Operations Training Manager

Description

Join Estée Lauder Companies at Whitman Laboratories, where a fifth of the company's global sales output is manufactured. As a global leader in prestige beauty, we serve over half a billion consumers annually, offering renowned brands such as Estée Lauder, MAC, Jo Malone London, Clinique, and many more across over 150 countries.

We are looking for an experienced Training Operations Manager to lead our site-wide learning, training and capability agenda within a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

This key role will ensure employees have the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to work safely, compliantly and effectively. You will shape and deliver our training and capability strategy, supporting operational excellence, workforce readiness and future business needs.

Working closely with Operations, Quality, Engineering, EHS and HR, you will ensure training remains effective, compliant and aligned with site priorities.

What You'll Be Doing:

Training & Capability Strategy

• Lead the site's training and capability strategy, ensuring colleagues have the skills and knowledge required to achieve operational objectives.
• Develop competency frameworks, learning pathways and development programmes to strengthen workforce capability.
• Identify current and future skills requirements and develop training plans aligned with business needs.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, coach and develop Training Coordinators, Coaches, Process Team Leaders, Warehouse Supervisors and trainers involved in training delivery.
• Drive consistent, high-quality training across departments and shifts.
• Build the capability of trainers and subject matter experts.

Training Compliance & Quality

• Ensure training systems, records, assessments and qualifications comply with GMP, Health & Safety, Quality, Regulatory and company requirements.
• Maintain training documentation and audit readiness, acting as the site's key contact for training-related audits and inspections.
• Monitor training effectiveness and address identified gaps and risks.

Training Needs & Learning Solutions

• Conduct training needs analysis, competency assessments and skills-gap reviews.
• Partner with operational leaders to identify capability requirements and appropriate learning solutions.
• Oversee classroom, on-the-job, coaching, digital and blended learning programmes, ensuring materials remain current and effective.

Learning Systems & Data

• Manage governance of the site's Learning Management System (LMS), ensuring training requirements and records are accurate and compliant.
• Oversee training matrices, competency frameworks and digital learning records.
• Develop reports and dashboards covering training compliance, workforce capability and effectiveness.
• Use data to identify trends, risks and improvement opportunities.

Continuous Improvement & Stakeholder Management

• Build strong relationships across Operations, Quality, Engineering, EHS, HR and external partners.
• Provide guidance to managers and employees on training and capability matters.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives to enhance training efficiency, employee capability and operational performance.
• Support cross-functional projects, digitalisation, site transformation and operational excellence programmes.

Qualifications

• At least 5 years' experience in Training, Learning & Development or Operational Excellence, ideally within a manufacturing environment.
• A minimum of 3 years' leadership experience, with experience managing training teams, trainers, coordinators and/or subject matter experts.
• Strong understanding of adult learning principles and instructional design.
• Experience developing and implementing competency-based training frameworks.
• Knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), Health & Safety, Quality Systems and compliance requirements.
• Strong experience managing Learning Management Systems, with Cornerstone experience preferred.
• Experience managing training matrices, competency frameworks and digital learning records.
• Strong data analysis, reporting and dashboarding skills.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to work effectively at all levels of an organisation.
• Strong continuous improvement, problem-solving and project management capability.
• A professional qualification in Leadership & Management would be advantageous.