Business Advisor, Capital Pathways

Department: Office Rsrch Innov and Econ Impact

Classification: Program Admin Specialist 1

Job Category: Classified Staff

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Fairfax, VA (subject to change)

Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible

Sponsorship Eligibility: Not eligible for visa sponsorship

Pay Band: 04

Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience

Restricted: Yes

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department:The Virginia Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network is a partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration and local host organizations that provides advising, training, and technical assistance to small businesses across the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Virginia SBDC Lead Office administers and manages a statewide network of 25 SBDC centers operated by 13 subrecipients, including universities, community colleges, and economic development organizations. The Virginia SBDC is a program of Mason Enterprise within George Mason University.

Capital Pathways is a specialized initiative within the Virginia SBDC Network focused on helping very small businesses (fewer than 10 employees) and emerging or growth-ready firms overcome barriers to accessing capital. The program delivers an immersive, hands-on experience emphasizing financial, credit, and legal readiness through group workshops and bootcamps, webinars with expert speakers, bookkeeping trainings, and extended one-on-one assistance from financial, accounting, and legal professionals.

About the Position:The Business Advisor, Capital Pathways is responsible for advising prospective and existing Capital Pathways clients to help them strengthen their businesses, improve financial, credit, and legal readiness, and successfully access capital. The Business Advisor provides individualized advising, delivers group training, and contributes to outreach and partnership activities that advance the program’s impact across Virginia. This role requires deep knowledge of small business finance, strong interpersonal and communication skills, and the ability to work independently while collaborating closely with program staff and partners. Fluency in Spanish is strongly preferred to effectively serve the program’s target client base.

Responsibilities:Client Advising and Technical Assistance:Provide one-on-one advising to prospective and existing small business clients on business strategy, financial management, and access-to-capital readiness;Analyze client situations and provide recommendations related to legal foundations, financial practices, pricing and profitability, financial projections, financial statements, KPIs, credit building, tax compliance, lender and investor readiness, and accounting systems; andMaintain an appropriate client load consistent with annual deliverables and strategic plan objectives.Program Documentation and Compliance:Document all advising, training, and client interactions in the CRM system in a timely, accurate, and comprehensive manner;Maintain client files and records in compliance with Virginia SBDC Network, VSBFA, and U.S. Treasury SSBCI reporting requirements; andSupport collection, validation, and submission of required client and program data.Training Design and Delivery:Design, develop, and deliver group trainings, workshops, and webinars related to small business finance, operations, and access to capital; andServe as a presenter or facilitator for program events, bootcamps, and peer learning sessions.Outreach, Partnerships, and Representation:Contribute to Capital Pathways outreach and awareness within target markets across Virginia;Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with diverse business communities, including minority-, women-, and veteran-owned businesses; andRepresent Capital Pathways at business community events, partner meetings, and public forums.Program Support and Special Projects:Provide input to the SSBCI Program Manager regarding program operations, improvements, and strategic initiatives;Collaborate with program staff on marketing, outreach, partnership development, and special projects; andPerform other duties as assigned in support of Capital Pathways objectives.

Required Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience;Typically, 3+ years of relevant experience;Knowledge of small business finance and common barriers entrepreneurs face in becoming “capital ready” (cash flow management, documentation, credit readiness, projections), with ability to apply these concepts in client support;Skill in verbal and written communication, including the ability to explain complex financial concepts clearly;Ability to work one-on-one with clients/customers/stakeholders to assess needs, diagnose issues, and provide actionable recommendations;Ability to support outreach and build relationships with diverse business communities; comfort representing the program at events;Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, work independently, and collaborate effectively with staff/partners;Ability to analyze business information and make sound recommendations;Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while managing multiple priorities;Ability to build trust and maintain professional relationships with diverse clients and stakeholders; andProficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word and Excel.
Preferred Qualifications:Master’s degree in related field;Typically, 5+ years of experience providing financial, business, or small business consulting/advising/mentoring/counseling to entrepreneurs or very small businesses;Experience delivering one-on-one client advising on business strategy, financial management, and access-to-capital readiness (e.g., projections, statements, KPIs, credit-building, compliance, accounting systems);Experience designing and/or delivering trainings (workshops, webinars, bootcamps) and facilitating group learning;Spanish fluency (professional, client-facing) and/or bilingual communication experience; translation experience a plus;Experience with CRM systems and strong comfort with data entry, reporting, and maintaining client records;Experience supporting entrepreneurs with access-to-capital pathways (lending products, alternative financing, lender/investor readiness);Experience working in grant-funded programs and/or compliance and reporting requirements;Experience as a small business owner/operator (or direct operations leadership in a small business);Knowledge of access-to-capital programs, lending products, and alternative financing options;Knowledge of federal or state grant-funded programs and compliance or reporting requirements;Skill in designing and delivering adult education or workforce training programs;Ability to communicate fluently in Spanish or another language commonly spoken by program clients; andProficiency with Client Resource Management (CRM) systems.

Instructions to Applicants: For full consideration, applicants must apply for the Business Advisor, Capital Pathways at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a cover letter and resume for review.

Posting Open Date:  March 19, 2026
For Full Consideration, Apply by:  April 9, 2026
Open Until Filled:  Yes