Job Description

We are conducting a search on behalf of a major international brand in the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) sector. Our client is seeking a seasoned professional to lead training strategy and operational enablement across their North American network. This role is central to ensuring excellence in execution, franchisee engagement, and long-term business impact.

The Opportunity

As part of a broader transformation, our client is investing heavily in its operational capabilities, with learning and field readiness at the core. The Senior Director, Training Strategy & Field Execution will oversee the full lifecycle of learning design, deployment, and adoption across hundreds of markets. This individual will lead a cross-functional team that supports onboarding, compliance, leadership development, and the implementation of brand initiatives at restaurant level.

This role will suit a leader who combines strategic thinking with hands-on execution, and who thrives in complex, fast-paced environments. The successful candidate will bring a deep understanding of franchise systems, learning innovation, and operational impact.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Vision

• Define and implement a North America-wide training and field execution strategy aligned with the client’s growth roadmap.
• Lead a multidisciplinary team including instructional designers, trainers, and execution leads.
• Partner with regional and global stakeholders to align learning systems with brand standards while adapting for local relevance.

Learning Program Design & Delivery

• Oversee the development of blended learning programs for franchisees, restaurant teams, and field leaders (in-person, digital, and self-paced).
• Drive ongoing improvement of operational training content, onboarding experiences, and leadership development pathways.
• Ensure field-facing teams are integrated into the training lifecycle and equipped to support successful rollouts.

Execution & Performance Enablement

• Drive operational excellence through best-in-class training tools and execution support systems.
• Use data-driven insights to refine training impact, optimize adoption, and improve return on investment.
• Ensure consistency in execution of product launches, operational changes, and compliance initiatives.

Franchisee & Field Support

• Collaborate with field operations and franchise stakeholders to ensure tools and programs are practical, scalable, and performance-oriented.
• Establish structured feedback mechanisms to iterate and evolve training based on real-world application and franchisee input.
• Support advisory councils and roundtables to reinforce alignment with business goals.

Change Management & Transformation Enablement

• Lead training and enablement strategy for large-scale transformation initiatives (new tech, digital tools, systems/process evolution).
• Build comprehensive change management plans to minimize disruption and support smooth transitions.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Work closely with teams across operations, marketing, product, culinary, digital, legal, and franchise services.
• Align with executive leadership on rollout priorities, brand standards, and resource allocation.

Governance & Engagement

• Facilitate key leadership forums and field councils to gather input, share progress, and align on execution priorities.
• Represent the learning and field enablement function at senior-level discussions internally and externally.

Candidate Profile

• Bachelor’s degree in business or a related field required; an advanced degree in Learning & Development or Organizational Behavior is preferred.
• Minimum 15 years of experience in learning, operations, or enablement, ideally within a multi-unit, QSR, or franchise environment.
• At least 5 years in a senior leadership role with significant experience managing large, cross-functional teams.
• Demonstrated success in designing and scaling training strategies in dynamic, fast-paced organizations.
• Strong financial and business acumen with experience managing large budgets and ROI-oriented initiatives.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to influence at all levels in a matrixed global environment.
• Strong expertise in instructional design, adult learning theory, and digital learning platforms.
• Exceptional communication skills—both verbal and written—with a keen ability to adapt messaging for various audiences.
• Comfortable managing ambiguity, competing priorities, and rapid decision-making.
• High attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and proven project management capability.
• Willingness to travel 30–60% of the time, including field visits and leadership events.

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