Mid Level Small Business Manager Jobs
Mid level small business manager jobs go to professionals ready to own operational decisions, lead cross-functional initiatives, and drive measurable outcomes with minimal day-to-day oversight. Openings run across Banking & Financial Services, Science & Research, and Consulting & Professional Services, with a mix of on-site, remote, and hybrid settings, and employers like Thermo Fisher Scientific, Northwest Bank, and First United Bank hiring at this level now.
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The Regional Director of the University of Iowa Small Business Development Center (SBDC) serves as a strategic leader for small-business and entrepreneurship support across the region. This role is responsible for the administrative, fiscal, and operational success of the center, ensuring the delivery of high-impact business counseling and training. The Director requires a blend of financial, entrepreneurial, advisory, and leadership capability, with demonstrated understanding of the challenges facing business owners and growth-oriented ventures. By integrating SBDC services with university resources and regional stakeholders, the Director drives measurable economic growth, job creation, and capital infusion throughout the service area.
The position reports to the Director of the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center and plays a key role in advancing the center’s mission of entrepreneurship, innovation, and economic impact across Johnson, Cedar, Poweshiek, Iowa, and Washington counties.
The position combines direct client advising, center leadership, regional partnership development, program innovation, and administrative oversight. The successful candidate must effectively manage competing priorities while maintaining an active advisory presence, fostering strategic partnerships, ensuring compliance with SBDC and SBA requirements, and demonstrating measurable impact for businesses and entrepreneurs throughout the region.
This position is eligible for hybrid work within Iowa and will require a work arrangement form to be completed upon the start of your employment. Per policy, work arrangements will be reviewed annually and must comply with the remote work program and related policies.
Key Areas of Responsibilities & Specific Job Tasks
- Lead the delivery of high-quality SBDC advising and support services for a varied portfolio of businesses, including startups, growth-stage firms, and community-based small businesses.
- Provide strategic business counseling related to business planning, growth strategies, commercialization, operations, and capital readiness.
- Serve as a senior advisor to entrepreneurs, business owners, faculty, researchers, and innovation-driven ventures.
- Develop and maintain strategic partnerships with businesses, economic development organizations, financial institutions, educational partners, and government agencies.
- Establish and maintain referral networks to expand resources available to clients.
- Represent the SBDC through workshops, speaking engagements, advising sessions, and community events.
- Ensure visibility of SBDC programs through marketing, communications, and public outreach efforts.
- Promote SBDC services through presentations, events, and strategic partnerships.
- Provide confidential business consulting services to entrepreneurs and small businesses.
- Assist clients with business planning, growth strategies, and operational development.
- Support clients in securing financing, investment capital, and business resources.
- Develop and manage budgets to support SBDC operations and programming.
- Prepare and administer grants, contracts, and funding agreements.
- Ensure compliance with SBA, university, state, and federal requirements.
- Provide leadership and direction for SBDC operations and staff. Recruit, train, supervise, coach, and evaluate staff and consultants.
To obtain the full job description including key areas of responsibility, technical competencies, and desirable qualifications, please contact adrian-cunningham@uiowa.edu
Get to know the Tippie College of Business
Since 1847, the Tippie College of Business has cultivated a legacy of innovation, thought leadership, and excellence in business education. We have nearly 6,000 students within undergraduate, graduate, and PhD programs spanning six academic departments—accounting, business analytics, economics, finance, marketing, and management and entrepreneurship. We are eight centers and institutes, and four student-managed endowment funds. We’re over 59,000 alumni—and growing. Tippie is regularly listed in top business school rankings. We also hold the gold standard of accreditations, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), and have maintained the accreditation for over 95 years (since 1923).
But who we are is not just in the curriculum we curate—it’s also in the community we create. Our leadership embraces our responsibility to pursue academic excellence within a welcoming environment where every student can thrive. More than 150 years after our founding, we continue to be a place where students can grow and flourish in their professional or academic careers.
