Job Details

General Business Counselor - 002589

Position Number: 7298189
Location: Cullowhee, NC
Position Type: Economic and Business Development

General Business Counselor - 002589

Western Carolina University

Department: SBTDC

About WCU:

Western Carolina University continues to rank high on Forbes Best Employers lists each year. Including:
2025 - Ranked 1st in the top 100 employers in North Carolina in Forbes Americas Best Employers by State list.
2024 - Ranking in the top 8.5% on Forbes Americas Best Midsize Employers list, WCU was ranked 34 out of the top 400 employers across all industries.
2023 - Ranked in the top 20% on Forbes Americas Best Midsize Employers list, WCU was ranked 97 out of the top 500 employers across all industries.
2022 - Ranked 14th in the top 100 employers in North Carolina in Forbes Americas Best Employers by State list.
Western Carolina University is the UNC systems westernmost campus and has been consistently ranked as one of the top 15 public regional institutions in the South.
Employees of WCU are provided a comprehensive benefits package as well as other resources, policies and programs to ensure a happy and healthy work/life balance. Benefit eligible employees have access to dental, vision and health insurance plans - eligibility begins on the first of the month following date of hire. Retirement plan contributions begin on the eligibility date following election and include employer contributions for either a defined contribution or a defined benefit plan. Optional disability plans are also available.
Eligible employees have access to tuition waivers for up to three courses per academic year; employee may enroll at any of the constituent UNC System campuses. Also offered are free group exercise classes multiple times per week, a discounted membership to the campus recreation center, free vaccine and booster shots offered on campus, pretax flexible spending accounts, 12 paid holidays and 24 hours of paid community service leave each year. Leave earning employees (staff and 12-month faculty) who work at least half of the working days of their first month of employment will begin accruing vacation and sick leave immediately. Paid parental leave after 12 months of continuous service.
WCU offers an abundance of training and development programs, certifications, workshops and conferences - many of which are offered free of charge.

Position Summary:

The primary work location is Asheville, NC. The role is exempt from the State of North Carolina Human Resources Act (EHRA).

This grant-funded appointment is contingent upon continued funding availability.

The General Business Counselor provides a broad range of business advising and in-depth assistance to clients throughout an assigned multi-county service area. As a member of the SBTDC at WCU, the counselor serves a 14-county region in Western North Carolina. The service center maintains two offices: one in the WCU College of Business in Cullowhee and one in downtown Asheville.

Regular travel across the region is expected, along with in-state and occasional out-of-state travel for professional development events.

The General Business Counselor is responsible for delivering business counseling, management training, research, and technical assistance to pre-venture clients, small and mid-sized business owners, and entrepreneurs developing new products or technologies, starting new ventures, or growing existing businesses.

Administrative responsibilities include managing confidential client records, entering client information into the appropriate database in a timely manner, preparing quarterly activity reports, and developing resources and relationships that support the mission of the SBTDC. The successful candidate must be able to work effectively within both academic and business communities.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required:

Broad general knowledge of business principles and practices.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
Ability to manage multiple assignments, organize work, and establish priorities with minimal supervision.
Ability to provide value-based counseling on a wide range of business topics, including marketing, strategy development, and product costing.
Ability to facilitate group planning meetings.
Proficiency with computer applications, including word processing and spreadsheet design.
Ability to create formulas and use built-in Excel functions to perform calculations and solve problems.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required for this position:
Minimum Qualifications:

Interested candidates must already be legally authorized to work in the United States and will not require any immigration sponsorship or support.
Bachelors degree and one year of experience related to the area of assignment; or equivalent combination of training and experience. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

Preferred Qualifications:

Management prefers candidates with: A Masters Degree in Business Administration or Finance and three or more years of experience as a business owner, senior manager or business consultant. Public speaking/facilitation experience. Knowledge of Spanish and other languages.

Position Type: Permanent Full-Time

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Application materials must be submitted online. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until a candidate has been selected for hire.

Please include a cover letter, current resume and a list of three professional references with complete contact information.

For questions or additional information please contact Elena Gupta at evgupta@email.wcu.edu

AA/EOE
Western Carolina University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race; color; ethnicity; religion; sex; pregnancy; sexual orientation; gender identity or expression; national origin; age; disability; genetic information; political affiliation; National Guard or veteran status, consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations, and policies, and the policies of The University of North Carolina. Persons with disabilities requiring accommodations in the application and interview process please call (828) 227-7218 or email at jobs@email.wcu.edu.

University Safety
The Western Carolina University Annual Safety Report is available online at University Annual Safety Report or in hard-copy by request at the office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, 227 HFR Administration Building, Cullowhee, NC 28723 (828-227-7147) or the Office of University Police, 111 Camp Annex, Cullowhee, NC 28723 (828-227-7301). The report, required of all universities participating in Title IV student financial aid programs, discusses crime statistics, procedures for reporting suspicious or criminal activity, security, police authority, crime prevention strategies, university policies on substance abuse and sexual offenses, workplace violence and fire safety.

To apply, please visit: https://jobs.wcu.edu/postings/34436