Director of Training

Description

Responsible for developing and implementing comprehensive training programs that support the company's Four Pillars: People, Clean Locations, Quality Product, and Exceptional Service/Guest Experience. This includes designing, writing and delivering engaging training materials, developing and coaching store-level management teams, ensuring adherence to food safety and operational standards, and enhancing the guest and team member experience through innovative training initiatives. The Director of Training will play a crucial role in building a high-performing,  knowledgeable team that consistently aligns with the Four Pillars of Success and fosters a culture of continuous improvement.

Reports to:

President & COO

Job Tasks

• Smile and maintain a positive attitude at all times.
• Use Chickie’s and Pete’s Four Pillars of Success to guide decision making.
• Passionately support the initiatives implemented by C&P HQ and senior leadership.
• Oversee the planning, development, writing and execution of all training programs, materials, and tools for the company.
• Develop a comprehensive OPS Manual that describes all Chickie’s and Pete’s operating processes. Update from time to time as needed. 
• Standardize the process to communicate changes to the company. 
• Develop and periodically revisit company new hire training program(s), this would also include updates and enhancements to the current service manual that is in place, for all levels of team members, FOH and Culinary, Hourly and Salaried, Entry Level to GM,  to ensure a premium introduction to the brand, its standards and expectations.
• Continuously research, create and develop training medium, especially our online curriculum, and media to keep the brand at the forefront of service standards and learning programs, including but not limited to monthly and quarterly trackable on-line classes for all levels of in-store team members.
• Develop a long-term “Chickie’s University” initiative where team members get “credits” for participating in training programs.
• Develop a recognition piece for our learning/training programs.
• Develop and implement workshops for store level and management team members. 
• Develop a certified training store program as well as a certified manager trainer program that will develop the management team members to train new management hires as well as assist with new restaurant/venue openings.
• Develop a certified trainer program for key positions within the restaurants.
• Develop a comprehensive new store opening training program.
• Lead/Organize hiring, orientation, and training of new team members during new store openings consisting of all levels of hourly and salaried store level team members.
• Maintain and continue development of all training aids to support flawless restaurant operations.  This would also include digital assets for training, menu guidelines, menu builds, informational sheets and brand standards for Venue and Licensed Partners usage.
• Maintain, develop, and streamline in-store operational materials including but not limited to employee side work, prep lists, ordering guides, change of shift duties etc.
• Ensure proper training materials for  sanitary practices for food handling, general cleanliness, and maintenance of kitchen and dining areas are available within all restaurants.
• Develop comprehensive roll-out guides for company initiatives, including seasonal LTO’s and special events. 
• Facilitate communication throughout the company to ensure GM’s and management team (FOH & BOH) are aware of company initiatives and work with them to ensure that they are executed appropriately on the store level.
• Collaborate with the HQ HR Team and RDO’s to identify, implement and facilitate, when needed, training programs for all levels of the C&P organization.
• Develop committees that consist of team members from multiple positions within the restaurants to help identify areas of opportunity (Example: Bar committee).
• Actively maintain a project list that shows short and long-term initiatives.
• Assist/lead, when needed, with Venue openings, re-openings and any other operational support during their operating season(s).
• Work with Regional Directors to ensure all locations are operating in accordance with standards and procedures to achieve company objectives.
• Provide feedback to the HQ team during and after Company-wide initiatives on performance and any ideas in which they could be improved in the future.
• Actively spend time in restaurants, especially during busier periods, to provide operational guidance and support. Provide written feedback based on the visit to be shared with the GM and HQ leadership team.
• Identify key opportunity areas for operational enhancements. Discuss and document corrective action plan(s) with the HQ team.
• Establish positive working relationships with all members of the Chickie’s and Pete’s team.
• Schedule weekly touch base calls and/or meetings with President & COO to review projects and provide updates.
• Manage the department budget, ensuring cost-effective use of resources while delivering impactful training solutions.
• Work with the Culinary Director of Operations to ensure kitchen operations are operating at the expected level for all locations.
• Ensure compliance with operational standards, company policies, federal/state/local laws, and ordinances within all restaurants.
• Oversee and ensure compliance with all relevant regulations, including alcohol server and seller training certifications, RAMP/TIPS, and food safety certifications, ServSafe.
• Additional tasks as assigned

Main Responsibilities, Required Skills and Knowledge

Guest Service: Must consistently be able to assess, anticipate and meet Guests’ needs and respond quickly to feedback without losing focus or projecting a mood that detracts from the Guests’ overall experience.

Communication: Must clearly communicate in a professional manner with Guests, vendors, coworkers and management. They must understand instructions, read written company memorandums and communicate when they need more direction or training.

Schedule: Must be highly flexible to work, and travel as necessary, at all times of the day, including weekends for special events and promotions. Schedule will be hybrid between, Chickie’s & Pete’s Headquarters, travel on site to restaurant locations.

Interpersonal Relationships: Must adapt to different personalities of Guests and coworkers without losing focus.

Teamwork: Working together as a team is a critical success factor of any restaurant or organization.  Establishing good working relationships is key to maintaining a team-oriented work environment.

Performing General Physical Activities: Must be able to stand for long periods of time.

Problem Solving and Conflict Management: Must recognize a problem when it arises and be able to resolve it appropriately by using good judgement, tact and initiative according to company policy and procedure. 

Quality Control and Priority Assessment: Must evaluate current practices and processes; immediately recognize potential areas of conflict; and initiate ways to improve current business methods, quality of products and services provided.

Language Skills: Must speak and write with excellent command of the English language including proper spelling and grammar. Must ensure that training materials, digital, print, or audio are free from error such as typos, misspelling or misprints.

Time Management Skills: Must know and use methods and organizational techniques to delegate appropriate tasks and manage direct reports.

Analytical Skills: Must possess a strong understanding of data analysis and interpret that data to the Operations team. General accounting, computer and math skills required. Must use logic and reasoning to identify solutions and alternatives for a successful outcome to problems.

Computer Skills: Must be proficient in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.). Any experience with Aloha, Hot Schedules, Paycom, Schoox or any other software related to training is a plus.

Technical Writing Skills: Must be able to develop and deliver high-quality training materials, including manuals, presentations, job aids and assessments. Must have strong writing and editing skills to ensure clarity, conciseness and accuracy in all training materials. Must be able to utilize storytelling, analogies, and real-world examples to make learning engaging and memorable.

Qualifications

Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field preferred (e.g., Human Resources, Education, Business, equivalent experience).
• Minimum of 8 years of experience in training and development, including at least 4 years in restaurants.
• Experience with developing new hire training, certified trainer programs, certified training locations, new store openings, etc.
• Exceptional facilitation, presentation, verbal, written, communication, and people skills.
• Strong technical writing skills
• Proficiency with multimedia training platforms and delivery methods.
• Expertise in evaluating and implementing effective training solutions across various levels of the organization.
• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to multi-task.
• Self-starter who works well independently.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Availability to work during restaurant operating hours.
• Ability to ensure the training content is relevant, engaging, and effective while monitoring and reporting on the impact and outcomes of the training initiatives.
• Proven leadership and team management skills.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication abilities.
• Strong strategic thinking and organizational planning skills.
• High emotional intelligence and ability to inspire and develop team members.
• Must be able to travel to various locations to oversee training activities and work on-site at company headquarters.

Salary : $85,000 - $110,000