Background:

STartUP Northshore is a three-year entrepreneurial ecosystem pilot program with the purpose of catalyzing entrepreneurship, innovation, and business formation on the Northshore through strategic partnerships with recognized entities in the startup community to deliver first-class programming for entrepreneurs and second stage companies. STartUP Northshore is supported through the collaboration of St. Tammany Economic Development Corporation, Tangipahoa Economic Development Foundation, and Washington Economic Development Foundation. Through this initiative, the next wave of local entrepreneurs from all three parishes will gain access to immersive education, networking opportunities, access to capital and mentorship from esteemed industry leaders, investors, and founders, all of which come together to form a critical support system that will set their business up for success. STartUP Northshore is managed by St. Tammany Economic Development Corporation.

Summary and Objectives:

St. Tammany Economic Development Corporation is seeking a passionate, innovative, and entrepreneurial-minded individual to join our team as a SSBCI Program Manager. The SSBCI Program Manager will play a key role in supporting the implementation of the Northshore Capital Ready Initiative (NCRI), a regional technical assistance program focused on equipping small businesses with the financial, operational, and strategic resources needed to access capital and scale successfully. This position involves program coordination, direct engagement with entrepreneurs and small business owners, administrative support for workshops and one-on-one technical assistance, and collaboration with regional ecosystem partners to ensure effective service delivery. The SSBCI Program Manager will report to the Entrepreneur-in-Residence & Program Manager and work closely with technical assistance providers, financial institutions, and ecosystem partners.

Core Responsibilities – Northshore Capital Ready Initiative:

Program Coordination & Business Engagement

• Assist in planning, organizing, and executing business workshops, peer group sessions, and one-on-one advisory sessions focused on financial systems, business modeling, capital readiness, and growth strategy.
• Act as a liaison between small business owners and professional service providers, ensuring entrepreneurs are connected with the right resources for financial and business development support.
• Conduct outreach to businesses, engaging them in NCRI programming, tracking their progress, and gathering feedback to measure impact.
• Assist in the development of educational content, including presentations, toolkits, and business resource guides.

Business Coaching

• Provide counseling or e-counseling that includes feasibility, financial, regulatory, and operational guidance and technical assistance on the various aspects of starting and expanding a successful small business including, but not limited to:
• • Analyzing the specific business and industry data in finance, marketing, management and operations
  • Providing guidance in the development of business plans and financial packages, calculating and interpreting historical and projected financial ratios
  • Preparing pro forma cash flow and financial statements
  • Troubleshooting to identify problems and areas for improvement
  • Providing guidance in loan packaging to pre-venture, start-up, or advanced stage existing businesses

Operations & Program Administration

• Support tracking and reporting of program milestones, business participation, and economic impact.
• Help manage technical assistance contracts with professional service providers, ensuring deliverables align with NCRI objectives.
• Maintain organized documentation of participant engagement, program outcomes, and reporting data for internal use and grant reporting.
• Assist in preparing marketing and outreach materials, including event announcements, newsletters, and social media content.

Other duties as assigned

This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or activities required for this role. The SSBCI Program Manager will support the broader STartUP Northshore initiative and other entrepreneurial support programs as needed. Responsibilities may evolve or be assigned at the direction of the organization’s executive leadership to align with regional organizational and program priorities.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:

This is a full-time position. Office days and hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand. Due to the nature of this position, work will be required beyond the outlined office hours and will include participation at community events in the evenings and on weekends at the direction of the organization’s executive leadership.

Organizational Environment

·       Our team works with and functions like a startup. This requires team members to move quickly with limited time and/or resources to produce high-quality outcomes.

·       Our team works independently and collaboratively with a culture of transparency and clear ownership of projects from idea to execution.

·       Our team manages and coordinates several schedules, projects, and programs simultaneously.

Required Education and Experience:

·       B.A., B.S., or Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Accounting, or a related field.

·       Strong financial acumen with experience in financial modeling, bookkeeping, loan packaging, and business financial planning.

·       Proficiency in accounting and financial management software (e.g., QuickBooks, FINSYNC, Xero, Wave, or similar).

·       Experience working with small businesses, startups, or entrepreneurs in financial planning, capital access, business development, or technical assistance.

·       Prior work in economic development, venture capital, accelerators, lending, or consulting is a plus.

·       Experience in community engagement, program coordination, or event planning is desirable.

·       Industry experience in a field related to scaling ventures, investment readiness, or financial structuring is strongly preferred.

Desired Skills and Knowledge:

·       Passionate about entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and small business growth, with a commitment to advancing the Northshore’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

·       Strong relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage and support small business owners, lenders, and key community stakeholders.

·       Ability to coach business owners on financial strategy, including budgeting, forecasting, and capital access strategies.

·       Excellent communication and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

·       Familiarity with entrepreneurial tools such as the Business Model Canvas, Lean Startup methodology, and customer discovery processes.

·       Knowledge of capital access pathways such as SSBCI, SBA loans, grants, and investor readiness best practices.

·       Comfortable using CRM, project management, and digital tools such as HubSpot, Notion, Slack, Microsoft Suite, Google Workspace, MailChimp, Canva, and SurveyMonkey.

·       Self-starter with a proactive mindset who thrives in a collaborative team environment while maintaining the ability to work independently.

·       Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, ensuring that the NCRI program is accessible and impactful for all small businesses, particularly SEDI-owned businesses (Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individuals).

Compensation and Benefits:

·       Salary range for this position is $55,000-$65,000; exact compensation will be determined commensurate with experience.

·       Health, Dental, & Vision Insurance.

·       Retirement plan available.

·       Generous PTO policy including time off for all major holidays.

·       Opportunities for periodic remote work around job needs.

·       Accommodations for and/or assistance with relocation may be provided.

·       Opportunities for professional development and exposure to high-growth startups, investors, and industry leaders.

Work Environment:

This role operates in a professional office environment. It requires participation in community-based events and business outreach within the Northshore region.

Travel

This position requires up to 50% travel within the three-parish Northshore region (Tangipahoa, St. Tammany, Washington).

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; use hands and arms to handle and reach. This position requires the ability to routinely lift and carry boxes and materials weighing up to 15 pounds.

To Apply:

Please email your cover letter, resume, and three references to Cenzo Caronna, Entrepreneur in Residence and Program Manager, at vcaronna@sttammanyedc.org.

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St. Tammany Economic Development Corporation provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.