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 our residents have the opportunity to reach their potential. 

Agency Descriptions:

The Department of Commerce sets and leads policies to help businesses, from small shops to large corporations, in Philadelphia thrive. The Department coordinates activities along neighborhood commercial corridors, programs serving small businesses and entrepreneurs, major real estate development projects, large-scale business attraction and retention efforts, as well as efforts to increase contracting opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses. The Department is the umbrella organization for all economic development activity in the city and coordinates the work of related agencies, including the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) and the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority (PRA).

The Office of Business Services (OBS) is a customer service driven provider of rich information to business owners. We help business owners navigate the many resources of the City of Philadelphia. The Department of Commerce is looking to replace our bilingual Business Service Manager, Korean speaking, 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 by continuously identifying opportunities to improve our internal processes.

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
• Outreach and communication with Korean speaking business owners
• Establish relationships with existing businesses, Business Associations including 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 the 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 Korean.
• Create and support events that spur economic development, i.e. workshops, presentations relevant to goals of the 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.

• Fluency in Korean writing, reading, and speaking
• Relevant Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience working with small business owners
• Must have a valid driver’s license from the State of Pennsylvania.

  Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of small business operations.
• Knowledge of City, State, and Federal economic development programs.
• Knowledge of private agencies that serve the business community through funding, technical support and other resources, i.e. banks, CDFIs, Small Business Development Centers, neighborhood nonprofits, etc.

Competencies

• Excellent customer service and problem-solving skills
• Interpersonal skills and self-motivation to develop strong working relationships. Cold calls/visits an important part of this position.
• Meeting facilitation or event planning skills a plus.
• Demonstrated experience and comfort level working with culturally diverse groups of people.

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. For more information, go to: Human Relations Website: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations/Pages/default.aspx