Entrepreneurship and Self-Employment Developer

About the role

ADAPT Community Network is looking for an Entrepreneurship and Self-Employment Developer who can help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities explore their talents, build small business ideas, and create meaningful pathways to income, independence, and community connection. If you understand how to develop a small business, coach someone through an idea, think creatively about marketing, and believe that everyone deserves the chance to build something of their own, this role may be for you.

Under the direction of the Coordinator of Operations and Supported Employment leadership team, the Entrepreneurship and Self-Employment Developer is responsible for developing, coordinating, and supporting person-centered self-employment, micro-enterprise, consulting, and entrepreneurship opportunities for people supported. This position assists individuals to explore business ideas, develop realistic business plans, build skills, access supports, launch pilot opportunities, and sustain meaningful income-generating activities that align with their employment goals, interests, strengths, and support needs.

Responsibilities

• Identifies people supported who may be interested in self-employment, micro-enterprise, consulting, creative business, or non-traditional employment opportunities.
• Conducts person-centered discovery to understand each individual’s interests, strengths, talents, communication style, support needs, preferred work routines, and employment goals.
• Develops individualized business plans that include the business concept, target customers, pricing, startup needs, support plan, marketing strategy, benefits considerations, risk factors, and measurable milestones.
• Provides coaching in business readiness, communication, customer service, scheduling, money management, product development, quality control, marketing, technology use, and follow-through.
• Supports individuals in safely and professionally developing visibility through appropriate social media, online marketplace, digital storytelling, community showcase, or vendor opportunities.
• Builds partnerships with internal departments, local businesses, community organizations, markets, creative spaces, accessibility partners, technology partners, and other potential collaborators.
• Coordinates with Supported Employment, Day Habilitation, Residential, Smart Living Center, TechWorks, clinical, finance, human resources, quality, and compliance teams as needed.
• Ensures entrepreneurship and self-employment activities are connected to the person’s employment goals, service plan, business plan, documentation, and measurable outcomes.
• Maintains accurate records, progress summaries, business plan updates, coaching notes, partnership trackers, and outcome reports.
• Assists with staff training, referral tools, coaching guides, and program materials that support consistent identification and development of self-employment opportunities.
• Tracks and evaluates program outcomes to identify opportunities to improve entrepreneurship and self-employment services.
• Keeps abreast of developments in supported employment, entrepreneurship, self-employment, customized employment, accessibility, technology, and community-based business opportunities.
• Performs other related duties as requested.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in human services, vocational rehabilitation, business, education, social work, psychology, disability services, or a related field preferred.
• Experience in supported employment, vocational services, workforce development, entrepreneurship, small business development, disability services, or community-based program development preferred.
• Experience supporting people with intellectual, developmental, physical, or communication disabilities preferred.
• Experience with social media, online marketplaces, product sales, community events, vendor fairs, digital media, accessibility consulting, or creative enterprise models preferred.
• Familiarity with OPWDD services, SEMP documentation, person-centered planning, benefits planning, or employment-first practices preferred.
• Knowledge of small business development, entrepreneurship, self-employment, job development, or customized employment practices.
• Ability to help individuals move from idea development to planning, launch, and ongoing support.
• Strong coaching, communication, organization, documentation, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to develop accessible tools, plain-language materials, and person-centered business planning resources.
• Understanding of marketing, customer engagement, basic pricing, online visibility, and community partnership development.
• Commitment to dignity, choice, inclusion, disability rights, economic self-determination, and meaningful community-based employment.
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments and with people supported, families, staff, community partners, and leadership.
• Ability to read, write, speak, and understand English.
• Travel across the five boroughs of New York City may be required.

Benefits

ADAPT offers paid training, competitive benefits, and fosters a team culture of learning, support, collaboration, and career growth. We value diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging, and continuously seek opportunities to build a more positive, respected, united, and collaborative culture.

Pay

$60,000 - $65,000 annually.