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MISSION CONTRIBUTION:
Partners in collaboration with operational leaders across Goodwill to strengthen team member readiness, leadership effectiveness, and operational performance through targeted learning solutions, executive coaching, and role-based functional training. Functions as a strategic bridge between Learning & Development and Operations, ensuring training programs reflect current business practices, directly support sales outcomes and mission impact, and equip leaders and team members with the capabilities required to excel in their roles. Cultivates a consistent, values-aligned learning culture across Goodwill Industries Manasota and Goodwill Industries of the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast, advancing Goodwill's mission of Changing Lives Through the Power of Work.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Learning & Development (L&D) Operations Business Partner serves as a strategic learning leader embedded within Operations, responsible for aligning learning initiatives with operational excellence, leadership development, and organizational performance. This role bridges L&D strategy with operational execution across GIMI and GIPB, ensuring training, coaching, and development activities directly support business outcomes and operational readiness.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
1. L&D & Operations Business Partnership
The L&D Operations Business Partner serves as the primary learning consultant to Operations leadership, building trusted relationships and deep operational knowledge to identify and address performance and development needs.
- Serves as the primary L&D business partner to Operations and develops trusted relationships with Operations leaders across both GIMI and GIPB.
- Builds and maintains deep, documented knowledge of operational roles, workflows, systems, equipment, safety expectations, customer and service standards, productivity measures, sales drivers, and business priorities. Updates this knowledge through regular field observations and stakeholder conversations.
- Conducts regular field observations in operational locations, leadership meetings, and training environments to observe work practices, gather feedback, validate training accuracy, and identify performance or readiness gaps.
- Partners with Operations leaders to diagnose performance issues by distinguishing between training needs and other organizational factors (process inefficiencies, communication gaps, staffing issues, accountability breakdowns, or resource constraints). Recommends appropriate solutions, which may include training, process redesign, resource allocation, or accountability measures.
- Translates operational changes, new systems, updated procedures, safety requirements, and performance priorities into coordinated learning and reinforcement plans with clear timelines, delivery methods, and success measures.
- Collaborates with the Director of Learning and Development to prioritize learning initiatives, allocate resources, manage implementation risks, and align all L&D work with organizational strategic goals.
- Ensures consistency and alignment between GIMI and GIPB in the design, development, delivery, and supporting resource materials for leadership programs, training curricula, and learning tools. Documents standards and best practices to facilitate this alignment.
2. Operations Leadership Coaching and Development
The L&D Operations Business Partner provides targeted coaching, developmental support, and skills training to Operations leaders, strengthening leadership effectiveness and business outcomes.
- Provides performance, developmental, and skills coaching to Operations leaders across GIMI and GIPB to address specific leadership challenges, build management capabilities, and improve business results. Coaching focuses on areas such as team engagement, decision-making quality, and accountability.
- Supports new operational leaders with structured onboarding in the first 90 days, addressing role transition, prioritization, delegation, decision-making, accountability, meeting effectiveness, and management of competing responsibilities.
- Creates, communicates, and manages coaching schedules and development plans for assigned operational leaders. Development plans include specific goals, coaching frequency, success measures, and timelines.
- Partners with leaders and applicable stakeholders (HR, direct supervisors) to establish development action plans, monitor progress against agreed-upon benchmarks, and document outcomes and learnings.
- Attends selected Operations leadership meetings on a regular basis to observe leadership practices, provide constructive feedback, and reinforce leadership and operational standards.
- Develops and documents standards and best practices for operational leadership meetings, including expectations for preparation, facilitation techniques, follow-up accountability, and decision-making processes.
- Coordinates and facilitates developmental assessments, 360-degree feedback, Predictive Index resources, and related development tools as assigned by the Director of Learning and Development. Interprets results and uses insights to inform coaching and development strategies.
- Partners with the Director of L&D and Leadership Development Specialist to ensure all operational coaching and leader development activities align with the broader Leadership Development Program, using consistent frameworks, assessment tools, and development language across the organization.
