Credit Counselor (RI Small Business HUB) - Skills for Rhode Island's Future

Credit Counselor (Small Business) Job Description

Organization

Skills for Rhode Island’s Future (SkillsRI) is a nonprofit workforce intermediary working to break down barriers to economic opportunity by connecting unemployed and underemployed Rhode Islanders to jobs with socially responsible, civic-minded employers through a proven demand-driven approach.

SkillsRl's multi-faceted approach focuses on providing a continuum of career services to help those who face barriers to employment succeed in the workplace.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion is at the heart of the SkillsRI model and we have proven to be incredibly effective at recruiting and placing individuals with barriers into employment.

Additionally, SkillsRI manages the RI Small Business HUB, designed to provide supportive, coordinated services for small business enterprises, as well as entrepreneurs looking to start and grow their businesses.

The Hub provides access to several critical areas such as technical assistance, leadership development, professional services, and support to new and developing small businesses.

Our Mission : Create demand-driven solutions for employers to get the unemployed and underemployed back to work.

Our Vision : Transforming lives through meaningful employment and economic mobility.

Our Values : Collaboration, Excellence, Integrity, Innovation, Respect

Position Summary

The Credit Counselor will advise and educate small business owners in multiple areas surrounding credit, including understanding loan requirements, managing debt, providing budgets, etc.

This position will operate within the RI Small Business HUB and will report directly to the Small Business Hub Director.

This is an in-person position located in Providence, RI.

The RI Small Business HUB aims to facilitate the growth and development of women, veteran, people with disabilities, and minority-owned businesses by supporting small businesses become long-term, qualified entities capable of competing and growing.

Responsibilities

• Assess small business owners’ financial situations by reviewing income, assets, debts, expenses, credit reports, and other financial information.
• Assist small business owners in developing debt management plans.
• Prioritize small business owners’ debt repayment to avoid critical consequences.
• Advise on financial strategies such as borrowing money through loan programs, declaring bankruptcy, or enrolling in debt management plans.
• Advise and educate small business owners on the subject of acquiring and managing debt.
• Provide guidance regarding loan types, including requirements and restrictions.
• Explain financial and credit services to small business owners.
• Provide small business owners with estimated timelines for debt repayment.
• Recommend alternate solutions to bankruptcy or foreclosure when applicable.
• Maintain and update records of small business owner account activity.
• Keep abreast of industry knowledge and trends by conducting continuous research.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following experience, skills, and personal attributes :

• Passion for the mission of SkillsRI and the Hub
• Detail-oriented with an extreme sense of urgency
• Motivation to help small businesses thrive
• Comfortable visiting small businesses, communicating via phone, and working well in a high-energy environment.
• Proven exceptional customer service and case management skills
• Data collection and documentation of targets and metrics
• Excellent interpersonal skills, communication skills, relationship-building skills, customer service, empathy, and resilience
• Computer proficiency required; SharePoint, knowledge of CRMs, strong typing skills, and the ability to leverage technology to identify, research, and solve customer issues
• Excellent attention to detail
• Ability to organize and prioritize work while accomplishing goals under tight time constraints
• Ability to communicate professionally across a broad range of constituent groups
• Strong interpersonal skills including relationship building, customer service, empathy, and resilience
• Strong documentation skills, and able to make connections between similar problems
• Willingness to work hard, maintain a positive attitude, and overcome challenges
• Solution-oriented problem-solving skills with the ability to prioritize according to business goals
• Conviction, integrity, honesty, and maturity in all situations
• Able to take specific notes to update candidate profiles
• Must possess excellent judgment to prioritize work, handle multiple projects at once, and meet objectives.
• Work in a fast-paced, highly accountable work setting.
• Ability to communicate professionally across a broad range of constituent groups
• Ability to work in-person and be available for nights and weekend meetings / events.

Qualifications

• 2-3 years of related job experience
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• Demonstrated experience cultivating and maintaining community engagement in a professional setting
• Demonstrated experience working with people of different backgrounds and experiences
• Bilingual (Spanish or other languages) a plus

Compensation

Salary is commensurate with experience.

Benefits :

100% of individual health, dental, and vision insurance

Life insurance

401k employer contribution

Parking

Paid Time Off

15 paid holidays

The Credit Counselor is a grant-funded position. Should there be a substantial reduction in funding or should funding cease, this position may be eliminated by SkillsRI.

For more information about Skills for Rhode Island’s Future, please visit www.skillsforri.com