Manager of Training and Development

JOB OVERVIEW

The Manager of Training and Development is responsible for creating, maintaining, and executing training content and programs that support consistent restaurant operations and culinary execution. This role plays a key executional role in New Restaurant Openings (NROs) by leading training preparation and on-site training support for managers and hourly team members.

This position focuses on training structure, content creation, and delivery, while executing against priorities established by operations, and culinary leadership and human resources guidance.

REPORTS TO: Senior Director of NRO and Ops Services       

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Internal:     Restaurant managers and hourly team members, Multi- Unit Operators, department heads and corporate office personnel, franchise leaders.                  

External:   Guests and Vendors

QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS

Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills and/or abilities. To perform this job successfully, the team member possesses the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently, with or without reasonable accommodation.

ESSENTIAL

-         Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field; Master's degree or relevant certifications (e.g., SHRM-CP) are a plus.

-         Proven experience (minimum of 3 years) in a training leadership role within a restaurant or hospitality company, Human Resources, Learning & Development, or People Operations.

-         Strong understanding of employment laws and compliance requirements.

-         Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and coaching skills, with the ability to build trust across all levels of the organization.

-         Demonstrated experience in implementing successful training programs and driving cultural change.

-         Strategic thinking with a results-oriented mindset and the ability to manage a budget effectively. 

-         Experience with a central LMS (Learning Management System), organizational and project management software, data analysis tools, collaboration platforms, Power Point, Microsoft Office Suite 365

-         Strong presentational skill set for in-person training to all audience levels in the company.

-         Excellent written and verbal communication skills, interpersonal abilities for relationship building.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Training Content & Program Development

·        Create and maintain training materials for hourly and management roles, including:

·        SOPs, job aids, training manuals, and playbooks

·        Digital training modules, videos, and LMS content

·        Partner with Culinary to document and train:

·        Recipe execution and prep standards

·        Food safety and quality procedures

·        Ensure all training materials are current, practical, and field-ready.

Hourly, Manager & MIT Training

·        Build and maintain structured training and development programs for:

·        Hourly team members

·        Restaurant Managers, Assistant Managers and General Managers

·        Supervisors and Shift Leaders

·        Managers in Training (MIT)

·        Develop training timelines, certification checklists, and readiness standards.

·        Support onboarding and refresher training initiatives.

New Restaurant Opening (NRO) Training Support

Lead training preparation and execution for new restaurant openings, including:

·        Pre-opening training schedules and materials

·        Manager and hourly team training plans

·        Certification and readiness tracking

·        Partner with Operations Services and Culinary during NROs to ensure:

·        Teams are trained to brand and operational standards

·        Training aligns with opening timelines and staffing plans

·        Support post-opening retraining and performance reinforcement as needed.

(Note: This role supports NRO execution but does not own overall NRO project management.)

Field Training & Operational Support

·        Conduct in-restaurant training, retraining, and performance support.

·        Support and create implementation materials of new menu items, systems, and operational initiatives.

·        Serve as a training resource for field leaders and Operations Services.

Program Maintenance & Continuous Improvement

·        Update training materials based on operational changes, menu updates, and field feedback.

·        Track training completion and certification readiness.

·        Identify training gaps and recommend improvements.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Work closely with:

·        Operations Services to align training with execution needs

·        Culinary on food standards and rollouts

·        HR on onboarding and compliance training

·        Ensure training efforts integrate smoothly with field operations

ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL ABILITIES

·        Endure various physical movements throughout the work areas, such as reaching, bending, climbing, and stooping

·        Extended periods of time to stand, walk and/or sit and continuously perform essential job functions

·        Ability to lift 50 lbs.