Director of Training

About the role

Zekelman Industries is seeking a Director of Training to lead the development and implementation of a robust training ecosystem across the organization. This role is responsible for ensuring every facility has the necessary tools, standards, and support to develop skilled employees, strong supervisors, and high-performing teams. Reporting to the CEO, this position works closely with Operations, HR, Safety, Quality, and Plant Leadership to build scalable training frameworks that drive retention, productivity, and operational excellence.

Responsibilities

• Develop and own the enterprise training strategy aligned with business goals, workforce needs, and operational priorities.
• Establish training governance structures, including councils, standards, and cross-facility best-practice sharing.
• Create competency-based training pathways for operators, maintenance, supervisors, and emerging leaders.
• Design and deploy standardized onboarding programs for hourly, skilled trades, and leadership roles.
• Lead the development of training content, playbooks, SOPs, and digital learning modules.
• Ensure training programs integrate seamlessly with safety, quality, and operational requirements.
• Coach and support facility-level trainers, training coordinators, and operational leaders.
• Implement systems to track training completion, skill progression, and certification status.
• Develop training solutions that support retention, including onboarding, buddy programs, and supervisor coaching tools.
• Partner with Talent Acquisition to support hiring, ramp-up, and long-term workforce planning.
• Establish KPIs and dashboards to measure training effectiveness, ROI, and operational impact.
• Benchmark training programs against industry and cross-industry best practices.
• Drive continuous improvement through feedback loops, audits, and facility performance reviews.
• Lead and promote healthy and safe work practices as required by regulatory agencies and Company policy.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Development, Education, Business, Operations, or related field; Master’s degree preferred.
• 8+ years of experience in training, workforce development, or operational leadership, preferably in manufacturing or industrial environments.
• Proven experience building scalable, multi-site training systems.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing operations, workforce dynamics, and frontline leadership.
• Expertise in instructional design, adult learning principles, and competency-based training.
• Ability to translate complex operational processes into clear, actionable training materials.
• Exceptional communication, facilitation, and coaching skills.
• Data-driven mindset with experience using metrics to guide decisions.
• Strong project management skills and ability to collaborate cross-functionally.

Qualifications

• Experience in a similar role within a manufacturing environment.
• Knowledge of industry standards and best practices in training and development.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with cross-functional teams.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

Skills

• Instructional Design
• Competency-Based Training
• Adult Learning Principles
• Training Content Creation
• Training Program Implementation
• Training Delivery
• Training Evaluation
• Training Governance
• Training Analytics
• Training Technology Integration
• Training Program Benchmarking

Benefits

Competitive compensation, bonus plan, profit-sharing opportunities, 401(k) plan with a generous company match, comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance, tuition assistance program, paid vacation and holidays, employee loyalty awards and recognition programs.