Manager Operations Training

Operations Manager Training – Owensboro, KY

Be a part of a revolutionary change!

At Philip Morris International (PMI), we've chosen to do something incredible. We're totally transforming our business and building our future on one clear purpose – to deliver a smoke-free future.

With huge change, comes huge opportunity. So, if you join us, you'll enjoy the freedom to dream up and deliver better, brighter solutions and the space to move your career forward in endlessly different directions. Our success depends on people who are committed to our purpose and have an appetite for progress.

We are hiring an Operations Manager Training for our Owensboro KY Factory!

The Operations Training Manager owns the end-to-end capability-building strategy for our manufacturing site, ensuring new hires, transfers, experienced operators are trained to standard—safely, efficiently, and at the pace our business requires. This role builds and runs a robust training system spanning onboarding, technical upskilling, certification, cross-training, and leadership development for frontline leads. You will partner closely with Operations, EHS, Quality, Maintenance, and HR to create a high-performance learning culture that measurably improves safety, quality, productivity, and retention.

'Day to Day'

Strategy & Governance:

• Build the site's multi-year Operations Capability Roadmap aligned to business needs (volume, complexity, automation, labor planning).
• Establish governance for curricula, SOP alignment, recertification cadence, training matrices, and role-based skill profiles.
• Lead annual training needs analysis; prioritize high-impact skills and standards (e.g., critical stations, constraints, scrap drivers).

Program Design & Content:

• Architect blended learning solutions: classroom, hands-on/OJT, microlearning, simulations, and vendor-led training.
• Standardize training for safety-critical tasks, startup/shutdown, changeovers, troubleshooting, quality checks, and PMs.
• Convert SOPs/Work Instructions into trainable, visual, and accessible content (job aids, one-point lessons, e-learning).
• Implement cross-training frameworks to expand flexibility and reduce single-point dependencies.

Delivery & Certification

• Stand up and maintain a consistent Train-the-Trainer (TtT) and OJT Coach model across shifts.
• Oversee new hire onboarding for Operations; ensure readiness-to-work and progressive skill release to standard.
• Manage skill assessments, signoffs, and recertifications, track and report training status against training matrices.

Compliance & Audit Readiness:

• Ensure training programs meet or exceed regulatory, customer, and internal standards (EHS, Quality, Food/Pharma if applicable).
• Maintain audit-ready documentation and version control of curricula, rosters, assessments, and qualifications.

Systems, Data & Analytics

• Own the site Learning Management System (LMS) / training tracker: accuracy, adoption, data integrity.
• Build dashboards for training compliance, qualification coverage by line/role, time-to-competency, and training impact on KPIs.
• Use data to target interventions (e.g., higher scrap stations, recurrent deviations, near-miss trends).

People Leadership

• Hire, coach, and develop a high-performing training team; ensure bench strength and succession for critical trainer roles.
• Set goals and manage performance for Training Specialists and OJT Coaches; integrate feedback from Operations leaders.

Change Leadership & Culture

• Champion a learning culture that values standard work, coaching at the Gemba, and continuous improvement (Lean/TPM).
• Partner with CI/Lean to embed training into daily management systems, kaizen, and problem-solving routines.
• Build communication plans that drive awareness, engagement, and accountability at all levels.

Stakeholder Partnership

• Work with Operations, EHS, Quality, Maintenance, and HR to align skill requirements, staffing, and scheduling.
• Coordinate with Talent Acquisition on pre-boarding and day-one readiness; support apprenticeship and community pipelines.
• Engage with union leadership (if applicable) on training standards, cross-training practices, and fair application of qualifications.

What we are looking for:

• Bachelor's degree in Operations, Industrial/Manufacturing, HR/OD, Education, or related field or equivalent experience.
• 6+ years in manufacturing operations, with 3+ years building/delivering technical training or leading frontline teams.
• Demonstrated experience with OJT programs, TtT, and skills certification frameworks in a high-throughput environment.
• Strong grasp of EHS and Quality systems; ability to translate SOPs into effective learning.
• Proficiency with LMS or structured training trackers; capable of building actionable dashboards.
• Excellent facilitation, coaching, and stakeholder management skills across all shifts.
• Data-driven mindset; able to connect training activities to business outcomes.

Preferred Skillset:

• Experience in a unionized manufacturing environment and/or collective bargaining preparations.
• Certifications: CPTD/ATD, Lean/TPM/Green Belt, SME credentials, or similar.
• Experience with digital work instructions, AR/VR simulations, and microlearning platforms.
• Background in reliability/maintenance training and/or technical trades apprenticeship pathways.

Core Competencies:

• Safety & Quality First — embeds compliance and standard work into training DNA.
• Operational Acumen — understands flow, constraints, and how skill drives OEE and cost.
• Instructional Design — applies adult learning principles to practical factory realities.
• Change Leadership — influences without authority; earns trust with the floor and line leaders.
• Data & Continuous Improvement — measures, learns, iterates; ties learning to measurable gains.
• Collaboration — works seamlessly with Ops, EHS, Quality, Maintenance, HR, and union partners.

Working Conditions:

• Onsite role in a manufacturing environment with routine time on production floors (standing, walking, PPE, etc.).
• Flexibility to support off-shifts/weekends during major launches, outages, or ramp-ups.

Base Salary Range: $104,000 - $130,000

What we offer

• We offer a competitive base salary, annual bonus (applicable based on level of position), great medical, dental and vision coverage, 401k with a generous company match, incredible wellness benefits, commuter benefits, pet insurance, generous PTO, and much more!
• We have implemented Smart Work, a hybrid model of working that promotes flexibility in the workplace.
• Seize the freedom to define your future and ours. We'll empower you to take risks, experiment and explore.
• Be part of an inclusive, diverse culture where everyone's contribution is respected; Collaborate with some of the world's best people and feel like you belong.
• Pursue your ambitions and develop your skills with a global business – our staggering size and scale provides endless opportunities to progress.
• Take pride in delivering our promise to society: To improve the lives of millions of smokers.

PMI is an Equal Opportunity Employer.