Director of Education and Development

Position Overview

The ideal candidate is both strategic and operational — someone who can build scalable programs while remaining closely connected to the day-to-day realities of a fast-paced retail and food environment. This leader will partner closely with Operations, Store Leadership, HR, and Executive Leadership to create engaging, measurable, and hospitality-focused learning experiences that support business performance and team member growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a company-wide Learning & Development strategy aligned with Citarella’s culture, operational goals, and long-term growth plans

• Partner with business leaders to identify skill gaps, succession opportunities, and leadership development priorities across stores, commissary, and corporate functions

• Build scalable learning solutions that support operational excellence, guest service standards, compliance, leadership capability, and career growth

• Design, implement, and continuously improve onboarding, training, and development programs for hourly team members, managers, and leaders

• Lead the evolution of new hire orientation to create a welcoming, engaging, and brand-centered experience

• Create leadership development pathways focused on coaching, accountability, hospitality, communication, and operational execution

• Create structured development plans and performance improvement tools that support team member growth and operational consistency

• Ensure training materials, messaging, and delivery methods reflect the Citarella brand and service expectations across all locations

• Partner closely with Store Managers, Department Managers, Operations Leaders, and HR to support workforce readiness and business initiatives

• Spend time in stores and operational environments to understand team needs, identify opportunities, and ensure training programs are practical and impactful

• Support new store initiatives, operational rollouts, process improvements, and culture-building efforts through effective training execution

• Establish measurable KPIs and reporting metrics to evaluate training effectiveness, engagement, retention, and operational impact

• Utilize feedback, assessments, and performance trends to continuously improve learning programs and delivery methods

• Identify opportunities to streamline processes, improve adoption, and increase overall training effectiveness

• Lead, coach, and develop members of the Learning & Development function

• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, hospitality, and continuous learning

• Stay informed on industry trends, learning technologies, and innovative development practices that enhance the team member experience

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and professional experience
• 5+ years of progressive leadership experience in Learning & Development, Organizational Development, or Talent Development
• Experience building and scaling training programs within fast-paced, multi-unit environments
• Strong operational mindset with the ability to connect learning initiatives directly to business results and guest experience
• Proven ability to influence and partner effectively with leaders across all levels of the organization
• Exceptional communication, facilitation, coaching, and relationship-building skills
• Highly organized with strong project management and execution capabilities
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and familiarity with HRIS, LMS, or learning platforms
• Preferred experience: Experience within retail, hospitality, food service, grocery, restaurant, or multi-site operational environments
• Bilingual English/Spanish strongly preferred
• Comfortable working in both corporate and operational settings, including stores and commissary environments
• Passion for hospitality, people development, and creating exceptional team member experiences