Overview

Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) is one of the nation’s largest library systems and among New York City’s most democratic institutions. As a leader in developing modern 21st-century libraries, we provide resources to support personal advancement, foster civic literacy, and strengthen the fabric of community among the more than 2.7 million individuals who call Brooklyn home. BPL provides nearly 60,000 free programs a year with writers, thinkers, artists, and educators—from around the corner and across the world. And we give patrons millions of opportunities to enjoy one of life’s greatest satisfactions: the joy of a good book.

Brooklyn Public Library is seeking an Immigrant Business Outreach Specialist to provide quality public service in neighborhood libraries throughout BPL as well as at the Business & Career Center at the Central Library. Brooklyn Public Library welcomes the opportunity to prioritize and provide coordinated economic development programs, services, and resources. We conduct outreach to immigrant communities including migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees among others. The successful candidate for this position will have a commitment to working with diverse people including new arrivals with limited English proficiency. We intend to provide services essential to their economic well-being. These will include offering one-on-one entrepreneurial coaching, business plan review, industry, market, competitor, and customer research, overview of financing, referrals to business assistance programs, and entrepreneurial training. In addition, the Immigrant Business Outreach Specialist will be expected to provide an introduction B&CC services, programs, print, and online resources. They will collaborate with colleagues and other departments to identify relevant resources and community-based organizations that can improve the economic outcomes for immigrant communities.

Responsibilities:

  • Provides personalized one-on-one entrepreneurial coaching. Sessions would offer the following services: business plan review, industry, market, competitor, and customer research, overview of financing, referrals to business assistance programs and entrepreneurial training, and introducing B&CC services, programs, and print and online resources. Works with B&CC librarians and Outreach staff to tailor programming for immigrants; partner with economic development CBOs to provide multilingual workshops on entrepreneurship and business topics.
  • Collaborates with B&CC librarians and Outreach staff to develop business and career resources that benefit immigrants
  • Works with BPL Marketing Department to develop collateral and social media which targets immigrants
  • Serves and is directly responsive to the needs of patrons who are foreign born and new arrivals
  • Develops partnerships with organizations in immigrant communities and promotes BPL’s B&CC services
  • Collaborates with Outreach Services to share information and coordinate services
  • Maintains press files, marketing and promotional materials, and photo files relating to B&CC immigrant services.
  • Helps to build multi-lingual and immigrant-centered entrepreneurial and business development guides and online resources
  • Tracks the outputs, outcomes, opportunities, and resources made available to patrons receiving services including at workshops and fairs
  • Assists with grant reports and presentations along with proposals for future funding
  • Other duties as needed.

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree required
  • 2 years of experience in non-profit outreach or marketing
  • Knowledge and experience working with entrepreneurs, business assistance providers, and business owners
  • Bilingual skills required. Ability to speak a second language including Haitian Creole, Spanish, French, or Wolof is essential; familiarity with immigrant Brooklyn communities and community organizations is a plus
  • Experience working with database management
  • Excellent verbal and written communications skills; excellent organizational skill
  • Experience working with the public, diverse communities
  • Strong teamwork & teambuilding skills
  • Facility with all MS Office modules; experience with MS Access especially helpful

Physical Demands

  • Travel to other locations and non-library locations as required
  • Must be able to work evenings and weekends as needed.

This a non-union, grant funded position funded through September 30, 2026. The salary range for this position is $55,000 – $60,000.

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