**CURRENT/PREVIOUS MANUFACTURING EXPERIENCE HIGHLY DESIRED- this role will be on the production floor at least 50% of the day
About LiDestri Food and Drink
LiDestri Food and Drink has grown from our roots as a pasta sauce and salsa manufacturer to become an R&D engine, formulating and producing innovative food products for our national and retailer brand partners. A family-run company based in Rochester, NY, LiDestri employs over 1,000 people across three U.S. locations. We have decades-long partnerships with some of the most respected consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies and the most highly inventive retailer brands.
Excellent Pay and Benefits:
- Great career-pathing
- Professional development, including unlimited online training courses
- Health insurance with premium contributions
- Dental, vision, HSA
- 100% company paid life insurance and long-term disability
- 401k – with employer match
- Paid time off to include- vacation, sick pay, wellness time off, and 10 holidays
- Company bonuses
- And many more….
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Training Specialist is responsible for coordinating, facilitating, tracking, and continuously improving training for temporary employees, new hires, and existing operations employees (including entire plant team such as safety, quality, production, warehouse, maintenance). The position partners closely with Operations leadership, Corporate Training Team, trainers, HR, and subject matter experts to ensure employees receive consistent and effective training experience from onboarding through demonstrated job proficiency.
The Training Specialist maintains skills checklists and departmental skills matrices for all employees, coordinates trainer assignments, tracks employee progression toward proficiency, facilitates the Nourish learning curriculum, and provides reporting on training completion and workforce capability. The position also trains employees on SOPs and work instructions, participates in the development and improvement of SOPs and training materials, and develops trainers and managers to ensure training is delivered consistently across departments and shifts.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITES:
- Temporary Employee & New Hire Training: Coordinate and facilitate training for temporary employees and new hires, ensuring employees understand LiDestri expectations and receive the foundational and job-specific training necessary to safely and successfully perform their roles.
- Onboarding & Training Progression: Partner with Operations and HR throughout the onboarding process to ensure each new employee has an appropriate trainer, a defined training plan, and the support necessary to progress from initial training through demonstrated proficiency.
- Skills Checklists & Skills Matrix: Own and maintain employee proficiency checklists, qualification records, and departmental skills matrices. Ensure records accurately reflect employee capabilities, completed training, proficiency levels, and outstanding development needs.
- Proficiency & Follow-Up: Track employee progress using established proficiency checklists and assessments, including appropriate 30/60/90-day milestones. Identify employees requiring additional coaching or retraining and partner with Operations to close identified skill gaps. This builds on the proficiency assessment approach in the existing positions.
- Trainer Assignment & Effectiveness: Partner with Operations leaders to ensure qualified trainers are assigned to employees, and training expectations are understood. Monitor the effectiveness and consistency of on-the-job training and address gaps with trainers and leadership.
- Train-the-Trainer: Train and coach designated trainers, supervisors, and managers on LiDestri training expectations, curriculum, documentation, adult learning practices, coaching techniques, and proficiency standards to ensure a consistent training experience across departments and shifts.
- Nourish Curriculum Facilitation: Facilitate assigned Nourish learning curriculum and instructor-led programs for employees, trainers, supervisors, and managers, creating an engaging learning environment that supports knowledge transfer and application.
- SOP & Work Instruction Training: Coordinate and deliver training on SOPs, work instructions, job aids, process changes, and other standardized operating procedures. Ensure employees are appropriately trained when new or revised procedures are implemented.
- SOP & Training Material Development: Partner with Operations, subject matter experts, Quality, Safety, and the Learning team to identify missing or ineffective SOPs, work instructions, checklists, and job aids. Participate in developing and improving these materials to ensure they accurately reflect the work and can be effectively used for training.
- Training Tracking & Reporting: Maintain accurate training records and provide regular reporting on training completion, new-hire progression, proficiency, skills coverage, retraining, qualification status, and identified workforce capability gaps.
- Training Effectiveness: Observe employees and trainers on the manufacturing floor, gather feedback, evaluate training effectiveness, and recommend improvements when training is not producing the expected level of knowledge or proficiency.
- Continuous Improvement: Partner with Operations and HR to identify recurring training and performance gaps and recommend targeted training, retraining, process clarification, or additional job aids.
- Other: Reinforce LiDestri's expectations for quality, food safety, GMPs, workplace safety, and employee performance throughout the training process and escalate concerns through appropriate channels. Includes working in a safe manner according to Company policies and procedures.
REQUIRED EDUCATION, SKILLS & EXPERIENCE:
- Bachelor's degree preferred, or a combination of relevant education and 3+ years of experience facilitating training to diverse adult learners, consistent with the existing Training Specialist requirements.
- Previous manufacturing or operations training experience strongly preferred; food manufacturing experience is a plus.
- Strong facilitation skills with the ability to effectively deliver both classroom and hands-on plant-floor training.
- Demonstrated ability to coach employees and trainers and provide constructive feedback.
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage skills matrices, proficiency checklists, training records, schedules, and reporting.
- Ability to understand manufacturing processes and translate SOPs, work instructions, and technical information into effective employee training.
- Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to build effective relationships with employees, trainers, supervisors, managers, HR, and plant leadership.
- Strong written and verbal communication, problem-solving, follow-through, and attention to detail.
- Ability to work independently while maintaining strong partnership and communication across multiple departments.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office (SharePoint, Excel, Teams, Etc.) and training/LMS systems.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
Ability to work in a manufacturing environment with exposure to:
- Long periods of standing/moving, working around moving mechanical parts/conveyors
- Loud environment, hot/cold, wet/dry conditions
- Lifting/carrying <50 pounds
- Frequent reaching/pulling/climbing stairs/stooping/kneeling/bending
DISCLAIMER: The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed and is not an inclusive summary of job duties and responsibilities. The omission of specific statements of duties or responsibilities does not exclude them from the position. This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and the employee and is subject to change by the Company as the needs of the Company and requirements of the job change.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree
- 3+ years of experience facilitating training for diverse adult learners
- Clear verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to develop organizational relationships and improve processes
- Excellent organization and problem-solving skills
- Ability to make decisions and work with minimal supervision
- Ability to interact professionally with employees, colleagues, and plant leadership
- Ability to work in a manufacturing environment with prolonged standing, movement, and exposure to mechanical equipment, noise, temperature variation, and physical activity
What We Do
LiDestri Foods is a premier private label and contract manufacturer of food, beverages, and spirits, specializing in sauces, dips, and salsas, and producing over 40 million cases annually.
