Vice President of Training and People Experience

Vice President of Training and People Experience

Job Description

Location: Tampa preferred. Open to Orlando market for the right candidate.* Reports to: Brand President

THE ROLE

This is a transformational leadership role that sits on the executive team, and at the intersection of learning, culture, and engagement. As Vice President of Training and People Experience, you will serve as a strategic leader responsible for designing and scaling the systems, programs, and messaging that shape how our team members grow, connect, and thrive. Rooted in our purpose of sharing love, you will lead the strategy and execution of initiatives that empower, develop, and inspire every team member — from their first day to their future leadership role, including both our Learning & Development and Internal Communication strategies — building the infrastructure that empowers our teams to succeed at work and in life.

You will architect training and leadership development systems that promote clarity, consistency, and performance across all roles and regions. This role requires someone who deeply understands and embodies our voice and brand essence — ensuring that every piece of communication and every learning experience is infused with our values, elevates our culture, elevates the voice of our field teams, and shapes a people experience that drives retention, performance, and belonging.

THE VIBE

Our ideal VP of Training and People Experience is a big-picture thinker with a love for the details — someone who brings together operational excellence, instructional design expertise, and a strong cultural intuition. You’re energized by building from the ground up, refining systems, and crafting powerful learning and communication experiences that drive results.

You thrive in a collaborative environment and are just as comfortable developing a company-wide training strategy as you are writing an all-team memo or mapping an NRO training calendar. You love turning complex ideas into engaging, accessible tools and are known for your creativity, curiosity, and clarity. You value feedback, embrace candor, and model the kind of people-first leadership we want to scale.

THE BASICS + DETAILS

VISION & STRATEGY & LEADERSHIP

• Lead the long-term strategy for training and people experience across all levels of the organization — aligning programs with business goals, growth plans, and our core values.
• Provide leadership to our Training Team, and help build and shape the future of our broader People Function.

BUILD & SCALE LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS

• Oversee the design and execution of high-impact onboarding, leadership development, and ongoing learning initiatives that reflect our commitment to operational excellence and personal growth.
• Stay deeply connected to our restaurant teams and build a framework that identifies and responds to the unique needs of our managers and field leaders.
• Partner with senior leadership to identify short-, mid-, and long-term development priorities that support business growth, team readiness, and operational excellence.
• Lead the creation and execution of a strategic learning roadmap that aligns with business outcomes and supports the company’s mission, values, and cultural standards.
• Translate business performance indicators and capability gaps into actionable learning and development strategies that evolve with the organization’s expansion.
• Design and continuously improve scalable, company-wide learning programs that develop critical competencies, drive engagement, and strengthen our culture.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to ensure training initiatives are deeply embedded in operational rhythms, people practices, and brand values.
• Ensure all compliance-related and foundational training (e.g., DEI, Harassment Prevention, Safety) is implemented and maintained in partnership with HR.

TRAINING SYSTEMS & TECHNOLOGY

• Oversee the operations and project management of the Training and Communications function(s), including incoming requests, prioritization, and resourcing.
• Serve as the subject matter expert and administrator for all learning platforms and tools, ensuring optimal performance and scalability.
• Lead vendor selection, relationship management, and performance evaluation for all external learning and training partners.
• Build and execute a vision for the future of our LMS and learning tech stack, ensuring they meet evolving business needs.
• Develop systems for content management, including organization, version control, and document archiving.
• Monitor and report on learning effectiveness, adoption, and ROI, making data-informed recommendations for improvement.

INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN & CONTENT DELIVERY

• Lead the design and delivery of both synchronous and asynchronous learning content across a range of subjects, from compliance and onboarding to role-specific development.
• Partner with subject matter experts and cross-functional leaders to create targeted curriculum that drives both skill development and business performance.
• Establish continuous feedback loops with SMEs, HR partners, and operators to ensure training remains relevant, engaging, and aligned to current needs.
• Promote and embed the Fresh Kitchen values and leadership behaviors across all learning touchpoints.
• Design and develop interactive, SCORM e-learning experiences that are engaging, accessible, and scalable.

INTERNAL COMMUNICATION & CHANGE LEADERSHIP

• Serve as the strategic lead for internal communication across the organization, ensuring messaging is timely, aligned, and reflective of our culture and tone.
• Act as a translator of the organization — transforming complex updates, changes, and initiatives into clear, accessible communication.
• Create and maintain an internal communications calendar and roadmap to support initiatives, drive engagement, and reduce noise.
• Provide strategic communications support to Brand President, ensuring training and internal communications strategies are aligned with business priorities and brand voice.
• Collaborate across departments to identify internal communication needs and design compelling, values-driven content to support them.
• Lead the planning and execution of internal communications for all change management initiatives, including training, rollouts, and system/process updates.
• Manage and evolve communication platforms and tools to ensure they’re effective, user-friendly, and aligned with team needs.
• Lead the development and execution of all training systems, resources, and processes for New Restaurant Openings.
• Ensure clear roles, responsibilities, and alignment across Operations, Training, and Culinary teams.
• Oversee planning and execution of all NRO-related calendars, pre-training, and training-week experiences.
• Maintain high standards of delivery through coaching, support, and evaluation of training teams during the NRO process.
• Conduct post-opening After Action Reviews to gather insights and continuously improve the NRO experience and outcomes.

Job Requirements

PRE-REQs AND REQUIRED SKILLS

Communication and Instructional Design Content Samples will be Requested.

• At least 5+ years of progressive leadership experience in Training & Development and/or People Operations in a hospitality and values-driven environment.
• Ability to travel up to 25% for New Restaurant Openings, Workshops, and Training Restaurant Certifications*
• A proven track record of building scalable training and development programs across a multi-unit organization.
• Experience and skill in Instructional Design (Paper Based and E-Learning- SCORM).
• Proven experience conceptualizing, planning, and executing in-person and web-based workshops.
• Ability to understand complex concepts and create clarity through simplification.
• Utilization of problem-solving skills to work through difficult messaging.
• Advanced formatting skills in applications including Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, and Excel.
• Exceptional communication and copywriting skills (verbal, written, public speaking).
• Strong understanding of different learning styles and teaching modalities.
• Detail-oriented, with the capability to adapt to changes and think strategically.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize work.
• Experience working with outside vendors and managing E-Learning/Communication Platforms.
• Ability to make values-based decisions and problem-solve independently.
• Participates in self-development activities.
• Intrinsically motivated and holds self and others accountable to high standards.

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