Education Requirement
- Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Economics, Entrepreneurship, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Required Qualifications
- A minimum of 5 - 8 years of progressive experience in business consulting, commercial lending, or corporate management, including at least 3 years in a leadership or supervisory role.
- Demonstrated experience owning, operating, managing, or advising small-to-medium-sized businesses, including responsibility for business operations, strategic planning, growth initiatives, or financial performance.
- Extensive experience in business consulting, economic development, commercial lending, entrepreneurship support, or business management.
- Demonstrated experience analyzing financial statements, developing budgets, evaluating business performance, and applying accounting and financial management principles.
- Demonstrated ability to provide strategic guidance and technical assistance to business owners and organizational leaders.
- Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills, including experience conveying complex business, financial, or economic information to varied audiences.
- Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain effective partnerships with businesses, community organizations, financial institutions, government agencies, and other stakeholders.
- Ability to travel and must possess a valid driver’s license and meet and maintain standards of the UI Fleet Safety Program.
- Ability to foster a welcoming and respectful workplace environment while recognizing personal differences. Ability to work with a variety of individuals and groups in a constructive and respectful manner.
Desired Qualifications
- Master's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Entrepreneurship, Economic Development, or a related field.
- Professional certification such as CPA, CMA, CEcD, or similar credential.
- Experience working within or alongside a university, research institution, healthcare system, or similarly complex organization.
- Familiarity with innovation-driven or research-based companies, including exposure to commercialization, life sciences, healthcare, or regulated industries.
- Experience with SBDC, SBA, or other publicly funded business support or economic development programs.
- Prior experience supervising staff, advisors, or contractors.
- Comfort working in a data-driven environment that includes outcomes tracking and reporting.
Application Details
In order to be considered for an interview, applicants must upload the following documents and mark them as a “Relevant File” to the submission:
- Resume
- Cover Letter
Job openings are posted for a minimum of 7 calendar days and may be removed from posting and filled any time after the original posting period has ended. Successful candidates will be required to self-disclose any conviction history and will be subject to a criminal background check and credential/education verification. Up to 5 professional references will be requested at a later step in the recruitment process. For questions, contact Adrian Cunningham at adrian-cunningham@uiowa.edu.
Benefits Highlights
Regular salaried position. Pay Level 6A. Located in Iowa City, Iowa.
Fringe benefit package including paid vacation; sick leave; health, dental, life and disability insurance options; and generous employer contributions into retirement plans.
For more information about Why Iowa? Click here.
About Iowa
Joining the University of Iowa means becoming a vital part of the Hawkeye community, where your work directly impacts education, research, and student success. Enjoy exceptional health coverage, university-paid life insurance, robust retirement plans, and generous leave policies. Benefit from 24/7 support services, well-being resources, and access to UI Health Care specialists. Grow professionally with advanced training, leadership development, and tuition assistance. Iowa City offers a great quality of life with world-class performances at Hancher Auditorium, Big Ten athletics, top-ranked public schools, and outdoor recreation. Join us in making a difference at a leading Big Ten university and premier public research institution.
- Classification Title: Economic Dev Assoc Director
- Appointment Type: Professional and Scientific
- Schedule: Full-time
- Work Modality Options: Hybrid within Iowa
- Pay Level: 6A
- Organization: College of Business
- Contact Name: Adrian Cunningham
- Contact Email: adrian-cunningham@uiowa.edu
The Regional Director of the University of Iowa Small Business Development Center (SBDC) serves as a strategic leader for small-business and entrepreneurship support across the region. This role is responsible for the administrative, fiscal, and operational success of the center, ensuring the delivery of high-impact business counseling and training. The Director requires a blend of financial, entrepreneurial, advisory, and leadership capability, with demonstrated understanding of the challenges facing business owners and growth-oriented ventures. By integrating SBDC services with university resources and regional stakeholders, the Director drives measurable economic growth, job creation, and capital infusion throughout the service area.
