NRO Training Specialist

New Restaurant Opening Training Manager

Based in Pasadena, California, Dine Brands Global, Inc. supports and operates restaurants under the Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar®, IHOP®, and Fuzzy's Taco Shop® brands. As of December 28, 2025, these three brands consisted of over 3,500 restaurants across 20 international markets. Dine Brands is one of the largest full-service restaurant companies in the world and in 2022 expanded into the Fast Casual segment.

Role Summary

Deliver new restaurant opening training programs, systems, and logistics nationally. Collaborate strategically with Franchise owners, operators, and brand Operations teams to develop a highly skilled workforce capable of delivering exceptional food and service while maintaining brand standards.

Job Functions

Provides leadership and organization for new restaurant openings. Executes company training programs in assigned areas. Develops new restaurant opening training programs and tools. Oversees new restaurant opening program execution. Manages training resources and trainer travel and deployment logistics. Collaborates with company and franchise personnel to identify training needs and strategies to fulfill the needs. Monitors the success of training programs and results; provides recommendations and feedback to assist in continual improvement efforts. Follows company policies, upholds professional standards, and performs all work in a manner respectful of others.

Responsibilities

• Collaborates with franchisees and/or company leadership to identify training needs for new restaurant openings.
• Develops and recommends strategies to improve new restaurant opening training programs and trainer capabilities.
• Coordinates and facilitates virtual and in-person workshops to develop the knowledge and skills of New Restaurant Opening Trainers.
• Coordinates and participates in calls, webinars, and meetings with new restaurant opening stakeholders to collaborate and provide guidance on new restaurant opening training strategy, programs, and execution.
• Participates in and/or leads the development of training tools, services, and initiatives to drive new and existing operations and marketing programs for new restaurant openings.
• Implement and integrate new initiatives and new or revised standard operating procedures into the new restaurant opening training program.
• Revises and maintains training materials, process and procedure manuals, and resources for new restaurant openings.
• Partner with field support personnel to identify the quantity and locations of training restaurants needed to support the development of new restaurant opening trainers.
• Designates New Restaurant Opening Trainer training locations and guides the Training Restaurant leadership in the successful position training of new New Restaurant Opening Trainers.
• Coordinates and schedules in-restaurant training at designated training restaurants and/or new restaurants in training for new New Restaurant Opening Trainers.
• Plans, manages, and communicates logistics for New Restaurant Opening Contract Trainer project assignments.
• Prepares new restaurant opening trainers to deliver training and execute standard operating procedures (SOP).
• Utilizes data and information to evaluate the results and effectiveness of the new restaurant opening training programs and provides solutions to drive the quality execution of the programs.
• Serves as a New Restaurant Opening Training Team Leader or Position Trainer as needed.
• Performs other responsibilities associated with New Restaurant Opening Training as needed.
• Target base salary 75-85k depending on experience

Skills and Requirements

• Accredited certification or degree in Business, Education, Communications, or related discipline, or equivalent professional experience
• 1-2 years' of restaurant management experience
• 2-3 years' professional-level training experience in all aspects of restaurant operations
• 3 or more years of experience with opening new restaurants
• Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Good analytical and problem-solving skills
• Previous experience at creating professional training tools and assets
• Ability and desire to work effectively in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment
• Ability to prioritize, multi-task and meet critical deadlines
• Ability to interact in a positive manner with stakeholders at various levels within an organization and display strong customer service skills, diplomacy, and tact
• Ability to understand and communicate quickly and accurately
• Demonstrated ability to effectively train people with a wide variety of experience and skills
• Intermediate knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
• Familiarity with one or more with web-based meeting and/or instructional platforms such as WebEx, Microsoft Teams, or AdobeConnect
• Must be located within 40 miles of a major domestic airport.

Physical Demands

An employee must meet the physical demands described here to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform basic functions.

Regularly required to sit, talk, hear, and use hands to type, file, handle, or feel. The employee is frequently required to reach with hands and arms. Occasionally required to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. Visual acuity to use a keyboard, prepare and analyze data and figures, transcribe, view a computer terminal, and do extensive reading.

Physical demands include those of a restaurant team member, trainer, and manager.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Work is performed in an office environment and restaurants using the two settings' standard equipment and common conditions. Travel is required, up to 75%.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Dine Brands Global strongly supports equal employment opportunity for all applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status, veteran status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.

Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act and/or other applicable laws and regulations in other jurisdictions.

Dine Brands reviews criminal history in connection with a conditional offer of employment. The following is a list of all material job duties which Dine Brands reasonably believes that criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment: provide effective solutions for company technology and information management; maintain cybersecurity systems that protect confidential, proprietary, and trade secret information belonging to the company; and prevent unauthorized disclosure of personal, financial, and medical information belonging to employees and third parties.

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