Director of Learning and Development

Description

Company Overview: BTD is a fast-growing metalworking company. We provide custom metalwork services for some of the world's top brands. Our 1100+ employees work from four facilities throughout the Midwest and Southeast. We invest in our people, our equipment, and our facilities to offer our clients the best value possible. We are also a wholly owned subsidiary of Otter Tail Corporation, a publicly traded company on NASDAQ.

Summary : The Director of Learning & Development (L&D) is responsible for the strategic design, implementation, and evaluation of learning and development programs that build workforce capability, strengthen leadership, and support operational excellence across BTD's manufacturing operations. This role partners closely with manufacturing, operations, safety, and HR leadership to ensure learning solutions are practical, scalable, and aligned with business priorities. The Director of L&D brings significant experience in manufacturing environments and understands the realities of supporting multishift operations, ensuring learning is accessible and effective for hourly employees, frontline leaders, and salaried staff across all shifts.

Safety is #1 at BTD : Our expectation is that every employee: 1) Strictly follows safety policies, rules and safe work methods. 2) Promptly corrects or reports safety hazards or unsafe conditions. Promptly reports injuries for prompt diagnosis and treatment. 3) Makes regular suggestions for safety process improvements to support continuous improvement in safety.

Essential Functions/Responsibilities: This position is responsible for the following tasks, duties, and responsibilities:

• Develop and execute an enterprisewide learning and development strategy aligned with BTD's business objectives, manufacturing strategy, and talent priorities.
• Partner with manufacturing and operations leadership to ensure learning initiatives support safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and leadership effectiveness.
• Design, implement, and maintain learning programs across all BTD locations, ensuring consistency while allowing for sitespecific needs.
• Ensure training solutions are accessible and effective across all shifts , including nights, weekends, and alternative schedules.
• Oversee leadership development programs for frontline leaders, supervisors, managers, and highpotential talent.
• Support succession planning and career development by building development pathways and experiences aligned to business needs.
• Lead, coach, and develop the Learning & Development team; establish priorities, performance expectations, and development plans.
• Manage the L&D budget, learning systems, and external vendor relationships.
• Establish metrics and evaluation methods to measure the effectiveness and business impact of learning programs.
• Stay current on best practices in learning, leadership development, and manufacturing workforce development.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to senior leadership on workforce capability, leadership bench strength, and organizational development needs.

Supervisory Responsibilities: This position manages employees within the Learning & Development function and is responsible for hiring, performance management, coaching, and development of the team.

Education, Experience and Skills Required: Bachelor's degree in human resources, organizational development, education, business, or related field required. Master's degree preferred.

1. Minimum of 7-10 years of progressive experience in Learning & Development, with significant experience in the manufacturing environment.
2. Demonstrated experience supporting multi-shift manufacturing operations and hourly/frontline workforces.
3. Proven experience designing and delivering leadership development programs for supervisors and managers.
4. Strong understanding of adult learning principles and experiential learning in operational environments.
5. Ability to partner effectively with manufacturing, operations, and safety leaders.
6. Strong facilitation, communication, and executive presence skills.
7. Strategic thinker with the ability to translate business needs into practical learning solutions.
8. Strong organizational, project management, and analytical skills.
9. High ethical standards and alignment with BTD's mission and values.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of the job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use of hands and fingers to handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.

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 the essential functions. While performing the duties of the job, the employee may be exposed to weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Compensation Salary Range: OTC16 $144,874-$217,306 related knowledge, skills, experience, and education. This means that no two candidates are alike. Please keep in mind that the range mentioned above is the full base salary range for the role. Hiring at the maximum of the range would not be typical in order to allow for future & continued salary growth. The range provided above does not include additional compensation such as bonus, health benefits, vacation, 401(K) match, etc.