Job Title: Avoca Learning & Development Specialist
Location: Can be based in one of the following Avoca stores Rathcoole, Dunboyne or Malahide with travel from time to time to other Avoca locations.
Reports to: Avoca HRBP with a dotted line to Aramark L&D & DEI Director
Position Type: Full-time Permanent
Role Purpose:
This new & exciting hands-on role is pivotal in re-invigorating Avoca’s customer service experience across its cafes, food halls, restaurants & retail spaces ensuring not only that a premium customer experience is delivered by trained & engaged colleagues but to also deliver financial growth. This role requires innovation, operational & commercial savviness whilst upholding Avoca’s values of quality, craftsmanship, and exceptional service.
The successful candidate is required to be a key stakeholder in enhancing the learning experiences in Avoca of all Frontline colleagues. They’ll also play an integral part in supporting the career paths across Avoca’s 1,000 colleagues.
Job Description
Role & Responsibilities
This list includes the following but is not limited to:
Training
Complete an Annual frontline Learning & Development needs analysis based on but not limited to the Avoca Talent Score card data, annual engagement survey results & the annual Avoca HR People Strategy.
Develop and communicate the agreed annual frontline Learning & Development plan to all stakeholders.
Deliver training programs/initiatives specific to business needs and client expectations.
Support in the delivery of an engaging ‘Warm Welcome to Avoca’ induction and onboarding across the Avoca business, part of which will be co-ordinating the ’new starters ‘monthly Mill Heritage visit.
Create and deliver training to elevate the overall customer experience & journey, ensuring consistent seamless service and exceptional standards across all locations.
Work collaboratively with key stakeholders to design and delivery Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure all hospitality & production colleagues adhere to our stringent hygiene, and safety regulations, whilst delivering consistent quality across the board.
Support where required in the development, design and delivery of Aramark (parent company) learning and development initiatives.

Ensure all stores, Central Distribution Centre (CST), Central Bakery & Kitchen Production Unit (CBK), Avoca Mill & Head office have sufficient ‘Train the Trainers’ to support in the role out of training during each colleague’s employment lifecycle.

• Create a centre of learning & development excellence store.
• Ensure where required ‘refresher training’ is designed and delivered.

Ensure the business is 100% compliant for all mandatory and compliance training e.g. Health & Safety, Business Conduct Policy (BCP) with the relevant stakeholders to safeguard our colleagues and customers.
Responsible for the creation and management of monthly dashboards for tracking and reporting purposes, to be shared with the senior business leaders regarding all learning activities.
Create interactive and visually appealing training content, including but not limited to graphics, animations, videos, live demonstrations.
Ensure all training is delivered within agreed timelines, and of high-quality standard.
Evaluate the effectiveness of all learning experiences delivered using agreed metrics and methodologies e.g. customer feedback, mystery shopper results, etc. to continually refine and continuously enhance the customer experience.
Talent Development
In conjunction with the relevant stakeholders create & deliver development programs to ensure there’s continuous development for frontline colleagues.
Promote a collaborative environment during the learning experience to enhance colleague knowledge, understanding and engagement.
Identify external Apprenticeship programs or other accredited programmes that would be of benefit to Avoca and co-ordinate the nomination and attendance of Avoca colleagues in line with budget constraints.
Identify with relevant stakeholders where no external apprenticeships are available could an internal apprenticeship be created and delivered.
Co-ordinate the attendance of Avoca colleagues to relevant Aramark programs e.g. Make Your Mark etc.
Required skills & Experience

Essential

• Qualifications & experience relating to learning or instructional design & delivery circa 5+ years.
• Experience of creating and delivering training using blended methodology, including digital, virtual and in person.
• Operational experience in Hospitality / Retail.
• Ability to work with and internal and external stakeholders to delivery all identified needs.
• Ability to work under pressure with agility and resilience at pace.
• Demonstrate outstanding written and oral communication skills.
• Build rapport with all stakeholders.
• Worked with authoring tools and Learning Management Systems (LMS).
• Work independently and as part of a team; use own initiative.
• Attention to detail.

Desirable

• Experience of using platforms Adobe Pro, Articulate and Synthesia amongst others.
• Experience of using Microsoft Office (including setting up Classrooms on Teams etc.).
• Project Management experience.

If you are interested in applying for this position, please talk to your manager for further information.
Avoca is an equal opportunity employe

• Create a centre of learning & development excellence store.
• Ensure where required ‘refresher training’ is designed and delivered