Business Consultant, Business Administration

Business Consultant (Job Number: 416475)

This position is open to the public and all current City employees covered under the City’s collective bargaining agreement with the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) – Bargaining Unit 1, 3, 4 & 5. Only employees in City job titles in this bargaining unit are eligible to bid.

This position is full-time, in-person, located at the public Small Business Center in City Hall.

Under supervision and with a customer service orientation, a business consultant provides licensing consultation and services to business owners operating in the City of Chicago. This includes licensing and permitting for new businesses, expanding business operations, or renewing existing licenses and permits for continued business operations. Candidates should be prepared to learn the regulatory process and thoroughly perform tasks to ensure legal standards are met for every applicant.

• Conducts need assessments of current or planned business activities to determine regulatory requirements that apply.
• Interviews clients and reviews completed applications and business documents in order to obtain information concerning their business operations and to determine the types of business licenses and permits required.
• Advises clients of required inspections prior to the issuance of business licenses and permits.
• Educates applicants on the steps of the licensing process for their unique application.
• Interacts with staff in municipal agencies and City departments to facilitate the processing of licenses and permits throughout the process.
• Directs business owners to local, state, and national business assistance programs and initiatives to assist in the implementation of start‑up and expansion plans.
• Communicates clearly and effectively to applicants about requirements and next steps in the licensing and permitting process.

Additional duties may be required for this position.

Days: Monday – Friday

Hours: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

THIS POSITION IS IN THE CAREER SERVICE

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s degree or higher in Business Administration or a directly related field, plus one (1) year of business planning or consulting work experience.

Should the above criteria not be fulfilled, the following options are acceptable:

• Five (5) years of business planning or consulting work experience.
• Graduation from an accredited college or university with an Associate’s degree in Business Administration or a directly related field, plus three (3) years of business planning or consulting work experience.

This position requires applicants to complete an interview which will include a written exercise and/or a skills assessment test as part of the interview. Interviewed bid applicants possessing the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities of the position, based on the interview and skills assessment/written exercise, will be selected in seniority order according to the collective bargaining agreement. The interviewed non‑bidder candidate(s) possessing the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities of the position, based on the interview and skills assessment/written exercise, will be selected.

The City of Chicago is an Equal Employment Opportunity, Military Friendly, and Fair Chance Employer.

All references to political sponsorship or recommendation must be omitted from all application materials submitted for City employment.