The position reports to the Director of the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center and plays a key role in advancing the center’s mission of entrepreneurship, innovation, and economic impact across Johnson, Cedar, Poweshiek, Iowa, and Washington counties.
The position combines direct client advising, center leadership, regional partnership development, program innovation, and administrative oversight. The successful candidate must effectively manage competing priorities while maintaining an active advisory presence, fostering strategic partnerships, ensuring compliance with SBDC and SBA requirements, and demonstrating measurable impact for businesses and entrepreneurs throughout the region.
This position is eligible for hybrid work within Iowa and will require a work arrangement form to be completed upon the start of your employment. Per policy, work arrangements will be reviewed annually and must comply with the remote work program and related policies.
Key Areas of Responsibilities & Specific Job Tasks
- Lead the delivery of high-quality SBDC advising and support services for a varied portfolio of businesses, including startups, growth-stage firms, and community-based small businesses.
- Provide strategic business counseling related to business planning, growth strategies, commercialization, operations, and capital readiness.
- Serve as a senior advisor to entrepreneurs, business owners, faculty, researchers, and innovation-driven ventures.
- Develop and maintain strategic partnerships with businesses, economic development organizations, financial institutions, educational partners, and government agencies.
- Establish and maintain referral networks to expand resources available to clients.
- Represent the SBDC through workshops, speaking engagements, advising sessions, and community events.
- Ensure visibility of SBDC programs through marketing, communications, and public outreach efforts.
- Promote SBDC services through presentations, events, and strategic partnerships.
- Provide confidential business consulting services to entrepreneurs and small businesses.
- Assist clients with business planning, growth strategies, and operational development.
- Support clients in securing financing, investment capital, and business resources.
- Develop and manage budgets to support SBDC operations and programming.
- Prepare and administer grants, contracts, and funding agreements.
- Ensure compliance with SBA, university, state, and federal requirements.
- Provide leadership and direction for SBDC operations and staff. Recruit, train, supervise, coach, and evaluate staff and consultants.
To obtain the full job description including key areas of responsibility, technical competencies, and desirable qualifications, please contact adrian-cunningham@uiowa.edu
Get to know the Tippie College of Business
Since 1847, the Tippie College of Business has cultivated a legacy of innovation, thought leadership, and excellence in business education. We have nearly 6,000 students within undergraduate, graduate, and PhD programs spanning six academic departments—accounting, business analytics, economics, finance, marketing, and management and entrepreneurship. We are eight centers and institutes, and four student-managed endowment funds. We’re over 59,000 alumni—and growing. Tippie is regularly listed in top business school rankings. We also hold the gold standard of accreditations, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), and have maintained the accreditation for over 95 years (since 1923).
But who we are is not just in the curriculum we curate—it’s also in the community we create. Our leadership embraces our responsibility to pursue academic excellence within a welcoming environment where every student can thrive. More than 150 years after our founding, we continue to be a place where students can grow and flourish in their professional or academic careers.
Education Requirement
- Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Economics, Entrepreneurship, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Required Qualifications
- A minimum of 5 - 8 years of progressive experience in business consulting, commercial lending, or corporate management, including at least 3 years in a leadership or supervisory role.
- Demonstrated experience owning, operating, managing, or advising small-to-medium-sized businesses, including responsibility for business operations, strategic planning, growth initiatives, or financial performance.
- Extensive experience in business consulting, economic development, commercial lending, entrepreneurship support, or business management.
- Demonstrated experience analyzing financial statements, developing budgets, evaluating business performance, and applying accounting and financial management principles.
- Demonstrated ability to provide strategic guidance and technical assistance to business owners and organizational leaders.
- Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills, including experience conveying complex business, financial, or economic information to varied audiences.
- Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain effective partnerships with businesses, community organizations, financial institutions, government agencies, and other stakeholders.
- Ability to travel and must possess a valid driver’s license and meet and maintain standards of the UI Fleet Safety Program.
- Ability to foster a welcoming and respectful workplace environment while recognizing personal differences. Ability to work with a variety of individuals and groups in a constructive and respectful manner.
