Training Lead

Key Responsibilities

1. Training Strategy & Leadership

• Lead and execute the overall Learning & Development strategy across all abcoffee outlets pan India.
• Establish standardised training frameworks, learning calendars and development programmes aligned with business and operational requirements.
• Identify organisational training needs and skill gaps across regions and develop targeted interventions.
• Drive consistency in service quality, product knowledge and operational excellence across all outlets.
• Partner with Operations, HR and departmental leadership to align training initiatives with business objectives.

2. Barista Onboarding & Operational Training

• Lead structured induction and onboarding programmes for all newly hired baristas.
• Design and implement comprehensive On-the-Job Training (OJT) plans for existing and newly launched outlets.
• Ensure new employees are equipped with the required coffee knowledge, product understanding, machine handling and customer service skills.
• Monitor training effectiveness and individual learning progress across locations.
• Conduct regular outlet visits and hands-on training interventions to assess operational competency.

3. Training Content & SOP Development

• Create, design and continuously update training modules, presentations, workbooks and learning materials from scratch.
• Develop and implement standardised SOPs, training manuals and operational assessment frameworks.
• Establish structured learning modules covering coffee fundamentals, brewing techniques, equipment handling, service standards and outlet operations.
• Simplify complex concepts into engaging and easy-to-understand learning formats.
• Collaborate with department heads to obtain approvals and incorporate feedback into training content.

4. Assessments & Competency Management

• Design and implement structured assessments to evaluate baristas' theoretical knowledge and practical competencies.
• Establish assessment benchmarks, ensuring a minimum passing score of 80%.
• Track individual performance through assessments, practical evaluations and feedback mechanisms.
• Identify skill gaps and implement corrective training programmes.
• Maintain comprehensive training records and competency matrices across all regions.

5. Grooming & Learning Initiatives

• Lead and standardise grooming and behavioural training programmes across all outlets.
• Plan, organise and execute regular Sunday learning and development sessions across regions.
• Introduce engaging learning initiatives, practical demonstrations and interactive training activities.
• Ensure consistent adherence to brand presentation, hygiene and customer service standards.

6. Talent Development & IDP Management

• Develop and implement structured Individual Development Plans (IDPs) for baristas.
• Identify high-potential employees and create career development pathways.
• Track employee performance, skill progression and readiness for higher responsibilities.
• Build a structured internal promotion pipeline through competency-based evaluations.
• Work closely with Operations and HR to enable internal career progression and improve employee retention.

7. Training MIS & Stakeholder Management

• Establish and maintain comprehensive training MIS, attendance records, assessment reports and IDP trackers.
• Monitor training coverage, effectiveness, participation and regional performance.
• Prepare periodic training dashboards and share progress reports with senior management.
• Collect feedback from Area Managers, Regional Managers and department heads to continuously improve training effectiveness.
• Drive accountability for training completion and implementation across all regions.

Key Result Areas (KRAs)

• Establishment and successful execution of a standardised Pan-India training framework.
• Completion of induction and onboarding programmes within defined timelines.
• Timely development and implementation of SOPs, OJT plans and training modules.
• Improvement in barista competency, operational knowledge and service standards.
• Consistent execution of grooming and Sunday learning initiatives across regions.
• Accurate maintenance of training MIS, IDPs and assessment documentation.
• Development of a sustainable internal promotion pipeline through structured learning initiatives.
• Improved employee performance, engagement and retention through effective L&D interventions.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

A. Personal Impact

• Induction Completion Rate: Ensure 100% of new hires complete induction within their first three working days.
• Assessment Success Score: Ensure at least 85% of trained baristas score 80% or above in post-training assessments.
• OJT Implementation: Ensure 100% rollout of structured OJT plans for all newly launched outlets.
• Training Effectiveness: Demonstrate measurable improvement in employee competency through pre- and post-training assessments.

B. Organisational Wins

• Training Module Completion: Ensure all SOPs, IDPs and training decks are developed or updated at least five days before scheduled sessions.
• Promotion Pipeline Enablement: Identify and enable a minimum of two baristas per month for potential promotion through IDP tracking.
• Sunday Learning Engagement: Achieve at least 90% average participation in Sunday training sessions across regions.
• Pan-India Training Coverage: Ensure training coverage across 100% of newly launched outlets within the first 15 days of opening.

C. Team Excellence

• Training Feedback Score: Maintain over 90% positive feedback from baristas and Area Managers.
• Training Documentation Accuracy: Maintain an error rate of less than 2% in training records and IDP documentation.
• Regional Training Compliance: Ensure consistent implementation of training standards and SOPs across all operational regions.
• Stakeholder Satisfaction: Maintain effective coordination and positive feedback from Operations and departmental leadership.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong leadership, communication and presentation skills.
• Excellent training facilitation and instructional design capabilities.
• Ability to develop training strategies and execute them at scale.
• Strong understanding of frontline employee training and capability development.
• Ability to simplify complex concepts and engage diverse employee populations.
• Strong stakeholder management and cross-functional coordination skills.
• Excellent analytical, organisational and documentation skills.
• Proficiency in MS Excel, Word and Canva.
• Willingness to travel extensively across India.

Educational Qualifications & Experience

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Education, Hospitality, Training & Development or a related field.
• Prior experience in Learning & Development, Training or Operations Training within the QSR, retail, hospitality or café industry.
• Experience in independently leading training initiatives across multiple locations or regions.
• Proven experience in developing training frameworks, SOPs, assessment models, OJT programmes and IDPs.
• Certification in Training & Facilitation, Learning & Development or Instructional Design will be an added advantage.
• Experience managing multilingual and diverse frontline employee populations.

Tools & Software

• MS Excel
• MS Word
• Canva
• PowerPoint / Presentation Tools

Role Expectation: The Training Lead will own the end-to-end training function across abcoffee's Pan-India operations, ensuring scalable learning systems, consistent brand and operational standards, employee capability development and a strong internal talent pipeline.