Requirements

In our organization, character and cultural fit are as important as competency. To be considered for this position you will embrace the following values:

• Heart & Soul: We seek a quality of expression that touches our deepest relationships beyond the surface. This perspective permeates the way we live, the way we work and the choices we make.
• Teamwork: We work collaboratively by capitalizing on the strengths of every member of our team and collectively own both our successes and our shortcomings.
• Passion: We love what we do, reach for the best, and strive to positively impact the lives of our guests, colleagues, franchisees, and vendors.
• Innovation: With an open mind and fresh ideas we are continuously evolving and creating new possibilities in our products, the way we do business, and our interactions with others.
• THTK: Totally Honest, Totally Kind: We work and live with great integrity, transparency, and compassion.

In addition, to be a good fit for the Training Specialist opportunity you should have:

• Minimum of one year running a quick service restaurant (QSR). Quick question for you - click here
• 3-5 years of proven experience in designing multiple training events in a corporate setting. Quick question for you - click here
• Extensive knowledge of instructional design theory and learning principles.
• Proven ability to master the full training cycle. 
• Adequate knowledge of learning management software. 
• Familiarity with traditional and modern training methods, tools and techniques. 
• Excellent writing skills.
• Proficiency in MS Office and in database software. 
• Familiarity with talent management and succession planning.
• Ability to conduct cost-benefit analysis and calculate training ROI.
• Sound decision-making and organizational skills.
• Ability to present complex information to a variety of audiences. 

Just as important as your experience and skills will be the following characteristics and competencies:

• A strong commitment to excellence.
• The ability to:
  • Earn the respect of our franchisees and your coworkers by continuing to deepen your knowledge,
  • Identify training needs as they surface,
  • Act independently with a minimum of supervision.
• Strong collaboration skills.

Preferred but not required:

• BS Degree in Education, Training, HR or related field.

The Role

Help us provide the sweet treats of excellent training, and educational materials

Our valued franchise owners travel to our unique corporate headquarters for 10 days of training, all related to how to run their businesses. This includes policies and procedures, food safety, product information and knowledge; everything they need to return to their stores and train their own teams. Although you will conduct only two days training of the ten, it will be your mission to oversee the rest, making sure they walk away with the information and tools they need to be successful. You will also do some corporate training including assisting with the onboarding process and some in store training, primarily through the use of checklists.  

You will invest your time as follows:

• Approximately 30-40% facilitating classroom training including the afore-mentioned franchisee trainings, employee orientation, and subject matter workshops you will develop and then advertise to the appropriate company stakeholders.
• Roughly 30% of your time will be spent doing administrative work - following up with business partners, putting together rosters, and accumulating the necessary information to make sure each store's performance is properly tracked.
• The balance of your time will be spent evaluating existing trainings and materials for improvement, writing and developing those materials, writing policies and procedures and contributing to the monthly communication Operations Services sends out to the entire system. This communiqué covers the gamut from new recipes to changes in policies & procedures. 

There is no substitute for experience 

We want someone with QSR experience because that's what it will take to win the respect of our franchise owners. They want to know that you understand what "a day in the life" feels like: when you get that last-minute call from a team member who can't open the store, or you suddenly realize you're running dangerously low on inventory, or that sinking feeling when you realize the drawer is $100 short. They also want to know you understand what it feels like to be successful - to beat your numbers and to celebrate with your team. 

Of course, all QSRs are not created equal so the first 28 days of your employment will be spent in one of our Yogurtland stores opening, closing, working shifts, learning all yogurts and toppings and even how to clean machines. This deep dive into the business is designed so you can learn everything there is to know about our products, customer service, how we engage employees and how our stores operate. It is difficult to teach what you don't know first hand so you will learn the unique aspects of our business before you begin to train others. 

Who you will interact with
 
You will report to the Senior Manager of Learning & Development within Operation Services. She has 20 years' experience in the industry, has benefited from the wisdom of many mentors and is eager to pass along what has been so freely given to her. She has an open door policy, listens well and believes in open communication. She is high energy, compassionate and regularly provides feedback and encouragement.
 
You’ll quickly discover we are a flat and lean organization; there are no silos. We interact at all levels. We are all team players; it’s one of our core values. At any given time you could find yourself talking to the Founder or one of our delivery drivers and it is certain you will work closely with the Director of Operations.

More specifically, you will:

• Identify training needs by evaluating strengths and weaknesses.
• Translate requirements into trainings that will groom employees for the next step of their career path.
• Build an annual training program and prepare teaching plans.
• Develop or oversee the production of classroom handouts, instructional materials, aids and manuals. 
• Direct structured learning experiences and monitor their quality results.
• Acclimate new hires to the business and conduct orientation sessions. 
• Deliver training courses.
• Assess training effectiveness to ensure incorporation of taught skills and techniques into employees work behavior.
• Periodically evaluate ongoing programs to ensure that they reflect any changes.
• Stay abreast of the new trends and tools in employee development. 

Pictured: Real Rewards members earn one point for every ounce they purchase. Rewards include three free ounces for every 36 points earned, three free ounces as a birthday treat, and the ability to progress through Green, Raspberry and Platinum tiers. Members can use a card or a mobile app.

Why Yogurtland

Values at the core
The values described under The Requirements tab are more than just buzzwords. They guide all of us at Yogurtland, each and every day. And just as we are dedicated to using only the highest quality milk and ingredients, we also are dedicated to delivering a genuinely exceptional learning and development experience for our employees and our store owners. You will play a lead role in delivering on that commitment.

