Training & Development Manager

The Wedding Shoppe•Saint Paul, MN

About The Position

The Wedding Shoppe is seeking its first dedicated Training and Development Manager, to pioneer shaping the skills, confidence, and performance of our Stylist team and supporting roles. They will be responsible for designing, delivering, and continuously improving training programs that elevate both the employee experience and the client experience. This role will lead onboarding, ongoing skill development, performance coaching, and career path clarity for all team members. The Training & Development Manager partners closely with leaders, Stylists, Buyers, Marketing, HR, and cross-functional departments to ensure training aligns with business goals and reinforces The Wedding Shoppe's brand standards. The ideal candidate is an engaging facilitator, proactive coach, and a strategic partner who thrives in a fast-paced, highly collaborative, people-centered environment

Requirements

5+ years of experience in training, learning & development, or talent enablement—ideally in bridal, luxury retail, or high-consideration client-service environments—with a proven ability to design training that improves sales performance, client satisfaction, and retention.
Strong expertise in adult learning, sales enablement, and coaching, with excellent communication skills for facilitating training, delivering feedback, and aligning cross-functional teams.
Skilled in diagnosing performance gaps and solving problems in fast-moving environments, including onboarding challenges, stylist performance issues, and client-experience inconsistencies
Collaborative and business-minded, able to partner effectively with stylists, managers, operations, and marketing while using industry research and business insights to shape training content and support company goals.
Highly organized and tech-savvy, capable of managing multiple initiatives, using LMS/digital tools to track development, and proficient in Microsoft Office for training design and communication.

Responsibilities

Training Design & Delivery: Creating and delivering training that builds the knowledge, skills, and behaviors required for exceptional client experiences including:
Assessing organizational training needs by partnering with leaders and teams, then designing engaging programs that build both technical skills and behavioral strengths.
Delivering high-impact, interactive training (workshops, role-plays, case studies) supported by leaders and internal experts to reinforce learning and build confidence.
Establishing a consistent training rhythm with recurring sessions, including product knowledge updates and workshops on sales techniques, client experience, and brand values.
Development & Enablement: Fostering growth and confidence through clear pathways, personalized coaching, and development opportunities focused on:
Developing and managing the Stylist growth pathway by defining clear roles, advancement criteria, and competency models for each stylist level.
Coaching and developing stylists through appointment shadowing, real-time feedback, and training on consultative selling, accessories, group dynamics, and effective follow-up.
Partnering with leaders and managers to ensure consistent promotions, delivering structured coaching programs, and reinforcing day-to-day performance expectations.
Creating peer-learning and mentoring programs including best-practice roundtables, knowledge sharing, and mentor/mentee development for emerging leaders.
Supporting talent development and succession planning by identifying high-potential team members, building leadership skills, and guiding goal setting with ongoing check-ins.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partnering closely with internal teams as a connector across departments, ensuring training aligns with business priorities and that feedback between stylists and leadership is acted upon.
Align training with organizational priorities by partnering across departments and leadership levels on business goals, performance cycles, product launches, and seasonal campaigns.
Advise and equip leaders with coaching tools, observation guides, and workforce insights to support talent development, employee growth, and stronger business outcomes.
Performance & Skills Assessment: Evaluating performance and training effectiveness using data and feedback to drive continuous improvement, which includes:
Defining, tracking, and coaching to key stylist metrics (AOV, close rate, client satisfaction), connecting daily activities to performance outcomes and company growth goals.
Assessing skill gaps through observation, surveys, performance data, and structured knowledge checks or certifications before stylists are client-facing.
Evaluating training effectiveness by tying learning outcomes to KPI improvements, client experience gains, and overall performance trends.
Maintaining consistent performance visibility through dashboards, scorecards, and reporting that track individual and team progress.
Providing leaders with data-driven insights to support coaching, promotions, succession planning, and talent development decisions.
Collect and use feedback from stylists, new hires, and stakeholders to refine programs and inform long-term workforce planning
Onboarding Support: Supporting the new-hire integration process and ensuring employees are set up for success from day one through structured onboarding, such as:
Designing and delivering structured onboarding programs with clear 30-60-90 day milestones, pre-hire resources, and orientation sessions that connect new hires to the brand, culture, and role expectations.
Providing ongoing support through mentor or buddy partnerships and early-stage coaching to accelerate confidence and performance.
Tracking and evaluating new-hire progress during the probationary period, offering targeted development to ensure early success.
Leaning Resources & Knowledge Management: Develop and enhance tools and resources that drive learning, consistency, and performance across the organization, including:
Identifying and addressing gaps in the stylist experience, sales process, and operations by updating training, resources, and SOPs to improve efficiency, consistency, and client satisfaction.
Developing and maintaining centralized, brand-aligned learning resources including SOPs, digital handbooks, videos, e-learning, and quick-reference guides, using multiple formats to support diverse learning styles.
Continuously improve training and tools through audits, 360° feedback, best-practice sharing, and regular content refreshes to ensure relevance and effectiveness.
Culture & Engagement: Promoting a culture of growth, recognition, and collaboration that reinforces The Wedding Shoppe's mission to create happy experiences for employees and clients, including
Fostering a culture of continuous learning and growth by normalizing coaching and feedback, celebrating milestones and achievements, recognizing exceptional performance, and reinforcing company values through engaging, collaborative development experiences.
Strengthening connection and engagement across the team by facilitating open forums, listening sessions, and gamified learning activities, serving as a cultural ambassador who ensures development programs enhance both employee satisfaction and customer delight.