Join the Southside First Team!

Program and Development Coordinator – Full-time
San Antonio, TX

ABOUT THE SOUTHSIDE FIRST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

The Southside First Economic Development Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to serve as the voice for economic prosperity, community bridging, and responsible development for the southside of San Antonio and Bexar County. 

Established in 2017, Southside First began as an initiative of the South San Antonio Chamber of Commerce Foundation, with the focus of promoting economic development and community leadership on San Antonio’s southside. Today, Southside First serves the small businesses, neighborhoods, and community corridors that encompass the southside.  Southside First creates economic and community development strategies to improve the economic, educational, and social opportunities for businesses and residents in South San Antonio and Bexar County.

In 2019, Southside First, with support from the City of San Antonio, began a neighborhood program focusing on two Southside neighborhoods: Mission San Jose and the Quintana community. Southside First surveyed the neighborhood residents and small business owners. The survey results are key organizational benchmarks. 

Southside First’s programming includes:

  • Technical Assistance and Outreach. Southside First provides outreach and technical assistance to small business owners in San Antonio’s Southside. This includes the current contract with the City of San Antonio.  Previous efforts include the Bexar County Strong Small & Micro Business Relief Grant Program and the City of San Antonio COVID Recovery Grant Program completed in 2020.

  • Center for Research. The Center for Research component of Southside First’s programming focuses on gathering data to responsibly inform our work in San Antonio’s Southside and to serve as a resource to external partners and the community.

  • (Pre-COVID) ¡Échale Gas! Small Business Workshops. The workshops inform and assist Southside residents and business owners to begin and expand their operations. Southside First develops the training schedule and the curriculum, promotes and markets the events, and surveys participants. Events have been held monthly in public locations throughout the Southside.

JOB PURPOSE

The Program Coordinator will assist with the planning and coordination of SSF program initiatives, to include community outreach and development of outreach collateral, research, expense tracking, and database management. The program coordinator will also assist with the development of policies and procedures. The qualified candidate will possess overall economic and community development experience as well as knowledge of small business practices.

The Program and Development Coordinator, under the general guidance and supervision of the Executive Director, will work to implement Southside First’s outreach to small business owners to gather information from them, provided needed wraparound services including information on local, state, and federal resources, grant support opportunities, financial resources, safe business operations, and the needed business resource connections and business networking to help them successfully navigate the ongoing business challenges presented by COVID-19.

Additionally, the coordinator will take an active role in the fundraising process from grant writing to grant reporting. This position coordinates diverse communication with business owners and stakeholders. The candidate must be an experienced and organized leader, with excellent people skills, business acumen, and an exemplary work ethic.

RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Conduct outreach to small businesses

  • Provide technical assistance to new and existing small businesses

  • Maintain a database of small business owners and program contacts

  • Establish and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, to include stakeholders along business corridors in the southside

  • Identify effective advocacy strategies to reach business owners and community members

  • Coordinate the development, planning, and facilitation of community meetings and/or community/economic development workshops (when in-person meetings are safe to be held)

  • Gather and analyze community feedback to evaluate delivery and effectiveness

  • Research future development opportunities for business corridors

  • Track programmatic expenses

  • Assist with developing information for the Southside First website and social media

  • Assist with answering calls, responding to email inquiries, proofreading documents, and managing calendar events as needed

  • Develop a working knowledge of Southside San Antonio history, culture, and political climate

  • Identify and stay abreast of current and emerging trends in community and economic development

  • Develop a good understanding of institutional history, programs, and needs of the Southside First and its constituents

  • Assist in supporting the SSF Center for Research

  • Gather and compile foundational data

  • Create fact sheets and other presentation materials

  • Research potential funding sources

  • Assist in grant and report management

  • Other related duties as assigned

  • Supervisory Duties: No

QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration or relevant field; Master’s degree is a plus

  • Minimum of two years related nonprofit or government experience preferred

  • Excellent Microsoft Office skills

  • Demonstrable competency in community outreach and economic development

  • Ability to communicate effectively with individuals and groups regarding complex or controversial public policy issues or service as well as establishing and maintaining effective working relations with elected officials, staff, and the community

  • Excellent interpersonal and organizational abilities

  • Aptitude in decision-making and problem-solving

  • Strong organizational ability, attention to detail, and time-management skills

  • Ability to work independently and with team members while respectfully managing differences, opposing perspectives, opinions, and interests

  • Ability to write clear and concise proposals, reports, and correspondence

  • Establish methods of collecting, organizing, and presenting data and information

  • Basic filing and record-keeping methods and procedures

  • Entrepreneurial and meeting facilitation experience a plus

  • Bilingual (English and Spanish) preferred

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

  • Outreach may require in-person work such as distributing flyers

  • Able to safely lift or carry items weighing up to 20 pounds

  • Valid driver’s license and vehicle for outreach in the community

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

  • Weekly pay

  • Health Insurance

  • On the job mileage reimbursable at IRS rate

TO APPLY:

Send a resume and cover letter to: [email protected]

The physical demands and characteristics of the work environment described here are representative of those occurring in the performance of the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The Southside First Economic Development Council is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

SSF operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization receiving funds from the City of San Antonio, Bexar County, financial institutions, private foundations, and individual donors to carry out its mission.

For more information about the Southside First Economic Development Council, visit our website at southsidefirst.org