Professional development
This role could offer you opportunities and challenges for years to come. As we grow, we will be exploring new learning platforms and you will have opportunities to learn and possibly even build out some of these--our e-learning platform, for example. If you have the talent and the ambition, this is a great time to bring your career here -- our ongoing strong growth will create opportunities for strong performers. You might set your sights on advancing within Operations Services or into other areas of the company. 

Pride
Not only are we the company that pioneered the self-serve frozen yogurt concept, but ours is the best-tasting yogurt available. This is a result of our people's passion and innovation, as well as their commitment to delighting the customer.

Great culture
We have worked hard to create an environment that is positive and upbeat. Because of our values, we treat one another with respect and there is a high level of trust and freedom. You'll find a strong sense of shared goals in an environment that is high energy and fun.

The kind of space employees want
When we built our corporate headquarters, we asked employees what would make it a great workplace. Based on that input, our space has an open floor plan with cubicles in the middle and short-wall offices along the perimeter; this promotes open communication and collaboration. There's a coffee bar with a variety of flavors; an onsite gym with weights, machines and showers; and vending machines in which everything costs a quarter (all proceeds are donated to charity). We also have a tasting room and every so often employees are invited to taste new flavors before they hit the market!

Work/life balance
No matter how great the environment, we all have lives outside of the office. In a role like this you may have to put in some additional early morning time to set up classrooms, and possibly stay later when trainings are occurring but we're serious about work/life balance. We want our team to make a home here and be happy for years to come, so we'll be proactive about helping you avoid burnout.

Groundbreaking innovation
Yogurtland's President, Phillip Chang, defined the industry and built a multimillion-dollar company from one store to 298 (and growing)! That groundbreaking innovation continues today and can be seen in our growth, our culture and even in the flavors that we continue to develop.

A company that cares
We care about our employees, our franchisees, the quality of our products and the quality of our work. We also care about the communities we serve and give back in a variety of ways. You can help us further build our community service programs. For example, in January 2016, Yogurtland founders, Phillip and Michelle Chang announced plans to donate a portion of the company's revenue to organizations that rescue and rehabilitate victims of human trafficking.

Excellent compensation
In addition to a competitive salary and bonus program, we offer medical and other insurances, paid time off, an onsite gym and more.

Pictured: from classic favorites like strawberry (top) to trending blendings like salted caramel hazelnut gelato (middle), each Yogurtland store offers a variety of tempting frozen yogurt flavors. For other aficionados, it's the toppings that count (bottom). You'll play a key role in ensuring that our customers enjoy a long and rewarding relationship with Yogurtland.

Keys to Success

Yogurtland is a truly unique organization, blending both the Eastern and the Western cultures. The Eastern part is seen in how much we truly believe in people first. We focus on a person's happiness, whether they are a customer, employee or business partner. The Western part of the blend has to do with metrics; there would be no company if we weren't achieving our goals. Blended together, we believe that metrics are important but what's most important is what's in your heart. We don't believe in basing decisions only on profitability; we also measure whether it's the right thing to do.

In your role, we will measure your success based on the following:

• You have integrated well into the organization.
• You have a great following from the franchise community as well as the business consultants you support.
• You routinely get "shout outs" for your delivery style and for delivering on the needs of the field.
• You consistently demonstrate the leadership principles of Servant Leadership.
• The number of management and trainees trained.
• Your output of training materials.
• You consistently show up as an Ambassador for Yogurtland.
• You are a strong team player.

About Yogurtland

Make a bad day good . . . make a good day great

Every day at Yogurtland we get real. We focus on real flavors, real ingredients and real relationships with every one of our guests. This focus and philosophy started with our founder, Phillip Chang, who thought that a real experience began with letting guests choose what they want. And in 2006 he changed the frozen yogurt industry forever when he opened the first self-serve Yogurtland with only the highest quality frozen yogurt and toppings.

Choice and quality -- we think that sets us apart. And every day you tell us our frozen yogurt is the real reason you come to Yogurtland.

We start with creamy, fresh real pure California milk without antibiotics or added hormones. Then we add the world's finest ingredients to bring pure deliciousness to your cup for flavors that taste like the real thing. Like thousands of pounds of pistachios, roasted to perfection, for our Pistachio frozen yogurt. Like combining real toasted coconut with the world's best mangos for our Coconut Mango frozen yogurt. Like a ton -- yes, a full ton! -- of juicy, delicious tangerines for our Pineapple Tangerine Tart.

It takes real passion to seek out the finest, best-tasting ingredients for our frozen yogurt. We take flavor seriously. So seriously that we have a team of expertly skilled, culinary masterminds we call Flavorologists™ who bring these unique, custom, handcrafted flavors to your cup, flavors you crave because we know who you are, and we know what you like, such as Madagascar Vanilla Bean, Maqui Berry Tart, Salted Caramel Pecan and Strawberry Lemonade Sorbet. Why do we bother? Because we know you are like us -- you want a real experience that means an authentic taste, mouthwatering quality and a treat for your taste buds.

You know Yogurtland tastes good, but did you know our yogurt is jam-packed with goodness, including Vitamin D and probiotics as well as Vitamin C in our fruit flavors? That's real quality. Get real with flavor and quality you can taste. Get real at Yogurtland.