Lead Production Trainer - 2nd Shift Acorn

Farmer Focus•Harrisonburg, VA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Farmer Focus’s mission is to promote and protect generational family farms by shifting farm-level decision-making and chicken ownership back to farmers and empowering them to farm the way they know is best. We are committed to consistently producing 100% organic and humanely raised chicken that is better for people, the planet, and animals. Our culture is rooted in servant leadership, and we live by our Farmer Focus CARES values: Community, Accountability, Respect, Excellence, and Stewardship. The Lead Production Trainer is responsible for coaching and developing Trainers, Buddy Trainers, and team members to support high productivity, quality, safety, food safety, animal welfare, and operational compliance. This role focuses on delivering and supporting effective production training while ensuring team members understand and follow Farmer Focus policies, procedures, standards, and expectations. The Lead Production Trainer plays an important role in strengthening new hire onboarding, improving trainer consistency, supporting production performance, and building team member capability across poultry operations. This position partners closely with Trainers, Team Leads, Operations management, supervisors, and the Orientation Trainer to support training effectiveness, performance feedback, continuous improvement, and accurate documentation.

Requirements

Reliable attendance and punctuality.
3–5 years of experience in poultry or meat production.
1–2 years of experience in a training, lead, or leadership role.
In-depth production knowledge with the ability to train and mentor new and existing Trainers.
Solid understanding of poultry processing operations, food safety protocols, and production standards.
Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate with diverse teams.
Proven performance record with a positive and proactive attitude.
Ability to complete all required documentation accurately and on time.
Ability to coach, mentor, guide, and motivate Trainers, Buddy Trainers, and team members.
Ability to provide performance feedback and communicate evaluation information to appropriate supervisors.
Ability to maintain training records, onboarding check-ins, performance documentation, and tracking tools.
Ability to work in a fast-paced, physically demanding production environment.
Ability to lift 70–80 pounds.
Ability to work around dust, feathers, and raw poultry.
Flexibility to cross-train and adapt to different roles as needed.
Ability to support safety, quality, animal welfare, food safety, GMP, and operational procedures.
Ability to perform the essential functions of the role with or without reasonable accommodation.
New team members must be able to pass a drug, alcohol and background screening post-offer and prior to the start of their employment.
The Immigration Reform and Control Act requires that verification of employment eligibility be documented for all new employees by the end of their third day of work.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual ability in English and Spanish.
Prior experience as a Production Trainer, Buddy Trainer, Team Lead, or similar production leadership role.
Experience developing or updating training materials, SOPs, job aids, or department training plans.
Experience supporting new hire onboarding, introductory period check-ins, or performance tracking.
Experience training team members in poultry processing, meat processing, food safety, animal welfare, quality, safety, or GMP standards.
Experience using production metrics such as yield, scrape scores, quality performance, productivity, or training completion data.

Responsibilities

Mentor, guide, and motivate Trainers, Buddy Trainers, and team members to support quality, productivity, and performance goals.
Ensure Trainers are proficient in assigned production processes, department positions, and department-specific metrics, including yield, scrape scores, and other applicable measures.
Oversee Trainers’ documentation of new hire performance during the 60-day introductory period.
Ensure required onboarding check-ins are completed and documented at weeks 2, 4, and 7.
Support the Orientation Trainer or Training & Development Specialist during new hire onboarding and orientation.
Collaborate with the supervisor to plan and implement training improvements.
Partner with Trainers, Team Leads, Operations management, and supervisors to provide consistent feedback on team member performance.
Foster a positive team environment through proactive communication, engagement, coaching, and support.
Coach Trainers to uphold and promote the Farmer Focus mission and CARES values: Community, Accountability, Respect, Excellence, and Stewardship.
Ensure feedback from performance evaluations is communicated to the appropriate supervisors.
Maintain accurate training documentation, onboarding records, performance tracking, and related reports.
Assist in developing training materials, standard operating procedures, and job aids tailored to poultry operations.
Serve as the primary contact for production training activities and support.
Contribute to the development of department-wide training strategies.
Support continuous improvement efforts related to training, onboarding, production performance, safety, quality, and team member development.
Ensure training activities support food safety programs, animal welfare requirements, safety standards, quality expectations, and Farmer Focus policies.
Cross-train and adapt to different roles as needed to support operational and training needs.
Perform other duties as assigned.