Director, Training

Walbridge; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 190,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Walbridge seeks a Director of Training to architect and govern our critical operations training and qualification programs across commissioning, facilities management, operations, and project management. You will build a scalable, standards-based platform to certify technicians, engineers, and leaders before working on live systems.

The role partners with operations, safety, HR, talent, and leadership to ensure audits are passed, incidents are reduced, and client requirements are met across

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Business, Education, or related field.
• 10+ years in mission critical operations or data center environments.
• 5+ years leading training/qualification programs.
• Deep knowledge of critical power and cooling infra.
• Experience with LMS and training analytics.

Responsibilities

• Design and deliver training for critical operations across commissioning, facilities management & operations, and project management & retrofit teams.
• Develop scenario-based drills and simulations for live environments.
• Embed safety and compliance training (electrical safety, lockout/tagout, permits).
• Lead a training team of instructors and curriculum developers.
• Establish qualification pathways and competency standards; track certifications and audits.
• Align training with client requirements, site procedures, and industry standards.
• Monitor training effectiveness and drive continuous content improvement.

Skills

Leadership

Curriculum design

LMS management

Safety standards

Stakeholder management

Cross-functional collaboration

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Learning management system (LMS)

Training analytics tools

Simulation software

Job description

Overview

The Director, Training is responsible for the design, delivery, and governance of L5's training and qualification programs for critical operations across commissioning, facilities management & operations, and project management & retrofit service lines. This role ensures that every technician, engineer, and operations leader is trained, qualified, and proven competent before working on or operating live mission critical systems. The Director will build a scalable, standards-based training platform that reduces operational risk, protects uptime, and meets the expectations of L5's hyperscale, enterprise, colocation, Neocloud/AI, and Edge clients. It is a highly cross-functional role, partnering closely with operations, safety, human resources and talent acquisition, commissioning, project delivery, and executive leadership.

Responsibilities

Critical Operations Training

• Design and deliver training for the operation and maintenance of critical power, cooling, and building systems, including electrical distribution, UPS and battery systems, generators, chillers, and controls.
• Build training around methods of procedure (MOPs), standard and emergency operating procedures (SOPs/EOPs), change management, and abnormal and emergency response.
• Develop scenario-based drills and simulations that prepare teams to respond to alarms, failures, and incidents in live environments without risk to uptime.
• Embed safety and compliance training, including electrical safety, lockout/tagout, work permitting, and site access protocols, into every operational program.
• Provide role-specific training for commissioning and project management & retrofit teams, covering test procedures, integrated systems testing, and work in live or occupied facilities.

Qualification & Competency Management

• Establish tiered qualification pathways and competency standards for each critical operations role, from entry-level technician through site leadership.
• Implement skills assessments, field sign-offs, and certification requirements that verify competence before personnel are authorized to perform critical work.
• Align L5 training with client-specific requirements, site-specific procedures, and industry standards and certifications.
• Maintain training records and audit-ready documentation to support client audits, safety reviews, and contractual obligations.

Program Build & Delivery

• Build and lead a training team of instructors, curriculum developers, and site-based trainers scaled to L5’s
• growth.
• Select and implement the learning management system (LMS) and training tools, including simulation, virtual, and hands-on training environments.
• Create onboarding programs that bring new hires up to site-ready standards quickly and consistently.
• Partner with talent acquisition on apprenticeships, school programs, and military transition pipelines to develop the next generation of critical operations talent.
• Develop supervisors and site leaders in operational discipline, communication, and incident leadership.

Leadership & Process

• Define a training strategy tied to L5’s growth plan, new site mobilizations, and client commitments.
• Track and report training completion, qualification status, assessment results, and incident and near-miss trends to measure program effectiveness.
• Use incident reviews, audit findings, and lessons learned to continuously improve content and close skill gaps.
• Serve as a key advisor to executive leadership on workforce readiness, operational risk, and capability development.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Business, Education, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 10+ years of experience in mission critical operations, data center operations, facilities management, or a related technical environment, including 5+ years leading training, qualification, or technical development programs.
• Deep working knowledge of critical power and cooling infrastructure and the procedures used to operate and maintain it in live environments.
• Demonstrated success building training and qualification programs from scratch or scaling them in a growing organization.
• Experience developing competency-based training, including scenario-based drills, simulations, and field assessments.
• Strong understanding of safety and compliance standards for electrical and mechanical work, such as NFPA 70E and OSHA requirements.
• Experience with learning management systems and training analytics.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage technicians in the field and executives in the boardroom.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence operations leaders across multiple sites.
• Occasional travel to sites, clients, and training events across North America.
• Experience with hyperscale, colocation, or enterprise data center clients preferred.
• Industry certifications, such as Uptime Institute, CDCP, or CDFOM, or instructional design credentials preferred.
• Experience with commissioning or construction and retrofit environments preferred.

What Success Looks Like

• A repeatable, scalable training and qualification program that supports L5’s national growth.
• Every person working on critical systems is qualified, current, and audit-ready.
• Faster time to site-ready for new hires, with fewer operational incidents and near misses.
• Strong, trusted working relationships across operations, safety, human resources, and executive leadership.

EEO/AA Employer M/F/D/V

L5 Mission Critical is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.