experience, or bachelor's degree in Economics, Community Development, Business or related field to support the business education function.
• Cultivate an engaging team experience by nurturing our team culture through creating opportunities for learning, accountability, collaboration, goal setting, and providing feedback that helps improve performance.
• Have a strong cultural competence and understanding of entrepreneurship, developing relationships within the Latinx business community. Ability to communicate in Spanish required. Experience with the West Michigan business community is a plus!
• Develop and implement a comprehensive business education program catering to the needs and aspirations of the Hispanic business community.
• Collaborate with local businesses, educational institutions, and community leaders to identify key areas for education and skill development.
• Design and deliver workshops, seminars, and training sessions on various business-related topics such as entrepreneurship, financial literacy, marketing, and management.
• Establish and maintain relationships with subject matter experts, instructors, and mentors to ensure high-quality program content.
• Coordinate outreach efforts to promote the program within the Hispanic community and recruit participants.
• Support the achievement of WMHCC's annual development and revenue goals, overseeing grant funded resources and individual giving lifecycles by meeting with prospective funders, donors and maintaining positive relationships.
• Facilitate grant application workshops and one-on-one assistance sessions to guide small business owners through the grant application process, providing insights on key documentation, budgeting, and proposal writing to enhance their chances of securing funding.
• Represent WMHCC in the community by attending external engagements as a panelist, speaker, or other public relations-related opportunities to build bridges within the community.
• Be awareness-oriented by overseeing the creation of multimedia communications content that engages a wide variety of diverse groups, building engagement and recognition through newsletters, articles, blogs, graphics, social media posts, etc.
• Oversee budget and allocation of grant funds (including multi regional State grants) within business services programs and ensure reconciliation of accounting systems and alignment with legal obligations to grant makers and program partners.
• Be a connector between the external evaluation team and monitor our internal progress toward established KPIs, program goals and outcomes that help determine effectiveness while creating a continuous feedback and improvement loop.
• Dig in and show up. This is a hybrid role, up to 25% travel required and some availability to occasionally work Saturdays and evenings is required.

What You'll Get

We offer incredibly competitive benefits including:

• Healthy work-life integration and hybrid work schedule (remote on Monday and Friday)
• Employer Paid Health, Dental & Vision insurance for employees & family
• Company paid medical and parental leave
• Summer Hours (office closes at noon on Fridays)
• Generous paid time off
• 9 company-recognized holidays
• Simple IRA with a 3% employer contribution
• A community focused organization with a strong mission

Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. We invite individuals from all backgrounds, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, hairstyles, or any other characteristic to join our team where diversity is not just acknowledged but celebrated.

We envision a future of being a hub for the empowerment of Latinx business owners and professionals to reach their highest potential by providing them with the necessary skills to become successful while advocating for equal growth and opportunities in West Michigan. Want to help make our vision come alive? Apply today and join us!