Manufacturing Technical Training Manager

PLZ is committed to product stewardship and innovation, strong ethical standards, sustainable operations and most importantly, the development of our people. Whether at our manufacturing facilities or corporate headquarters, PLZ prioritizes health and safety, and offers you the support you need to create the career you want, through engagement, equity and inclusion, and opportunity.

From household cleaning solutions to personal care products, and food to automotive lubricants, PLZ produces more than 2,500 different aerosol and liquid products in our facilities across the continent. We know that being the partner of choice for our clients starts with being the partner of choice for our employees. Learn more at www.plzcorp.com/careers or visit https://youtu.be/XYNIFpLQIJY

The Technical Training Manager leads the design, development, and delivery of technical training programs for plant equipment and production systems to ensure safe operation, high reliability, and consistent performance across sites. The Technical Training Manager partners with Engineering, Maintenance, Operations, EHS, and OEM/vendor resources to assess skill gaps, build role‑based curricula (operator, mechanic, electrician, and technician), and maintain training standards, documentation, and competency verification. This role drives onboarding and refresher training, supports new equipment commissioning and change management, and uses training metrics and field feedback to improve content effectiveness, reduce downtime, and strengthen a culture of safety and continuous improvement. This role will directly supervise an hourly Training Coordinator and provide direction to site trainers and subject matter experts.

Key Responsibility:

• Training Strategy & Curriculum Development (Equipment)

• Build role-based training paths for operators, mechanics, electricians, and technicians aligned to equipment criticality, risk, and site standards.

• Develop and maintain training materials (SOPs, work instructions, job aids, e-learning, and assessments) for equipment operation, setup, troubleshooting, and changeovers.

• Training Delivery, Coaching & Field Support

• Deliver instructor-led and hands-on equipment training, including onboarding, refresher, and qualification events across shifts and sites.

• Coach and mentor trainers/SMEs to ensure consistent instruction, proper demonstration of standard work, and reinforcement of safe behaviors.

• Provide floor support during startup, changeovers, and abnormal events to reinforce troubleshooting skills and capture training needs.

• Competency Management & Qualification

• Define competency standards and qualification criteria for critical equipment tasks (operate, set up, sanitize, maintain, and troubleshoot).

• Administer and track assessments (written/practical) and maintain training records to meet compliance, audit, and customer requirements.

• Use performance data (scrap, downtime, safety incidents, quality defects) to identify skill gaps and drive targeted retraining and standard work updates.

• Safety, Compliance & Standard Work Integration

• Partner with EHS and Engineering to embed LOTO, machine guarding, confined space (as applicable), Process Safety Management and safe work practices into equipment training.

• Ensure training content and execution align with regulatory and quality requirements (GMP as applicable), internal policies, and site SOPs.

• Maintain and control training documentation (revisions, sign-offs, curriculum matrices) and support audits, investigations, and CAPA actions tied to training.

• Training Systems, Metrics & Continuous Improvement

• Own training KPIs (completion, time-to-qualify, assessment scores, and requalification) and report trends to plant and operations leadership.

• Administer the learning management system (LMS) or training database, ensuring accurate assignments, records, and compliance reporting.

• Continuously improve training effectiveness through learner feedback, observations, and incident/defect learnings; standardize best practices across sites.

• Directly supervise and develop the hourly Training Coordinator, while leading site trainers and subject matter experts; establish governance for training content, scheduling, and instructor qualification.

• Cross-Functional Leadership & Equipment Project Support

• Support new equipment commissioning and process changes by creating training plans, coordinating OEM/vendor training, and ensuring readiness before handoff.

• Partner with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, and Quality to align training priorities to production schedules, critical assets, and risk reduction needs.

• Facilitate regular training reviews with stakeholders to address gaps, remove blockers, and sustain improvements in safety, quality, and equipment reliability.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Industrial Technology, Technical Education, Operations/Manufacturing, or a related field (or equivalent combination of education and experience).
• 3-5+ years of experience in technical training within a manufacturing environment and/or equipment-focused operations, maintenance, or engineering roles.
• Demonstrated ability to assess skill gaps and develop role-based curricula, training materials, and practical assessments for equipment operation and troubleshooting.
• Strong working knowledge of industrial equipment and controls (e.g., packaging/processing systems, conveyors, pneumatics/hydraulics, sensors, motors/drives, and PLC/HMI fundamentals).
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word) and experience using an LMS or training record system to assign, track, and report training.
• Experience delivering instructor-led and hands-on training across shifts, including facilitation skills and the ability to adapt content to varied learning styles.
• Solid understanding of safety and compliance requirements related to equipment operation (e.g., LOTO, machine guarding, and site SOPs; GMP knowledge a plus where applicable).
• Excellent communication and stakeholder-management skills with the ability to partner with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, EHS, Quality, and OEM/vendor trainers.
• Strong problem-solving skills; able to use production and reliability data (downtime, defects, safety events) to target training interventions and improve performance.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, coordinate training schedules with production needs, and drive consistent execution in a fast-paced environment.
• Willingness and ability to travel as required to support business needs.

Key Competencies

• Self-driven, detail‑oriented, and highly organized.
• Ability to identify systemic issues and propose practical solutions.
• Comfortable with ambiguity and capable of driving structure into complex processes.
• Collaborative working style with the ability to influence without authority.
• Continuous learner who proactively identifies improvement opportunities.
• Positive ambassador for the company, consistently promoting its values, culture, and reputation.

PLZ Corp offers a robust suite of benefits including:

• Medical, Dental & Vision benefits.
• Company paid Life and Short-Term disability.
• Voluntary benefits including additional life, disability, and hospital/accident insurance.
• 401k & company provided match.
• Paid Time Off
• Bonus incentive programs (Note, bonuses are subject to the rules governing the program, whereby an award, if any, depends on various factors, including, without limitation, individual and organizational performance.)

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status or other protected status. EEOE/M/F/Vet/Disabled. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.