Learning and Development Specialist

Johnsonville; Watertown (WI); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Monthly bonus

401k match

Medical coverage

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

Flexible spending accounts

Disability insurance

Life insurance

Fertility assistance

Adoption assistance

Paid time off

Job summary

Johnsonville is seeking a Learning and Development Specialist in Watertown, WI to create an engaging onboarding and training environment for new members. You will be the primary contact for onboarding at the facility and will drive programs that reinforce safety, food safety, and Johnsonville standards.

The role emphasizes collaboration with coaches, Team Leaders, and online trainers, with a focus on continuous improvement of training practices and standard work across manufacturing processes.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• 2–3 years food manufacturing experience preferred.
• Leadership experience preferred.
• Experience providing instruction/training to individuals and groups.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish required.

Responsibilities

• Create a welcoming onboarding environment and great member experience.
• Plan and facilitate onboarding and training in 1:1, small, or large group settings.
• Ensure new members have essential knowledge and skills to work on the floor and reinforce critical procedures.
• Support Johnsonville culture and serve as a competitive advantage.
• Establish connections between coaches, Team Leaders, online trainers, and core team members.
• Gather feedback to improve onboarding, transfer, and training processes.
• Collaborate to create standard work instructions for manufacturing processes and audit them.
• Track training progress and report updates to Sr. Learning & Development Coordinator.
• Lead the Great First Day program at the facility (PPE, signs, lockers).
• Contribute to network-wide Learning & Development projects.
• Support Reliability Excellence training as needed.

Skills

People-centric

Own commitments

Trusting relationships

Written and verbal comms

Customer focus

Process adherence

Organized & detail-oriented

Tech savvy

Learning agility

MS Office proficiency

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Job description

Learning and Development Specialist

Location: Watertown, WI, US, 53094

Job Posting Date: Jul 30, 2026

Requisition ID: 53774

Shift: First Shift

Employment Type: Office Tech

Full-time

Johnsonville Location: Watertown

At Johnsonville, our Members are responsible for everything! If you’re passionate about making a difference, we want you to help make our products, our processes, our communities and each other better. As part of our manufacturing leadership and support group, you’ll help ensure production and maintenance Members have the resources and support needed to work safely and efficiently. The group will also ensure the products we produce are of only the highest quality and ready for consumers to enjoy.

Position Overview

This role is perfect for someone who is passionate about supporting others in developing their God-given talents and achieving success. You will be focused on creating the environment for members to have a great onboarding and training experience. You will be a primary point of contact for onboarding and training at your facility.

Responsibilities

• Create a welcoming environment that offers a great member experience for all members
• Plan and facilitate the new member onboarding and training experience in a variety of settings: one-on-one, small, or large group
• Ensure new members have the fundamental knowledge and skills needed to be ready to work on the floor and reinforce critical procedures as needed (e.g., Safety, Food Safety, Johnsonville Way, work environment, role requirements, etc.)
• Ensure Johnsonville’s unique culture continues to thrive and serve as a competitive advantage for the organization – now and in the future
• Support new members in establishing relationships between their coach, Team Leader, on-line trainer, and members of the core team
• Consistently seek feedback from members, coaches, and teams regarding onboarding and training opportunities and with collaborative teamwork work towards the improvement of those processes (new member onboarding, transfer process, Result Block training, etc.)
• Collaborate with a member driven team to create standard work instructions for manufacturing processes, audit standard work instructions and revise as needs change
• Track technical training progress and effectiveness; communicate regular updates with Sr. Learning & Development Coordinator
• Own and execute the “Great First Day” program at your facility (PPE, Welcome Signs, Lockers, etc.)
• Contribute to Network-wide Learning and Development Operations projects
• Support Reliability Excellence training as needed and actively participate as a member of the Education and Training Pillar at your facility

Education

• High School Diploma or GED required

Experience

• 2-3 years food manufacturing experience preferred
• Leadership experience is preferred
• Experience providing instruction and/or training to individuals and groups of people is preferred
• Bilingual in English and Spanish required

Skills

• We are looking for someone who is people-centric, loves to train and is passionate about helping people succeed!
• Lives up to their promises to themselves and the team by owning your personal commitments
• Proven ability to build trusting relationships through humble candor
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Strong customer focus and passion for ensuring a superlative member experience
• Strong focus on following the process and meeting standards
• Organized, detail-oriented with strong follow-up and follow-through skills
• Proven ability to leverage technology to improve performance
• Demonstrated learning agility and self-development – Seeks new experiences and challenges; embraces the unfamiliar
• Proficiency in computer programs including Outlook and Microsoft Office (i.e., Word, Excel)

Other Requirements

• Hours: 1st Shift; 5:30am - 2pm with ability to flex to different shifts as business needs
• Travel: Less than 10% of your time (includes travel to remote sites as needed)

Benefits and Compensation

• Members have potential for a monthly bonus and 401k with a company match.
• Members also have access to terrific benefits including affordable medical, dental and vision coverage; flexible spending accounts; disability and life insurance; and fertility and adoption assistance.
• Johnsonville also offers competitive paid time off, including paid parental time off!
• Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location.

Applicants must be eligible to work in the country where this job is located, without requiring sponsorship now or in the future.

About our Company

Since 1945, our family-owned band of sausage-makers has invented better ways to make, eat and prepare crave-able sausage. Today, we are 4,000+ Members strong. We sell our famous sausage in all 50 United States and more than 40 countries. We have a culture built on the idea that if we make developing your talents our top priority, great business results will follow naturally. We call it The Johnsonville Way. It has been our secret sauce for decades, and we hope you get to experience it for yourself!

Johnsonville is an equal opportunity employer, including Vet/Disability.

We embrace the principles of Equal Opportunity Employment and do not discriminate on the basis of any protected characteristic, including protected veteran and disability status.

The Johnsonville Way

Our culture, called the Johnsonville Way, guides the way we behave, operate and treat one another. We truly believe that here at Johnsonville, we have a moral responsibility to create and maintain an environment that requires each Member to fully develop their God-given talents and help others to do the same. We achieve this by living the Johnsonville Way.

Our owner is famous for saying that, "Other companies use their people to build a business, but at Johnsonville, we use the business to build our people." We are proud to offer endless opportunities for continued learning and growth here at Johnsonville.

Nearest Major Market: Milwaukee