Training Lead

Key Responsibilities

1. Training Strategy & Leadership

• •Lead and execute the overall Learning & Development strategy across all abcoffee outlets pan India.
• •Establish standardised training frameworks, learning calendars and development programmes aligned with business and operational requirements.
• •Identify organisational training needs and skill gaps across regions and develop targeted interventions.
• •Drive consistency in service quality, product knowledge and operational excellence across all outlets.
• •Partner with Operations, HR and departmental leadership to align training initiatives with business objectives.

2. Barista Onboarding & Operational Training

• •Lead structured induction and onboarding programmes for all newly hired baristas.
• •Design and implement comprehensive On-the-Job Training (OJT) plans for existing and newly launched outlets.
• •Ensure new employees are equipped with the required coffee knowledge, product understanding, machine handling and customer service skills.
• •Monitor training effectiveness and individual learning progress across locations.
• •Conduct regular outlet visits and hands-on training interventions to assess operational competency.

3. Training Content & SOP Development

• •Create, design and continuously update training modules, presentations, workbooks and learning materials from scratch.
• •Develop and implement standardised SOPs, training manuals and operational assessment frameworks.
• •Establish structured learning modules covering coffee fundamentals, brewing techniques, equipment handling, service standards and outlet operations.
• •Simplify complex concepts into engaging and easy-to-understand learning formats.
• •Collaborate with department heads to obtain approvals and incorporate feedback into training content.

4. Assessments & Competency Management

• •Design and implement structured assessments to evaluate baristas' theoretical knowledge and practical competencies.
• •Establish assessment benchmarks, ensuring a minimum passing score of 80%.
• •Track individual performance through assessments, practical evaluations and feedback mechanisms.
• •Identify skill gaps and implement corrective training programmes.
• •Maintain comprehensive training records and competency matrices across all regions.

5. Grooming & Learning Initiatives

• •Lead and standardise grooming and behavioural training programmes across all outlets.
• •Plan, organise and execute regular Sunday learning and development sessions across regions.
• •Introduce engaging learning initiatives, practical demonstrations and interactive training activities.
• •Ensure consistent adherence to brand presentation, hygiene and customer service standards.

6. Talent Development & IDP Management

• •Develop and implement structured Individual Development Plans (IDPs) for baristas.
• •Identify high-potential employees and create career development pathways.
• •Track employee performance, skill progression and readiness for higher responsibilities.
• •Build a structured internal promotion pipeline through competency-based evaluations.
• •Work closely with Operations and HR to enable internal career progression and improve employee retention.

7. Training MIS & Stakeholder Management

• •Establish and maintain comprehensive training MIS, attendance records, assessment reports and IDP trackers.
• •Monitor training coverage, effectiveness, participation and regional performance.
• •Prepare periodic training dashboards and share progress reports with senior management.
• •Collect feedback from Area Managers, Regional Managers and department heads to continuously improve training effectiveness.
• •Drive accountability for training completion and implementation across all regions.

Key Result Areas (KRAs)

• •Establishment and successful execution of a standardised Pan-India training framework.
• •Completion of induction and onboarding programmes within defined timelines.
• •Timely development and implementation of SOPs, OJT plans and training modules.
• •Improvement in barista competency, operational knowledge and service standards.
• •Consistent execution of grooming and Sunday learning initiatives across regions.
• •Accurate maintenance of training MIS, IDPs and assessment documentation.
• •Development of a sustainable internal promotion pipeline through structured learning initiatives.
• •Improved employee performance, engagement and retention through effective L&D interventions.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

A. Personal Impact

• •Induction Completion Rate: Ensure 100% of new hires complete induction within their first three working days.
• •Assessment Success Score: Ensure at least 85% of trained baristas score 80% or above in post-training assessments.
• •OJT Implementation: Ensure 100% rollout of structured OJT plans for all newly launched outlets.
• •Training Effectiveness: Demonstrate measurable improvement in employee competency through pre- and post-training assessments.

B. Organisational Wins

• •Training Module Completion: Ensure all SOPs, IDPs and training decks are developed or updated at least five days before scheduled sessions.
• •Promotion Pipeline Enablement: Identify and enable a minimum of two baristas per month for potential promotion through IDP tracking.
• •Sunday Learning Engagement: Achieve at least 90% average participation in Sunday training sessions across regions.
• •Pan-India Training Coverage: Ensure training coverage across 100% of newly launched outlets within the first 15 days of opening.

C. Team Excellence

• •Training Feedback Score: Maintain over 90% positive feedback from baristas and Area Managers.
• •Training Documentation Accuracy: Maintain an error rate of less than 2% in training records and IDP documentation.
• •Regional Training Compliance: Ensure consistent implementation of training standards and SOPs across all operational regions.
• •Stakeholder Satisfaction: Maintain effective coordination and positive feedback from Operations and departmental leadership.

Skills & Competencies

• •Strong leadership, communication and presentation skills.
• •Excellent training facilitation and instructional design capabilities.
• •Ability to develop training strategies and execute them at scale.
• •Strong understanding of frontline employee training and capability development.
• •Ability to simplify complex concepts and engage diverse employee populations.
• •Strong stakeholder management and cross-functional coordination skills.
• •Excellent analytical, organisational and documentation skills.
• •Proficiency in MS Excel, Word and Canva.
• •Willingness to travel extensively across India.

Educational Qualifications & Experience

Preferred Qualifications:

• •Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Education, Hospitality, Training & Development or a related field.
• •Prior experience in Learning & Development, Training or Operations Training within the QSR, retail, hospitality or café industry.
• •Experience in independently leading training initiatives across multiple locations or regions.
• •Proven experience in developing training frameworks, SOPs, assessment models, OJT programmes and IDPs.
• •Certification in Training & Facilitation, Learning & Development or Instructional Design will be an added advantage.
• •Experience managing multilingual and diverse frontline employee populations.

Tools & Software

• •MS Excel
• •MS Word
• •Canva
• •PowerPoint / Presentation Tools

Role Expectation: The Training Lead will own the end-to-end training function across abcoffee's Pan-India operations, ensuring scalable learning systems, consistent brand and operational standards, employee capability development and a strong internal talent pipeline.