Director, Learning and Development - Retail

RaceTrac Company Overview

Job Description:

The Director, Retail Learning & Development leads the strategy, design, and execution of learning and capability‑building initiatives that support operational excellence, leadership effectiveness, workforce readiness, and scalable growth across the retail business. This role partners closely with Retail Operations leadership, embedded HR teams, and enterprise Learning & Development functions to ensure learning strategies align with business priorities, organizational capability needs, and evolving operational demands.

The Director is responsible for creating a high‑performance learning culture that strengthens frontline execution, leadership pipelines, and long‑term organizational capability across a large, multi‑unit retail environment — partnering closely with Retail leadership, enterprise HR, and enterprise Learning & Development teams to align capability priorities, leadership development strategies, and workforce readiness initiatives across the organization.

Responsibilities:

Strategic Talent Development:

• Develop and execute a comprehensive talent management and learning strategy that aligns with the company’s vision and business goals.
• Identify current and future talent gaps and create learning and development programs to address them.
• Build and maintain a high-performance culture by ensuring ongoing development opportunities for employees at all levels.

Learning and Training Program Management:

• Lead the design, implementation, and management of a wide range of learning initiatives, from onboarding and skills training to leadership development programs.
• Ensure programs are engaging, impactful, and adaptable to various learning styles (e.g., in-person, virtual, blended learning).
• Partner with internal teams and external vendors to provide diverse training resources, including e-learning platforms, workshops, seminars, and certifications.

Leadership Development:

• Create and execute leadership development programs that nurture the next generation of leaders within the organization.
• Provide coaching and mentorship to senior leaders, managers, and high-potential employees.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of leadership programs and adjust as needed to ensure optimal impact.

Talent Management and Succession Planning:

• Collaborate with HR and senior management to identify and develop high-potential talent for succession planning.
• Support talent assessment processes to align career development with organizational needs.
• Ensure succession planning programs are in place to create a pipeline of qualified candidates for key positions.

Employee Engagement and Retention:

• Promote a culture of learning and personal development across the organization.
• Measure and assess the effectiveness of development programs through feedback, performance metrics, and engagement surveys.
• Foster an inclusive environment that supports diversity in learning and professional growth.

Performance Metrics and Reporting:

• Develop and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success and ROI of talent development initiatives.
• Regularly report on the progress of learning and development programs to senior leadership, highlighting successes, challenges, and areas for improvement.
• Ensure that programs align with organizational objectives and deliver measurable results.

Team Leadership:

• Lead, manage, and mentor a team of talent and learning development professionals.
• Foster a collaborative, innovative, and supportive team culture focused on continuous improvement.
• Ensure the team stays up to date with industry trends, best practices, and new learning technologies.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, I/O Psychology, Organizational Development, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred).
• 10+ years of experience in talent management, learning and development, or a related field
• 5+ years of leadership experience, including managing high-performing teams and influencing senior leaders.
• 2+ years of experience at the Director level or leading enterprise‑scale learning initiatives.
• Proven success in designing and implementing large-scale talent development and learning programs.
• Strong understanding of adult learning principles, instructional design, and leadership development frameworks.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills.
• Experience with learning management systems (LMS) and other digital learning tools.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to assess program effectiveness and drive improvements.
• Ability to influence and work collaboratively with senior leadership and cross-functional teams.

Desired Skills:

• Experience supporting multi‑unit retail, hospitality, restaurant, or operational environments.
• Experience leading leadership development and organizational capability initiatives at scale.
• Ability to translate business priorities into scalable learning solutions.
• Executive presence and influencing capability, with the ability to lead through organizational complexity and change.
• Knowledge of emerging trends in learning and development, including virtual learning, gamification, and AI-driven training tools.
• Certification in professional development or coaching (e.g., SHRM-SCP, ATD, PCC, etc.) is a plus.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment with RaceTrac without regard to their race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.