3. Functional Operations Training Management
The L&D Operations Business Partner leads the design, coordination, and evaluation of functional operations training to ensure consistent role readiness, skill development, and adherence to operational standards across the organization.
- In partnership with the Director of L&D and Operation leaders, leads and coordinates functional operations training activities for GIMI and GIPB, including training plans for new team member onboarding, cross-training, role readiness assessments, and operational process change training.
- Works with Operations leadership to define and document role-based training standards, including required skills, sequencing of learning, hands-on practice requirements, readiness verification checks, and reinforcement schedules.
- Ensures consistency and alignment between GIMI and GIPB in the design, development, delivery, and supporting materials for functional training. Documents training standards, curricula, and delivery methods to facilitate consistency.
- Supports Train-the-Trainer initiatives by working with the Director of L&D and Operations leaders to ensure trainers across the organization apply consistent facilitation frameworks, instructional standards, and operational training practices. Strengthens trainer capabilities through coaching, feedback, and professional development.
- Evaluates training effectiveness through multiple methods, which may include: Classroom and field observations, Participant feedback surveys, Role readiness assessments and competency verification Performance data (productivity, quality, safety metrics, time-to-competency), Stakeholder input from supervisors and trainees,Â
- Documents findings and recommends improvements to training design, delivery, or reinforcement.
4. Cross-Functional Responsibilities
- Project & Meeting Management: Attends L&D and Operations project meetings, operational training sessions, coaching touchpoints, and stakeholder reviews. Maintains clear documentation, action item tracking, and follow-up communications to ensure alignment across both teams.
- Stakeholder Communication: Communicates project progress, key decisions, identified risks, resource needs, and unresolved issues to applicable stakeholders in a timely and transparent manner. Escalates issues as needed.
- Priority Management: Manages multiple competing priorities and adjusts implementation plans as organizational needs change, while maintaining quality standards and timely delivery of learning initiatives.
- Organizational Culture & Values: Serves as a steward of the organizational learning culture by modeling Goodwill's Core Values and Guiding Principles in all interactions. Champions continuous learning, accountability, and operational excellence.
- Presence & Collaboration: Maintains consistent presence in office and field environments to support Operations teams. Collaborates effectively with L&D, Operations, HR, and other cross-functional partners.
- Additional Duties: Performs other duties as assigned by the Director of Learning and Development to support organizational learning and operational goals.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
- Education: Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Adult Education, Business Administration, or related field required; Master’s degree preferred.
- Experience: Minimum 5 years of progressive professional experience in learning and development, operations training, leadership development, coaching, performance improvement, consulting or a related field
- Experience leading complex, multi-site projects and coordinating work across teams or through indirect influence.
- Experience partnering with operations leaders and translating business processes into functional training, coaching, and performance improvement solutions.
- Experience leading operational training initiatives, trainer networks, or cross-functional performance improvement efforts.
- Knowledge: Demonstrated understanding of adult learning principles, training evaluation methods, performance coaching or executive coaching, organizational development, change management, business operations, supply chain, logistics and operations improvementÂ
TRAINING & EXPERIENCE:
- Experience building and scaling programs across multi-site locations
- Experience in instructional design (ADDIE model, curriculum development)
- Experience with Learning Management Systems (LMS) and training technology
- Familiarity with assessment tools (360-degree feedback, Predictive Index, or similar)
- Coaching, Project Management or Operations Improvement CertificationsÂ
- Experience in retail, warehouse, distribution, or logistics operations
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Work Schedule: Fulltime position; occasional evening or weekend attendance at training events or Operations meetings may be required
- Special Requirement’s: Position is safety-sensitive and requires drug testing; this role may require access to facility keys and alarm systems.Â
- Must possess a valid driver’s license, appropriate insurance coverage, and a privately-owned reliable means of transportation.
- Location: Office based with regular field presence in stores, donation centers, training locations, and other operational sites on a recurring basis.
- Travel: 80% of time in field, 20% in office with travel between GIMI and GIPB locations as needed
- Physical Demands: Ability to stand, walk, and move around warehouse/operational environments; ability to lift and carry materials up to 25lb occasionally
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