Desired Qualifications
- Master's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Entrepreneurship, Economic Development, or a related field.
- Professional certification such as CPA, CMA, CEcD, or similar credential.
- Experience working within or alongside a university, research institution, healthcare system, or similarly complex organization.
- Familiarity with innovation-driven or research-based companies, including exposure to commercialization, life sciences, healthcare, or regulated industries.
- Experience with SBDC, SBA, or other publicly funded business support or economic development programs.
- Prior experience supervising staff, advisors, or contractors.
- Comfort working in a data-driven environment that includes outcomes tracking and reporting.
Application Details
In order to be considered for an interview, applicants must upload the following documents and mark them as a “Relevant File” to the submission:
- Resume
- Cover Letter
Job openings are posted for a minimum of 7 calendar days and may be removed from posting and filled any time after the original posting period has ended. Successful candidates will be required to self-disclose any conviction history and will be subject to a criminal background check and credential/education verification. Up to 5 professional references will be requested at a later step in the recruitment process. For questions, contact Adrian Cunningham at adrian-cunningham@uiowa.edu.
Benefits Highlights
Regular salaried position. Pay Level 6A. Located in Iowa City, Iowa.
Fringe benefit package including paid vacation; sick leave; health, dental, life and disability insurance options; and generous employer contributions into retirement plans.
For more information about Why Iowa? Click here.
About Iowa
Joining the University of Iowa means becoming a vital part of the Hawkeye community, where your work directly impacts education, research, and student success. Enjoy exceptional health coverage, university-paid life insurance, robust retirement plans, and generous leave policies. Benefit from 24/7 support services, well-being resources, and access to UI Health Care specialists. Grow professionally with advanced training, leadership development, and tuition assistance. Iowa City offers a great quality of life with world-class performances at Hancher Auditorium, Big Ten athletics, top-ranked public schools, and outdoor recreation. Join us in making a difference at a leading Big Ten university and premier public research institution.
- Classification Title: Economic Dev Assoc Director
- Appointment Type: Professional and Scientific
- Schedule: Full-time
- Work Modality Options: Hybrid within Iowa
- Pay Level: 6A
- Organization: College of Business
- Contact Name: Adrian Cunningham
- Contact Email: adrian-cunningham@uiowa.edu
See All 9 Mid Level Small Business Manager Jobs
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Mid Level Small Business Manager Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a mid level small business manager job?
Position yourself by leading with ownership: highlight projects you managed end to end, decisions you made independently, and results you drove for the business. Tailor your resume to show cross-functional coordination, budget or resource responsibility, and any team mentorship. Employers at this level screen for candidates who can operate without close supervision, so concrete examples of accountability carry more weight than a list of duties.
Which companies hire mid level small business managers?
Companies hiring mid level small business managers right now include Thermo Fisher Scientific, Northwest Bank, and First United Bank, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. At this level, hiring tends to come from growth-stage small businesses, regional franchises, and mid-size companies that need managers who can run day-to-day operations without heavy executive oversight.
Are there remote mid level small business manager jobs?
Yes, though availability varies by industry and employer type. About 20% of mid level small business manager openings are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, with hybrid arrangements being most common since many small business operations benefit from at least some on-site presence. Fully remote roles tend to appear more often in professional services and consulting contexts.
How do I move up to a mid level small business manager role?
The path from entry level to mid level is built on demonstrated ownership. Focus on taking on projects beyond your core duties, tracking and communicating the business impact of your work, and developing comfort with decisions that affect team or operational outcomes. Managers who reach mid level typically show a pattern of expanding scope, handling ambiguity independently, and earning trust to lead without constant direction.
Which industries hire the most mid level small business managers?
Mid Level small business manager roles concentrate in Banking & Financial Services, Science & Research, and Consulting & Professional Services, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. These sectors tend to drive hiring at this level because they rely on managers who can oversee daily operations, adapt quickly to changing conditions, and support growth without large corporate infrastructure.