Area Manager and Training Specialist

**Area Manager and Training Specialist**

**Reports to**:Director of Operations, BC Region

**Location**:Vancouver, BC

Great Place to Work® Certified

This newly created role of an **Area Manager and Training Specialist **will join our BC Operations Team to ensure retail franchise bakeries are operating to COBS Bread’s leading standards of providing top quality, fresh baked product and great customer service. In collaboration with various departments, this position will enable the development, coordination and delivery of training services to meet approved franchise validation, bakery and staff development objectives. If you thrive at the opportunity to be advisor for a group of franchise operators and are passionate about making an impact to the local community, we want to hear from you

Responsibilities include:

- Work hands-on with each franchise operator to analyze opportunities for improvement, develop action plans and improve their COBS Bread businesses
- Drive operational excellence in order to maximize our franchisees’ sales, profitability and customer satisfaction
- Lead, coach and act as an advisor for a group of franchise operators while ensuring bakeries are meeting COBS Bread standards and operating procedures
- Ensure successful implementation of COBS Bread’s marketing, product and systems initiatives and improvements across a large number of retail franchise locations
- Assist with the openings of new bakeries and support bakery operations in need of supplemental in-bakery training using nationally developed resources and programs
- Deliver customer service and sales-specific training programs regarding product knowledge, selling skills, role-playing, and other skills development
- Work with trial bakery locations to test and roll-out new or updated training programs while identifying opportunities to improve current training services through evaluation of feedback surveys and interviews
- Support new projects and initiatives as needed

**Requirements**:
**What You Bring to the Table**:

- Energetic, goal-oriented, positive attitude with the ability to quickly develop trust and meaningful relationships
- 3+ years of combined work experience in operations and as a trainer in retail or hospitality industry
- 2+ years managerial experience, ideally in the multi-site retail, food service, hospitality or franchise industry
- Skilled in analyzing financial results and performance metrics, and translating strategic concepts into actionable plans
- Valid driver’s licence and willingness to travel frequently and spend time ‘in the field’ rather than behind a desk
- Advanced written and oral communication skills, with the ability to communicate with individuals at all levels of learning
- Excellent influencing, listening, observing, and questioning skills in order to affect change and drive constant improvement
- Demonstrated ability to train, coach, evaluate, and develop others
- Strong customer service mindset, time management and prioritization skills
- Can work autonomously, take risks and exercise sound judgement with mínimal supervision
- Excellent problem
- solving, analytical and conflict resolution skills
- Degree with concentration in Business Management

**Benefits**

**What’s in it for You**:

- Not only do we have fresh COBS Bread product delivered daily to our Vancouver Support Office, we offer some pretty sweet perks too
- A flexible work arrangement and a work from home reimbursement to ensure you're set up for success
- Competitive salary and vacation plan, and individual bonus plan
- A great Extended Health & Dental Benefit, Group RRSP Matching, and Health Spending Account
- Paid sick and personal leave days
- Subsidized wellness program, and paid day for community service and volunteer time
- An open, ‘continuous-learning’ environment where professional development and career progression is encouraged
- Work within a dynamic, driven, high-achieving, close-knit and fun-loving team
- High level of autonomy and responsibility
- Complimentary self-serve kitchen of fresh produce, deli meats and of course, COBS Bread and treats

We thank all applicants for their interest in COBS Bread but would like to advise that only applicants shortlisted for interview will be contacted.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company.

About COBS Bread
With over 160 locations, COBS Bread serves fresh and delightful baked goods to communities across Canada. Any unsold items are donated daily to various local charities and food banks. The company's success can be attributed to the quality of our product, the development of our people and our warm and friendly customer service.
COBS Bread is part of Bakers Delight - Established in 1980 operating as Bakers Delight in Australia and New Zealand, and since 2003 as COBS Bread in Canada and the USA. Together we have grown to more than 700 bakeries across Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA. The entire net