We’re hiring Business Advisors for the greater Tampa Bay and Central Florida regions. Come work with our team, committed to the goal of a growing and resilient manufacturing economy. This person will be involved in all aspects of our business advisory services for manufacturers, engaging them in projects to improve their competitiveness and long-term viability. We offer flexible scheduling, and a great compensation package. See below for the full job description.

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter and resume to humanresources@floridamakes.com by February 7, 2023.

FloridaMakes mission is to improve the productivity and technological performance of Florida’s manufacturing sector, and our vision is to be the recognized leader for strengthening and advancing Florida’s manufacturing economy.   We operate the NIST Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership center in Florida and are a non-profit, public-private partnership (www.floridamakes.com).  

The Business Advisor works with our committed and supportive team towards our goal of a growing and resilient manufacturing economy.  FloridaMakes offers flexible work scheduling, a competitive salary and excellent benefits. 

General Description

The Business Advisor works to increase FloridaMakes and the affiliated Manufacturer’s Association’s market positions and financial growth.  This person builds key customer relationships, identifies business opportunities, negotiates and closes business deals and maintains extensive knowledge of current market conditions.   The Business Advisor’s success is tied to the delivery of impactful products and services, and the growth of the affiliated Regional Manufacturers Association. 

The Business Advisor should have manufacturing and operational expertise that can guide client firms through a comprehensive assessment of the strategy, a discovery process to identify opportunities for growth, and connectivity to public and private service providers to assist them along their development pathway. 

Primary Responsibilities

1. Conduct sales calls to companies. Prospect for potential clients. 
2. Promote FloridaMakes and the affiliated Regional Manufacturers Association.
3. Conduct on-site business assessments of manufacturers. This protocol will allow the Business Advisor to have a structured approach to developing an efficient growth strategy for the firm. The Assessment will lead to fee-based projects, creating measurable impacts for the manufacturer. 
4. Identify, propose and capture client opportunities for improvement that include consulting engagements for third-party delivery. Oversee, as the principal account manager, the execution, performance, and delivery of third-party client training and consulting contracts, including follow-up client satisfaction and performance surveys. 
5. Develop an in-depth area of expertise and become a state-wide “team lead” for this area, such as export strategies, supply chain management, lean and green, and technology transfer, as examples. 
6. Develop, capture and maintain information within the FloridaMakes CRM system to ensure the reliability, accuracy, and currency of client information throughout all stages of client relationship management, from prospect through delivery. 
7. Create success stories based on successful, high-impact projects with manufacturing clients. 
8. Prepare written monthly reports for the association, stakeholders, and FloridaMakes management. 
9. Conduct joint strategic planning with key stakeholders to grow and expand the Manufacturer’s Association market penetration and value proposition in a manner that supports the objectives of the association, FloridaMakes and the needs of the region’s manufacturing businesses.
10. Participate in association events, industry functions, conferences, trade shows, and stakeholder events.
11. Assist the management of the Manufacturing Association with association activities, including joint visits, event participation, and partner and member engagement.
12. Attend state-wide and/or national training events. Contribute best-practices to the FloridaMakes team. 
13. Other duties as required. 

Location/Travel

The successful applicant will be located in the assigned area, as the position requires extensive travel to support business advisor activities. There is no designated office; the employee will be able to work from home with occasional overnight travel in Florida and nationally.

Work Environment

The employee uses computer and telephone equipment, and will have extensive travel driving his/her car.  The employee may be required to staff a trade show booth and conduct or participate in plant tours. The employee may be subject to low to moderate noise levels during plant tours, and may be, infrequently, exposed to fumes or airborne particles during these tours. 

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  

Organization

The Business Advisor, while reporting to the Director of Operations of FloridaMakes, is part of the Manufacturer’s Association Team. This position is not expected to have supervisory responsibility. 

Education/Experience

The successful candidate will have five years P&L experience and ten years progressive experience in manufacturing with working knowledge of Industrial Technologies. Business development, consultative sales, finance, use of customer relationship management tools and/or engineering experience are a plus. 

The preferred candidate will have a BS in Engineering, however candidates with a BA in a related field or demonstrated equivalent experience will be considered for the position.  A master’s degree and proficiency in Spanish are a plus. 

Essential Skills/Attributes

• Proven track record of successful business development and deal capture. 
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate from the shop floor to the CEO/Board level. 
• Commitment to achieving individual and team performance goals.
• Problem-solving, financial and strategic skills. 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office products.
• Ability to comply with detailed reporting requirements. 
• Bilingual, English and Spanish is a plus

Compensation/Benefits

FloridaMakes pays up to 100% of the employee’s health insurance, offers a 401K plan, has a generous time-off policy and offers flexible work schedules.  

Compensation is based on experience.  Proposed starting salary range: $80,000 - $100,000

FloridaMakes is committed to creating a diverse environment and is an equal opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, marital status or veteran status.