BUSINESS CONSULTANT

Job Number: 416475 Description BID/JOB ANNOUNCEMENT Business Consultant Department of BACP Small Business Center Division Number of Positions: 1 (Additional vacancies possible pending budget approval) Starting Salary: $68,616.00

This position is open to the public and all current City employees covered under the City’s collective bargaining agreement with 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. BID INSTRUCTIONS: Apply on the bid site: AND 1. Check the box on your profile titled “Currently employed by the City of Chicago” 2. Enter your employee ID (located on your pay stub labeled ‘payee/employee number’) 3. Select your correct bargaining unit FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS WILL RESULT IN A REJECTED BID APPLICATION Applications for this position will be accepted until 11:59pm CDT on 7/13/2026.

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. This position is fully in-person at the public Small Business Center in City Hall.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• 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

Location: 121 N. La Salle Street, Room 800

Days: Monday - Friday

Hours: 8:30am – 4:30 pm

THIS POSITION IS IN THE CAREER SERVICE

Qualifications

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

SELECTION REQUIREMENTS

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.

For Information on our employees benefits please visit our benefits website at: For Information on our salary and title structure visit our classifications website at:

APPLICATION EVALUATION: Initial evaluation will be based on information provided on the application and the documents submitted. The Department of Human Resource staff will review applications after the final posting date. Staff will follow any and all required Employment/Hiring Plan provisions, federal, state and local laws, and Collective Bargaining Agreements when applicable. Staff will apply hiring preferences as required by the municipal code. Placement on an eligibility list is not an offer or guarantee of an interview nor employment with the City of Chicago.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY: To further our commitment to hiring applicants with diverse experience the City of Chicago has adopted the following ordinances 2-74-020 and 2-74-075. The ordinances provide a preference for applicants who meet minimum qualifications and who are veterans of the Armed Forces, and/or residents of Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Areas (SEDA) and/or Chicago Public School (CPS) high school graduates to be referred to departments for consideration. These hiring preferences do not apply to bidders, as Collective Bargaining Agreements define the hiring process for bidders. For positions covered by a collective bargaining agreement, bidders will be considered before external candidates. To learn more about our hiring practices click here.

ALL REFERENCES TO POLITICAL SPONSORSHIP OR RECOMMENDATION MUST BE OMITTED FROM ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS SUBMITTED FOR CITY EMPLOYMENT. The City of Chicago in an Equal Employment Opportunity, Military Friendly, and Fair Chance Employer. City of Chicago

Brandon Johnson, Mayor

Job Posting : Jun 29, 2026, 12:00:00 AM |

Closing Date (Period for Applying) - External : Jul 13, 2026, 11:59:00 PM

Salary : $68,616.00

Pay Basis : Yearly