Training & Onboarding Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Position Summary

Busboys and Poets is a restaurant/bar/bookstore/event space/community where racial and cultural connections are consciously uplifted and a place to take a deliberate pause and feed your mind, body and soul. It is also a space for art, culture and politics to intentionally collide. We believe that by creating such a space we can inspire social change and begin to transform our community and the world. If this sounds like the place for you, consider applying to be our Training & Onboarding Specialist.

The Training & Onboarding Specialist is responsible for leading the onboarding, training, and early development of Busboys and Poets employees across all locations. This role partners closely with the HR team and Operations to ensure new hires are effectively recruited, onboarded, trained, and prepared to meet operational, service, and compliance standards. The Specialist manages recruiting and onboarding processes, delivers English-language orientation training, updates and develops training materials, and evaluates training effectiveness in fast-paced restaurant environments. This role plays a critical part in ensuring consistent execution of training programs and supporting the growth and development of both hourly staff and managers.

This position is classified as exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and as such, is not eligible for overtime compensation. This position reports directly to the VP of FOH Operations.

Job Type: Full-time, Exempt, Salaried/50-hour work week

Pay: $65,000.00

COMPANY BENEFITS:
Busboys and Poets offers competitive pay and benefits including a wide choice of health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, 401(k) retirement plan with employer match of 5%, 2 weeks vacation time which increases to a maximum of 4 weeks with tenure, 1 week sick leave per year, $34 per day food credit, designated company paid parking, paid parental leave, short term and long term disability, a free life insurance policy up to 1.5x your annual salary, pet insurance, professional development reimbursement, yearly technology stipend and a smart casual dress code.

WHY WORK FOR US:
Join a diverse space: 81% of our total workforce identifies as a person of color, 45% of our total workforce identifies as female and 5% of our workforce identifies as a person with disabilities. Our executive team also represents gender diversity, ethnic diversity, sexual orientation, and more. Men and women equally represented as well as various cultural and religious backgrounds. We strive to provide an inclusive workplace where you can bring your authentic self to work.

GROWN WITH US:
Over 60% of our managers were promoted from within to their existing role from line staff or from Front-of-House manager to Assistant or General Manager. Our Executive Team consists of existing employees who showed promise and were promoted into leadership positions.Work with latest technologies: Striving to be a leader in our industry, we utilize a broad spectrum of technologies including our tech forward training program, employee payroll system, a self-managed tip distribution system, an events and catering platform, inventory management system, our POS Toast and much more! Happy staff: Busboys and Poets is always looking for the next best way to engage with our staff, including raffles and anniversary boxes.

Washington, DC (DMV) Metro Area
Travel: This full-time position requires on-site or office presence. This job requires at least one shift per week on Saturday or Sunday and/or when needed. As a road warrior, the Specialist travels between 8 restaurants and the main office located in the Washington DC area, as well as occasional off-site events. 

Essential Functions:

Recruiting & Onboarding

• Manage the administration of the recruiting platform and support management with job postings, open houses, candidate sourcing, resume review, and interviews, as needed.
• Oversee the full onboarding process, including offer letters/Notice of Hire, I-9 filing and E-Verify compliance, onboarding data entry, and monthly tracking of expiring documents.
• Manage offboarding processes at termination, including termination letters and coordination of system and software access removal.

Training & Development

• Organize and conduct new employee orientation training to promote alignment with company values and expectations. Manage and conduct new hire training for all hourly employees across locations.
• Assist with, coordinate, and lead training for new staff and new restaurant openings, as needed.
• Provide administrative assistance to regularly scheduled training workshops and respond to ad hoc training requests for hourly staff and management.
• Facilitate one-on-one and group classroom-style training sessions on topics including food, bar knowledge, systems and technology (point-of-sale), steps of service, team development, and HR compliance.
• Follow up on pars and retention within the locations and spot-checking the implementation of training information.
• Create, transfer, update and/or maintain a library of training resources, including manuals, videos, job aids, and printed materials, etc. This may include the transfer of information from one training platform to another.
• Managing the training platform.  
• Provide administrative assistance to conduct follow-up assessments and implement continuous improvements to the Busboys Tribe Academy.
• In case of emergency, serve as a proxy as a FOH manager, on occasion. 
• Provide administrative support for HR-related functions as needed.
• Maintain an attitude and philosophy consistent with the Company’s standards and values.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in onboarding, training, and employee development, preferably in restaurant or hospitality environments
• Strong facilitation and presentation skills, with the ability to engage groups of varying sizes and experience levels
• Proven ability to deliver training in fast-paced, high-volume operational settings
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple training and onboarding processes simultaneously
• Comfortable working directly with hourly employees, managers, and senior leadership
• Ability to create, update, and maintain training materials, presentations, and digital learning content
• Proficiency in Google Workspace and Microsoft Office Suite; comfortable learning new systems such as training platforms and HRIS
• High attention to detail, particularly related to onboarding documentation and compliance processes
• Problem-solving mindset with the ability to adapt training approaches based on operational needs

Required Education & Experience

• Minimum of two (2) years of experience in training, onboarding, human resources, or organizational development
• At least two (2) years of restaurant or hospitality experience strongly preferred
• Experience leading new hire orientations and facilitating training for hourly staff
• Experience supporting recruiting, onboarding, or workforce development processes
• Familiarity with HRIS systems, applicant tracking systems, or training platforms preferred
• Knowledge of talent development and employee engagement practices preferred
• Required to maintain current alcohol licenses (ABRA/ABC & Alcohol Awareness) or successfully obtain all required licenses for the jurisdiction of employment within 30 days of hire
• Must have reliable transportation to travel to all 8 locations

Salary & Benefits

$65,000 annually + benefits

PHYSICAL DEMANDS 

The role of Training & Onboarding Specialist is both physically and mentally demanding. This position requires standing and walking for extended periods throughout the shift. The Training & Onboarding Specialist must be able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds and regularly handle and taste both raw and prepared food items.

Training & Onboarding Specialists typically work 45–50 hours per week; however, due to the nature of the business, schedules may include extended, irregular hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed. It is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties, or requirements. The Company reserves the right to modify this job description at any time based on business needs.

Busboys and Poets is an Equal Opportunity Employer We use eVerify to confirm U.S. Employment eligibility.