Training & Technical Services Director

Plunkett'S Pest Control•Fridley, MN

About The Position

Plunkett’s is hiring a Training & Technical Services Director to lead the development of technical training, field capability, and technical services across the organization. This senior leadership role will assess existing programs, identify opportunities for improvement, and build scalable systems that strengthen technical expertise and operational capability. As a member of the Leadership Team, the director will collaborate with Operations, HR, and other leaders to help shape and execute company strategy. The role combines strategic leadership with hands-on collaboration, requiring an understanding of field realities and the ability to turn those insights into practical development programs and technical support systems. The director will lead the Training Manager/team, Technical Director, Specialty Services Manager, and other technical resources; develop training and career-long learning opportunities; and strengthen support for complex accounts and challenging pest management situations. The role will use data, field feedback, technology, and business outcomes to improve training effectiveness, knowledge transfer, readiness, and performance. Plunkett’s is a stable, family-owned company with over 100 years of service. The position requires a pre-employment background check and motor vehicle record check after an employment offer.

Requirements

Deep pest management expertise and strong technical credibility among experienced field professionals.
Proven success leading technical, training, or operational teams.
Strong coaching and teaching abilities, including experience developing content and people.
Experience evaluating programs, measuring effectiveness, and driving continuous improvement.
Ability to use data, business outcomes, and operational performance to guide decision-making.
Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities.

Nice To Haves

Strategic thinking balanced with practical execution.
Collaborative leadership across departments and functions.
Comfort moving between executive-level discussions, program development, team leadership, and technical problem-solving.
Ability to influence and build alignment among leaders and teams.
Passion for developing people, strengthening organizational capability, and building scalable systems for growth.
Practical, hands-on approach that stays connected to field operations without requiring full-time field work.

Responsibilities

Assess current training programs and develop a scalable, multi-year strategy for technical and field development.
Evaluate existing programs, preserve effective elements, and implement improvements that support future growth.
Ensure training, technical services, and field capability adapt to acquisitions, geographic expansion, new services, regulatory changes, and customer expectations.
Serve as a member of the Leadership Team and help shape and execute company priorities and strategic initiatives.
Improve new-hire training and accelerate safe, confident, independent productivity.
Build development opportunities for technicians, supervisors, and operations managers throughout their careers.
Establish technical and operational competency expectations and measures of readiness, effectiveness, and performance.
Expand the use of field coaching, technology, AI, and just-in-time learning to strengthen knowledge transfer and performance.
Use data, field feedback, and business outcomes to improve training effectiveness and guide investments.
Strengthen the organization’s support for complex accounts and challenging pest management situations.
Serve as a technical resource while building others’ ability to provide technical expertise.
Develop systems for coaching, knowledge sharing, and expertise transfer across the organization.
Build bench strength and distribute critical knowledge and technical expertise throughout the company.
Lead and develop the Training Manager/team, Technical Director, Specialty Services Manager, and other technical resources.
Identify and leverage experienced technical experts for training, coaching, complex-account support, and knowledge transfer.
Foster a culture of continuous learning, accountability, and technical excellence.
Partner with Operations and HR to align training, technical development, workforce planning, and organizational needs.
Collaborate with operational leaders to reinforce learning, improve field execution, and identify capability gaps.
Maintain strong relationships with industry partners, manufacturers, licensing organizations, and technical resources.