Onboarding Trainer- 1st Shift Acorn

Farmer Focus•Harrisonburg, VA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Onboarding Trainer helps develop, mentor, and coach new team members as they learn Farmer Focus operations processes and the knowledge, skills, procedures, and responsibilities needed for their assigned positions. The role partners with Operations, the Orientation Trainer, department leads, supervisors, and Safety to support new hires through their 60-day probationary period. It calls for a commitment to lifelong learning, coaching, team member development, and the Farmer Focus CARES values: Community, Accountability, Respect, Excellence, and Stewardship. Approximately 70% of the role is hands-on training and support in production departments. Approximately 30% supports orientation, new-hire understanding, check-ins, documentation, and related onboarding activities. The position works primarily in a manufacturing and poultry production environment, including production, training, orientation, team member work, and other operational areas. Team members must tolerate varying heat, wet, cold, and chill conditions. Hearing and eye protection, hair and beard nets, and potentially other task- or location-specific personal protective equipment are required in production areas. The role may involve prolonged standing, walking, bending, reaching, demonstrating production tasks, using computers and Microsoft Office, and working in a fast-paced environment where priorities and training needs may change quickly. The position is full-time, on-site at the Acorn facility, on the first shift, and has no travel requirements. Compensation is $19.50 per hour. The role reports to the Training Supervisor. Benefits may include weekly payroll, paid time off and sick leave, semi-subsidized medical coverage, dental and vision plan options, a 401(k) with company match, HSA and FSA, education reimbursement opportunities, employee assistance programs, and internal learning, development, and career growth programs. Benefits and offerings are subject to eligibility, plan terms, and company policies. New team members must pass a drug and alcohol screening after the offer and before employment begins. Employment eligibility verification must be documented by the end of the employee’s third workday. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Requirements

At least 3 years of related experience relevant to the role.
Strong communication skills in English, Spanish, and/or French.
Experience leading or supporting training initiatives in a manufacturing, production, or operations environment.
Strong Microsoft Office skills.
Ability to train, coach, mentor, and support new team members in a production environment.
Ability to demonstrate proper job techniques and explain expectations clearly.
Ability to analyze processes and identify training needs.
Ability to communicate effectively with new hires, leads, supervisors, Operations leadership, Safety, and the Orientation Trainer.
Ability to complete and maintain training documentation, evaluations, check-ins, and feedback forms accurately and on time.
Ability to work hands-on in production departments for a significant portion of the role.
Ability to support food safety, GMP, safety, health and welfare, and operational training requirements.
Ability to model the Farmer Focus CARES values of Community, Accountability, Respect, Excellence, and Stewardship.
Ability to perform the essential functions of the role with or without reasonable accommodation.
Ability to tolerate varying heat, wet, cold, and chill conditions in the plant.
Ability to meet the stated physical demands, including prolonged standing, walking, bending, reaching, and demonstrating production tasks.
Must pass a drug and alcohol screening after the offer and before employment begins.
Employment eligibility verification must be documented by the end of the third workday.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual ability in English and Spanish.
Prior experience as a trainer, lead, buddy trainer, production trainer, onboarding trainer, or in a similar role.
Experience supporting new hires through an introductory, probationary, or onboarding period.
Experience in poultry processing, food processing, manufacturing, production, or operations.
Experience training team members on food safety, GMPs, safety techniques, health and welfare, production standards, or documented work processes.
Experience using surveys, check-ins, evaluations, or tracking tools to monitor new-hire progress.
Strong commitment to lifelong learning, coaching, and team member development.

Responsibilities

Provide hands-on training in assigned departments to help new hires learn production-process skills.
Spend approximately 70% of work time providing hands-on training and support in production departments.
Monitor new hires and communicate clear expectations for proper job techniques.
Demonstrate and coach proper job execution in assigned departments.
Assist the Orientation Trainer during new-hire orientation week.
Spend approximately 30% of work time supporting orientation, new-hire understanding, check-ins, documentation, and related onboarding activities.
Check in with new hires at the 2-week, 4-week, and 7-week marks about their understanding of Farmer Focus policies, procedures, and values.
Conduct daily evaluations to track new-hire improvement and identify additional training needs.
Analyze processes to identify training needs and opportunities for improvement.
Communicate concerns about new hires to leads and supervisors.
Conduct weekly check-ins according to the department schedule.
Serve as a subject matter expert on the production floor.
Partner with Operations Leadership and Safety to ensure team members follow documented processes.
Assist departments with training on compliance-related topics, including food safety, GMPs, safety techniques, and health and welfare expectations.
Ensure supervisors provide regular feedback on new hires using survey forms or other required feedback tools.
Model patience, professionalism, accountability, and respect to support a coaching culture.
Reinforce safety, quality, productivity, animal welfare, food safety, and operational expectations during training.
Perform other duties as assigned.