Job Location
Waukegan, IL
Salary Range
$60,244.80 - $90,367.20 Salary
Job Shift
1st Shift

Join the PAK
The Visual Pak Companies are aligned with many of the largest consumer product companies in the household, personal care, automotive and food product industries.
30 years of consistent growth with no end in sight is a testament to our best-in-class workforce as the foundation for our collective success. The Visual Pak is looking for innovative and dedicated achievers who are encouraged to keep a healthy work/life balance to join our team.

Position Title:                        Learning and Development Specialist
Reporting into Title:             Chief HR Officer
Business and Department:   VPC HR

Position Purpose/Summary: The Learning and Development Specialist is responsible for designing, implementing, and evaluating training, employee development, and organizational growth programs to support the Enterprise's business goals. This role will enhance employee engagement, leadership development, and compliance through innovative and effective learning strategies.

Direct Reports
None

Position Responsibilities-Tasks-Deliverables
An individual must be able to satisfactorily perform each essential duty listed below. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.
All duties as assigned and the following specific activities.

Program Design & Delivery

• Develop and deliver training programs, workshops, and e-learning modules on topics such as leadership, compliance, communication, conflict management, safety, and technical skills.
• Create and implement certification programs to ensure employees meet industry standards and maintain professional credentials.
• Design onboarding programs for new hires to accelerate integration and productivity.
• Establish leadership development pipelines to identify and prepare high-potential employees for succession planning.

Needs Analysis & Assessment

• Conduct organization-wide needs assessments to identify training gaps and priorities.
• Collaborate with department heads to create role-specific training plans tailored to their teams' needs.
• Use data analytics to measure employee development trends and refine learning strategies.

Training Effectiveness & Evaluation

• Measure the impact of training programs through pre-and post-training assessments, surveys, and performance metrics.
• Provide regular reports to senior leadership on the effectiveness of training initiatives, identifying areas for improvement.
• Benchmark against industry best practices to ensure training programs remain competitive and relevant.

Learning Technology Management

• Administer and optimize the Learning Management System (LMS), ensuring the platform is user-friendly and up-to-date.
• Integrate advanced learning technologies, including virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR), where applicable.
• Leverage gamification and micro-learning techniques to enhance employee engagement in training programs.

Employee Coaching & Development

• Offer one-on-one coaching to managers, supervisors, and employees to enhance individual performance and leadership capabilities.
• Facilitate team-building exercises to strengthen collaboration and improve workplace dynamics.
• Guide employees in creating personalized development plans aligned with career goals and organizational objectives.

Compliance & Policy Alignment

• Ensure all training initiatives comply with regulatory and organizational policies.
• Collaborate with HR and legal teams to develop training on new regulations and company policies.

Stakeholder Collaboration

• Act as a strategic partner with business leaders to align learning initiatives with organizational objectives.
• Build relationships with external training providers and consultants to deliver specialized programs as needed.
• Support change management efforts by designing training programs that foster adaptability and resilience.

Administrative Tasks

• Maintain accurate training records, including attendance, test results, certifications, and retraining schedules.
• Manage the training budget, ensuring efficient allocation of resources.
• Develop annual training calendars and communicate them across the organization.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Meets (exceeds) training participation rates and completion metrics.
• Measurable improvement in employee performance post-training.
• Alignment of training outcomes with business goals.
• Efficiency and cost-effectiveness of training initiatives.
• Positive feedback scores from training evaluations.

Qualifications

Knowledge-Skills-Abilities
Education

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Learning & Development, Industrial Organization, education, or a related field.
• Equivalent work experience is acceptable.
• Certification in Learning & Development (e.g., CPLP, CPTM) is preferred. Other certifications such as Predictive Index, DiSC, or Leadership assessments valued.

Experience

• Training Design & Delivery: 5 years of experience designing, developing, and delivering comprehensive training programs using multiple delivery methods, such as classroom instruction, virtual training, e-learning, and blended approaches.
• Diverse Audience Engagement: Proven ability to provide engaging and effective training to diverse audiences, ranging from entry-level employees to executives, with a focus on tailoring content to meet varying learning styles and business needs.
• Industry-Specific Expertise: Prior experience in a manufacturing or industrial environment is strongly preferred, with a demonstrated understanding of the challenges and nuances of employee development in such settings.
• Instructional Design Proficiency: Hands-on experience using instructional design models (e.g., ADDIE, SAM) to create impactful learning materials, including interactive workshops, micro-learning modules, and technical skill-building programs.
• Compliance Training: Experience creating and delivering training programs on compliance topics, such as employment law, workplace safety, diversity and inclusion, and regulatory requirements (e.g., OSHA, EEOC).
• Technology-Driven Learning: Extensive experience with Learning Management Systems (LMS), including setup, administration, reporting, and optimization. Familiarity with other learning technologies like virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), or gamification tools is a plus.
• Data-Driven Program Evaluation: Proven track record of using data analytics to measure training effectiveness, identify skill gaps, and provide actionable insights for program improvement.
• Project Management: Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, from initial scoping to final delivery, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and adherence to deadlines.
• Coaching and Mentorship: Experience coaching and mentoring managers, supervisors, and high-potential employees to build leadership pipelines and enhance overall organizational capability.
• Vendor and Partner Collaboration: Skilled in managing relationships with external training vendors, consultants, and subject matter experts to enhance the quality and diversity of training programs.
• Change Management: Familiarity with training strategies that support organizational change initiatives, including fostering employee adaptability and resilience during transitions.
• Global or Multi-Site Operations: Experience supporting training and development across multiple locations or regions, ensuring consistent delivery and adaptation to local needs.

Technology/Software:

• Excellent computer skills, particularly with MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and email.
• Experience with Learning Management Systems (LMS).
• Verifiable experience with different electronic training resources, programs, and software.

 
Communication:

• Bi-lingual Spanish is highly preferred.
• Exceptional communication skills, including written, oral, and interpersonal abilities.
• Outstanding written, oral, interpersonal, and outward behavior communication ability.
• Proficiency in listening well.
• Demonstrated talent for understanding your audience and how to communicate your message effectively to them.

                           
Physical Capabilities
Strength (lifting, dexterity, repetitive motion): a fair amount of work on a computer
Movement (standing, stopping, sitting, crouching, crawling): a fair amount of movement between places and locations, sitting and standing alternating.
Hearing (loud noise tolerance, quiet work area, public speaking, receiving work direction): normal noise level in an office environment; able to receive work direction
Vision (judge distance, read signs, extend computer work, identify details): able to complete tasks safely, absorb information, and recognize details.

MISCELLANEOUS
Travel: Up to 30% all local (within 30 miles)
Vehicle (own): Own vehicle Required for travel to different facilities
Tools (own): NA
Technology (own): NA

Visual Pak Companies is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  Visual Pak does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, gender (orientation or identification), sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other basis covered by federal, state, or local laws.  All employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, skills, individual performance, and business needs.