How you will make history here...
The Senior Manager, Manufacturing Capability & Training is responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive manufacturing capability strategy that creates a highly skilled, engaged, and future-ready workforce across the manufacturing network.
This leader will establish and sustain foundational training systems, capability-building programs, technical skills development frameworks, qualification processes, and career progression pathways that improve performance, increase workforce readiness, and support organizational growth. The role serves as a key partner across Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, Food Safety, EH&S, Operational Excellence, Human Resources, and Supply Chain leadership to ensure consistent capability development and execution across all manufacturing facilities.
The successful candidate will bring hands-on capability and training experience, a passion for people development, and demonstrated success with building training and capability systems from the ground up. This role requires strong influence, collaboration, and change leadership skills to drive adoption and create a culture of continuous learning and operational excellence.
What you will do...
Manufacturing Capability Strategy
- Develop and execute a multi-year manufacturing capability and workforce development strategy aligned to business, operational, and talent objectives.
- Establish foundational capability frameworks for frontline employees, skilled trades, technical professionals, and frontline leaders.
- Create standardized approaches to onboarding, qualification, certification, and re-certification programs across manufacturing sites.
- Build capability roadmaps that support current and future operational needs.
Training & Learning Excellence
- Lead the design and deployment of scalable training systems, governance processes, standards, and metrics.
- Establish learning pathways for production operators, maintenance technicians, warehouse personnel, and frontline leaders.
- Ensure training programs support compliance requirements, GMP standards, food safety requirements, and operational excellence initiatives.
- Drive adoption of digital learning tools, learning management systems, and connected worker technologies.
Technical Skills Development
- Implement technical training programs focused on equipment operation, troubleshooting, reliability, maintenance excellence, quality systems, and manufacturing fundamentals.
- Partner with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, and Quality teams to identify capability gaps and prioritize development initiatives.
- Develop skills matrices, competency models, and certification programs to ensure workforce readiness.
- Support apprenticeship, technical academy, and skilled trades development programs.
Team Leadership
- Build, lead, coach, and develop a high-performing capability and training team.
- Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, inclusion, and continuous improvement.
- Provide clear performance expectations, development plans, and coaching for direct and indirect reports.
- Develop capability within the training organization to ensure sustainability and scalability.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Serve as a trusted advisor to plant leadership and supply chain leaders regarding workforce capability needs.
- Collaborate closely with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, Food Safety, EH&S, Operational Excellence, and HR teams.
- Influence stakeholders across a matrixed environment to drive alignment on capability priorities.
- Lead cross-functional initiatives that enhance organizational capability and operational performance.
Continuous Improvement & Change Leadership
- Leverage Operational Excellence, Lean, and continuous improvement principles to enhance learning effectiveness.
- Lead transformational initiatives that simplify training processes and improve employee capability outcomes.
- Utilize performance data and business metrics to measure the effectiveness of capability-building programs.
- Drive change management efforts to ensure successful adoption of new programs and systems.
Key Results
- Improved employee capability and qualification rates.
- Increased workforce productivity and operational performance.
- Reduced time-to-proficiency for new employees.
- Enhanced technical capability and skilled trades bench strength.
- Improved employee engagement and retention.
- Greater consistency in training execution across manufacturing sites.
- Measurable improvements in safety, quality, delivery, and cost performance.
Who you will work with...
You will work with the L&D department and manufacturing partners.
What you bring to the table (must haves)...
- Bachelor's degree in Education, Business, Engineering, Industrial Technology, Organizational Development, Manufacturing, Human Resources, or related field.
- 5+ years of leadership, teaching, or training experience, including responsibility for learning and development.
It would be great if you have (nice to haves)...
- Demonstrated experience developing and executing training and workforce capability strategies.
- Experience leading teams.
- Strong understanding of adult learning principles and capability-building methodologies.
- Experience partnering across multiple functions.
- Proven ability to lead organizational change and influence stakeholders at all levels.
- Experience building training organizations, academies, or workforce development programs from foundational stages.
- Knowledge of Operational Excellence, Lean Manufacturing, TPM, Continuous Improvement, and Reliability principles.
- Experience with digital learning platforms, LMS systems, and connected worker technologies.
- Certification Training & Development, Change Management, or related disciplines.
- Experience supporting multi-site operations.
- Food and beverage manufacturing experience preferred.
Leadership Competencies
- Strategic Thinking
- Building Organizational Capability
- Talent Development
- Change Leadership
- Collaboration & Influence
- Continuous Improvement Mindset
- Execution Excellence
- Coaching & Mentorship
- Business Acumen
- Results Orientation
Join our talent community
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