Restoration Training Specialist

Merit Restorations; Purcellville (VA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Merit Restorations is seeking a Restoration Training Specialist to develop restoration professionals who can perform their roles independently, consistently, and to Merit standards. This is a hands-on coaching and development position, not just classroom training.

You will report to the Director of Training & Compliance, travel regularly across Merit branches with employees, Branch Managers, and Operations to translate Merit processes, systems, technical standards, customer expectations, and

Qualifications

• Restoration-industry experience in mitigation, reconstruction/project management, estimating, or related operations strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to coach and develop employees in a field environment.
• Working knowledge of restoration documentation, estimating, project lifecycle, and customer communication.

Responsibilities

• Deliver role-based onboarding, Merit Foundation, and position-specific development pathways.
• Support employees through 30-, 60-, and 90-day development milestones and competency gates.
• Identify technical, operational, system, and knowledge gaps and provide targeted coaching.
• Help employees progress from foundational knowledge to confident, independent job performance.
• Provide hands-on coaching across mitigation, claims/reconstruction, project management, estimating, documentation, customer communication, and project lifecycle expectations.
• Train and reinforce proper use of Merit systems, including Albi, Xactimate/XactAnalysis, Mitigate, and other operational platforms.
• Conduct branch visits, ride-alongs, file reviews, workshops, demonstrations, and group training sessions.
• Translate SOPs and program requirements into practical field execution.
• Evaluate whether employees can apply training in live working conditions and partner with Branch Managers and Operations to determine readiness.
• Document development outcomes, remaining gaps, and recommended next steps.
• Support progressive increases in employee workload and responsibility as competency develops.
• Partner with branch and operational leadership when performance trends indicate a possible training or capability gap; deliver targeted coaching and follow up on results.
• Deploy into acquisitions, new branches, and new markets to deliver large-group and role-based training cohorts.
• Help acquired employees understand Merit systems, operating expectations, culture, and what winning looks like in their roles.
• Support acquisition teams through structured 30/60/90 development and identify strong SMEs, emerging leaders, and best practices worth scaling.
• Model Merit values, communication standards, accountability, and customer experience; develop local SMEs and Culture Drivers who can reinforce approved standards.

Job description

We specialize in mitigating and rebuilding residential and commercial properties damaged by fire, water, storms, and other disasters.

We partner with leading insurance carriers and handle everything from emergency cleanup to complete rebuilds, with a focus on safety, integrity, and advocacy.

As entrepreneurs, we take full ownership of the work we do and the families we serve.

At Merit, our purpose is simple and non-negotiable: we work together as a team so we can change lives.

Teamwork is the foundation of everything we do-because teamwork creates impact, and impact changes lives.

We exist to help people, and the only way we do that at the highest level is by moving as one team, aligned in mission, values, and execution.

Why we exist.

We exist for two families.

The families we serve and the families inside this company.

When we work together and serve our clients at the highest level, both families win.

As the Restoration Training Specialist for Merit Restorations, you develop restoration professionals who can perform their roles independently, consistently, and to the Merit standard.

This is a hands‑on coaching and development position-not simply a classroom training role.

You report directly to the Director of Training & Compliance, in a full‑time role that travels regularly across Merit branches, working alongside employees, Branch Managers, and Operations to translate Merit processes, systems, technical standards, customer expectations, and culture into repeatable field performance.

The role supports new‑hire onboarding, existing employee development, branch performance improvement, new‑market launches, and acquisition integration.

Success Principle: Training completion is activity. Operational readiness is the outcome.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Core duties and responsibilities include the following.

Other duties may be assigned.

Employee Development & Onboarding

• Deliver role‑based onboarding, Merit Foundation, and position‑specific development pathways.
• Support employees through 30-, 60-, and 90-day development milestones and competency gates.
• Identify technical, operational, system, and knowledge gaps and provide targeted coaching.
• Help employees progress from foundational knowledge to confident, independent job performance.

Field & Operational Training

• Provide hands‑on coaching across mitigation, claims/reconstruction, project management, estimating, documentation, customer communication, and project lifecycle expectations.
• Train and reinforce proper use of Merit systems, including Albi, Xactimate/XactAnalysis, Mitigate, and other operational platforms.
• Conduct branch visits, ride‑alongs, file reviews, workshops, demonstrations, and group training sessions.
• Translate SOPs and program requirements into practical field execution.

Competency Validation & Performance Support

• Evaluate whether employees can apply training in live working conditions and partner with Branch Managers and Operations to determine readiness.
• Document development outcomes, remaining gaps, and recommended next steps.
• Support progressive increases in employee workload and responsibility as competency develops.
• Partner with branch and operational leadership when performance trends indicate a possible training or capability gap; deliver targeted coaching and follow up on results.

Growth, Acquisition & Culture

• Deploy into acquisitions, new branches, and new markets to deliver large‑group and role‑based training cohorts.
• Help acquired employees understand Merit systems, operating expectations, culture, and what winning looks like in their roles.
• Support acquisition teams through structured 30/60/90 development and identify strong SMEs, emerging leaders, and best practices worth scaling.
• Model Merit values, communication standards, accountability, and customer experience; develop local SMEs and Culture Drivers who can reinforce approved standards.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

• Employees reach role competency faster and with greater consistency.
• 30/60/90 milestones reflect demonstrated capability, not attendance.
• Branch Managers have greater confidence in employee readiness.
• Training interventions produce measurable operational improvement.
• Existing Merit employees continue developing during acquisitions and growth.
• Merit standards are executed consistently across branches.
• Strong local SMEs and Culture Drivers extend Training & Compliance reach.
• Recurring operational knowledge and execution gaps decline over time.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

• Restoration‑industry experience in mitigation, reconstruction/project management, estimating, or related operations strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to coach and develop employees in a field environment.
• Working knowledge of restoration documentation, estimating, project lifecycle, and customer communication.
• Ex