Learning and Development Specialist

As a Learning and Development Specialist at SMB Team, your primary responsibilities will include collaborating with department heads to develop and maintain comprehensive onboarding training, overseeing the training portal management, and supporting the coaching department in crafting effective training programs. You will also be expected to ensure that all HR training materials are up to date and tailored to the needs of our growing company.

To be considered for the Learning and Development Specialist position at SMB Team, applicants should have at least 5 years of experience building and executing adult training programs within a company that has a minimum of 50 employees and $15 million in revenue. Experience in developing career pathing and onboarding programs, along with a background in adult education, is strongly preferred.

At SMB Team, the culture is dynamic, inclusive, and focused on growth. As a Learning and Development Specialist, you’ll work in an environment that fosters collaboration, innovation, and fun! We prioritize team bonding and provide unlimited vacation time to ensure everyone can recharge. Our commitment to employee development is paramount, evidenced by budgets allocated for your education and professional growth.

SMB Team offers generous professional development opportunities for Learning and Development Specialists by providing a dedicated budget for courses, events, and educational materials. We believe in continuous learning and give our team the tools they need to grow and succeed within our rapidly-growing organization.

The salary for the Learning and Development Specialist position at SMB Team ranges from $80,000 to $90,000 annually. In addition to a competitive salary, you will benefit from a range of perks including comprehensive health benefits, retirement matching, and unlimited vacation time to support a healthy work-life balance.

When answering how you assess training needs, consider discussing your experience with surveys, interviews, and feedback from various departments. Explain your approach to identifying gaps and customizing training programs to meet organizational goals at SMB Team.

Highlight your knowledge of different adult learning theories like Andragogy or Constructivism, and how you've successfully employed them to design training programs for adults at SMB Team. Discuss specific examples where applying these theories improved learner engagement and retention.

When addressing resistance to training, mention your strategies for fostering a supportive environment, open communication with employees, and highlighting training benefits. Share specific instances when you successfully turned skepticism into enthusiasm.

Discuss your familiarity with training management systems like Trainual or Thinkific, emphasizing how you used these tools to enhance the learning experience and track progress at SMB Team. Share any quantitative successes you achieved through these platforms.

Be prepared to outline your methods for evaluating training outcomes. Discuss using metrics such as surveys, participant feedback, and performance assessments to gauge how effective your programs were at SMB Team and how you apply these insights for continuous improvement.

Share your belief that effective onboarding should be engaging, informative, and tailored to new hires' needs. Discuss specific components you consider essential, such as mentorship, resources, and clarity in expectations, and how you would implement these at SMB Team.

Provide a scenario where you successfully adapted a training program in response to feedback or changing company needs. Explain your thought process and the positive outcomes that resulted from your quick thinking and adaptability.

Discuss how you actively seek feedback from participants and stakeholders and how you utilize this information to iterate on and improve training modules. Providing examples of adjustments you've made based on feedback will strengthen your answer.

Talk about how you've previously fostered a culture of continuous learning by promoting training opportunities, leveraging success stories, or implementing recognition programs for those who complete training. Describe how you would plan to integrate such initiatives at SMB Team.

Consider addressing potential challenges like scaling training with rapid company growth or varying learning styles among employees. Share your proactive strategies to overcome these challenges through careful planning and engagement.