With a workforce of over 30,000 people, and opportunities in more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia is the fifth largest city in the United States and one of the largest employers in Southeastern Pennsylvania. As an employer, the City of Philadelphia operates through the guiding principles of service, integrity, respect, accountability, collaboration, diversity and inclusion. Through these principles, we strive to effectively deliver services, to resolve the challenges facing our city, and to make Philadelphia a place where all of our residents have the opportunity to reach their potential. 

AGENCY DESCRIPTION

The Department of Commerce is the economic development agency for the City. The Office of Business Services (OBS) is a customer service driven provider of rich information to business owners. Business Service Managers serve as a concierge service for business owners in the City of Philadelphia.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Department of Commerce is looking to add a new bilingual Business Service Manager to the team, Mandarin or Vietnamese speaking, in order to meet the needs of businesses in our community. The role of the Business Service Manager is to support and provide customer friendly service to businesses that operate within the City of Philadelphia. Each business manager is expected to take a proactive stance in the territories they service by closely examining and analyzing the current business culture that exist in their assigned areas. 

Qualified applicants must have the ability to speak in English and Mandarin or Vietnamese.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• One on One business assistance
• Business outreach
• Establish and maintain community partnerships
• Serve as key point of contact for business owners looking for help in navigating City services and regulations. 
• Represent business concerns to other City agencies/departments
• Record and maintain business contacts and cases in the department database

Specific Duties:

• Outreach and communication with Mandarin or Vietnamese speaking business owners 
• Establish relationships with existing businesses, Business Associations and CDCs to access and review needs in the area.
• Learn and articulate the steps toward opening a business, regulations around permits and licenses, and other issues common to businesses operating in Philadelphia.
• Work closely with other units within Commerce and other City departments, i.e. City Planning, L&I, Revenue, Health, etc. to assist in implementation of plans for economic development or to find resolutions for outstanding issues.
• Track the progress of business client services and economic development projects through Access software/Client Base Management System
• Clearly articulate and identify resources and funding sources for existing and new businesses in the City of Philadelphia.
• Identify available/vacant property in territories for new development or relocation needs.
• Assess the current business corridors and surrounding community to identify saturated markets and to make suggestions for new businesses for the area.
• Be able to represent the Office of Business Services through public speaking engagements, presentations, and workshops upon request, in English and Mandarin or Vietnamese.
• Create a signature event per territory that spurs economic development, i.e. workshops, presentations relevant to goals of business community.
• Provide assistance to incoming callers through the Department’s “Customer Service Line”
• Contribute to the goals of the Department through creative initiatives that spur economic growth and community vitality.
  

COMPETENCIES, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

1. Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
2. Qualified applicants must have the ability to speak in English and Mandarin or Vietnamese.
3. 2-5 years of experience working with small business owners preferred but not required.
   

Please include a resume and cover letter with your application.

The salary for this position is $52,000.  The application deadline is April 24, 2017.

Successful candidate must be a city of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire.

The City of Philadelphia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not permit discrimination based on race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, source of income, familial status, genetic information or domestic or sexual violence victim status. If you believe you were discriminated against, call the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations at 215-686-4670 or send an email to pchr@ phila.gov. For more information, go to: Human Relations Website: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations/Pages/default.aspx