Regional Training Manager

Mendocino Farms Talent Acquisition Team•Plano, TX

16h•$75,000 - $95,000•Remote

About The Position

Mendocino Farms is growing rapidly, with over 100 stores and plans for significant expansion. The Regional Training Manager plays a crucial role in ensuring this growth does not compromise the company's core values and operational standards. This role focuses on developing the capabilities of restaurant management teams across a designated region, approximately 50 stores, by partnering with Directors of Operations (DOs). The primary responsibilities include overseeing the execution of the Manager-in-Training (MIT) program, facilitating large-scale learning events, and providing targeted support to stores facing performance challenges due to people-related issues. Success will be measured by MIT completion rates, manager development participation, promotion pipeline strength, and overall store operational health. The role also serves as a vital feedback loop to the Learning & Development (L&D) team, translating field observations into actionable insights for program improvement. This position is ideal for someone with a strategic mindset, operational acumen, and a focus on measurable results in restaurant performance.

Requirements

4+ years of leadership experience in a restaurant or hospitality environment.
Multi-unit, training, or field L&D experience strongly preferred.
Demonstrated track record of driving measurable results across a large geography by working through others.
Experience facilitating management-level training, leadership development workshops, or cohort-based learning programs for experienced operators.
Proven ability to build credible, trust-based partnerships with operations leaders.
Experience using training and operational data to prioritize decisions and report on outcomes.
Bachelor’s degree in a related field preferred; equivalent experience considered.
Strong facilitation skills.
Strategic and data-driven approach to planning and execution.
Operationally credible understanding of pressures faced by DOs and GMs.
Clear, confident communicator across all levels.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.
Proficiency with LMS platforms.
Comfort adopting new digital tools as needed.
Valid driver’s license.
Reliable transportation.
Ability to lift 25 pounds.
Ability to sit/stand for 6-8 hours.
Ability to use single grasping, fine manipulation, pushing, and pulling with hands.
Ability to perform motions such as bending, twisting, squatting, and reaching.

Nice To Haves

Portfolio thinker who prioritizes regional needs and investments.
Accountable to outcomes, reporting honestly on targets and adjusting based on data.
Coach-oriented, focused on building GM capability.
Self-directed and disciplined in managing a large, complex region.
Strong upward communicator, proactively informing the VP of regional status.
Energized by travel and variety in a field-based role.

Responsibilities

Own the end-to-end field execution of the MIT (Manager-in-Training) program across the region, from participant launch through certification, and ensure regional completion rates and time-to-certification benchmarks are met.
Build early relationships with MIT participants, provide proactive coaching, identify and address skill gaps before they hinder certification, and collaborate with General Managers (GMs) to resolve them.
Track regional MIT metrics, including cohort progress, completion rates, promotion outcomes, and 90-day performance post-certification, and present a regular regional scorecard to DOs and the VP of Talent Management.
Partner with the Training Coordinator on scheduling, logistics, and LMS tracking, managing the participant relationship and field execution while the TC handles systems.
Identify patterns in candidate struggles, content effectiveness, and GM support needs across cohorts, and provide specific, actionable insights to the L&D team to enhance the program.
Facilitate regional learning events for managers, such as leadership workshops, skill-building sessions, and Train the Trainer programs, collaborating with the L&D team on design and content while owning delivery and follow-through.
Partner with DOs to identify management development priorities in their areas and communicate these needs to the L&D team to ensure programming addresses real gaps.
Manage the logistics and execution of regional training events, including coordination, facilitation, attendance tracking, and post-event effectiveness measurement.
Establish a regional learning calendar to ensure consistent manager development touchpoints throughout the year.
Track event participation rates and manager satisfaction scores, report outcomes to the VP of Talent Management, and use data to refine regional programming quarterly.
Serve as the dedicated L&D partner to 6-7 Directors of Operations, building trust and becoming their primary contact for people development questions.
Establish a regular meeting cadence with each DO to review MIT pipeline health, identify stores with emerging people challenges, and align on where L&D support will be most valuable.
Translate DO feedback and operational performance data into a clear prioritization of L&D support deployment across the region, articulating this prioritization to the VP of Talent Management.
Keep DOs informed about training initiatives, program updates, and L&D resources to ensure field leaders are aware of and utilize available tools.
Contribute a regional perspective to L&D planning conversations, ensuring DOs' priorities influence content development.
Identify and prioritize stores in the region with significant people challenges impacting performance, such as leadership gaps, high turnover, or skill deficits.
Partner with the DO and GM to conduct needs assessments, develop time-bound action plans, and determine appropriate solutions (coaching, training, or escalation).
Execute support plans with clear milestones and follow-up checkpoints, measuring the impact of interventions on targeted metrics.
Maintain visibility into store health trends to proactively deploy support and escalate risks to the VP of Talent Management.
Act as the primary field feedback source for the L&D team, partnering with the Instructional Designer on content accuracy and operational applicability, and providing structured feedback on existing materials.
Pilot new programs and content in the field, providing actionable findings for improvement before broader rollout.
Utilize LMS completion data, assessment results, and DO feedback to anticipate regional trends and proactively flag emerging capability gaps to the L&D team.
Contribute to an annual regional review of training effectiveness, summarizing successes, failures, and recommendations for future development.