Training & Development Manager - Wichita, KS

Midwest Drywall Co Inc; Wichita (KS); Hybrid; USD 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Profit sharing

Bonus opportunities

401(k) plan

Health Care Flexible Spending Account

Dependent Care FSA

Job summary

Midwest Drywall Co., Inc. in Wichita, KS, is seeking a Training & Development Manager to lead practical learning programs for employees and the apprentice pipeline, aligning with our ESOP culture and safety standards.

You will own orientation, onboarding, and the Midwest Academy; design modules for leadership, soft skills, and role-based training; partner with operations, safety, and People Ops to boost time-to-productivity and internal mobility.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated expertise in adult learning, instructional design, needs assessment, facilitation, on-the-job training, train-the-trainer methods, and program evaluation.
• Ability to build practical, scalable programs for field and office employees; strong communication, coaching, project management, change leadership, relationship-building, and data-analysis skills; ability to travel and adjust schedules for field training.
• Preferred: experience in commercial construction, drywall, apprenticeship, bilingual English/Spanish communication, and learning-management systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a companywide learning strategy and annual training plan aligned with business priorities, core values, employee-owner culture, safety, quality, productivity, and retention.
• Own orientation and onboarding content for field and office employees, including role-based 30/60/90-day learning plans, leader tools, required training, and measures of time-to-productivity and early retention.
• Lead and continuously improve the Midwest Academy/apprenticeship program, including curriculum, instructor and mentor support, progression standards, documentation, completion, and external partnerships as applicable.
• Design and deliver employee, leadership, and soft-skills development covering communication, coaching, feedback, accountability, conflict resolution, decision-making, relationship management, and team effectiveness.
• Build structured on-the-job training pathways, competency checklists, and train-the-trainer resources for Project Managers, Estimators, and other critical operations roles; coordinate job shadowing, practice, and proficiency validation.
• Develop foundational computer and systems training, including Microsoft 365, email and collaboration tools, file management, company applications, digital communication, and documentation standards.
• Establish mentorship, job-shadowing, cross-training, career-path, and knowledge-transfer programs that support internal mobility, bench strength, succession planning, and retention.
• Facilitate instructor-led, virtual, and blended learning; prepare internal trainers and mentors; manage outside vendors, learning systems, calendars, content libraries, budgets, qualifications, and training records; adapt delivery to field schedules and workforce needs.
• Evaluate effectiveness through feedback, assessments, manager observation, time-to-competency, internal promotion, retention, quality, rework, safety, and productivity indicators.
• Follow Midwest Drywall policies, jobsite safety requirements, quality standards, and applicable laws and regulations.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Skills

Adult learning

Instructional design

Needs assessment

Facilitation

Train-the-trainer

Program evaluation

Project management

Communication

Coaching

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree in HRD / organizational development / adult education / business / construction management

Tools

Learning management systems

Microsoft 365

Job description

About Us
Founded in 1972, Midwest Drywall, an employee-owned company, is a leading contractor of panel engineering, fabrication, installation, EIFS/plaster, metal-studs, drywall, specialty ceilings and finish carpentry. Headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, Midwest Drywall’s 350+ employees serve customers in the Midwest region and throughout the United States and has developed a reputation of excellence, providing specialty services to some of the most iconic commercial projects. Midwest Drywall Co., Inc. works hard to provide a culture where people will not only enjoy the stability of long term employment, but also have the opportunity for growth. Compensation and benefits that are consistent with our leadership position in the industry. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) striving to provide long-term employment opportunities for all.

Position Summary
The Training & Development Manager builds and leads practical learning programs that strengthen employee capability, leadership effectiveness, and the Midwest Drywall employee-owner culture. The role owns orientation and onboarding, employee and leadership development, the Midwest Academy/apprenticeship program, role-based on-the-job training, foundational computer and soft-skills training, mentoring, and cross-training. In partnership with Operations, Safety, and People Operations, this position improves time-to-productivity, internal mobility, succession readiness, retention, safety, quality, and consistent execution across field and office teams.

• Develop and execute a companywide learning strategy and annual training plan aligned with business priorities, core values, employee-owner culture, safety, quality, productivity, and retention; assess needs with People Operations, Safety, regional leaders, and subject-matter experts.
• Own orientation and onboarding content for field and office employees, including role-based 30/60/90-day learning plans, leader tools, required training, and measures of time-to-productivity and early retention.
• Lead and continuously improve the Midwest Academy/apprenticeship program, including curriculum, instructor and mentor support, progression standards, documentation, completion, and external partnerships as applicable.
• Design and deliver employee, leadership, and soft-skills development covering communication, coaching, feedback, accountability, conflict resolution, decision-making, relationship management, and team effectiveness.
• Build structured on-the-job training pathways, competency checklists, and train-the-trainer resources for Project Managers, Estimators, and other critical operations roles; coordinate job shadowing, practice, and proficiency validation.
• Develop foundational computer and systems training, including Microsoft 365, email and collaboration tools, file management, company applications, digital communication, and documentation standards.
• Establish mentorship, job-shadowing, cross-training, career-path, and knowledge-transfer programs that support internal mobility, bench strength, succession planning, and retention.
• Facilitate instructor-led, virtual, and blended learning; prepare internal trainers and mentors; manage outside vendors, learning systems, calendars, content libraries, budgets, qualifications, and training records; adapt delivery to field schedules and workforce needs.
• Evaluate effectiveness through feedback, assessments, manager observation, time-to-competency, internal promotion, retention, quality, rework, safety, and productivity indicators; use results and leader reinforcement plans to improve programs and sustain a culture of learning.
• Follow Midwest Drywall policies, jobsite safety requirements, quality standards, and applicable laws and regulations.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities
This role may directly supervise Training & Development staff as the function grows and will functionally lead internal instructors, mentors, subject-matter experts, apprentices, and vendors. Responsibilities include selection, goal setting, work prioritization, coaching, performance feedback, program quality, and budget oversight.

Qualifications

• Required: Demonstrated expertise in adult learning, instructional design, needs assessment, facilitation, on-the-job training, train-the-trainer methods, and program evaluation.
• Required: Ability to build practical, scalable programs for field and office employees; strong communication, coaching, project management, change leadership, relationship-building, and data-analysis skills; ability to travel and adjust schedules for field training.
• Preferred: Experience in commercial construction, specialty contracting, drywall, skilled trades, apprenticeship, union/workforce development, multi-location operations, bilingual English/Spanish communication, and learning-management systems.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources development, organizational development, adult education, business, construction management, or a related field; an equivalent combination of education and directly relevant experience will be considered.
• Seven or more years of progressive training, talent development, organizational development, workforce development, adult education, or operations-training experience, including at least three years leading programs or projects.
• Experience in commercial construction, specialty contracting, drywall, skilled trades, or a comparable field-based environment is strongly preferred; experience with apprenticeship, leadership development, and multi-location programs is preferred.

Licenses, Certifications & Training

• Valid driver’s license and ability to meet Company driving requirements for travel to regional offices, training locations, and jobsites.
• Preferred: CPTD/APTD, SHRM-CP/SCP, instructional-design, coaching, or related credential; OSHA 10/30 or willingness to complete role-appropriate safety training.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Knowledge of adult-learning principles, instructional design, blended learning, facilitation, on-the-job training, competency models, and train-the-trainer practices.
• Working understanding of the construction project lifecycle and the responsibilities of Project Managers, Estimators, field leaders, and skilled-trade employees; commercial drywall knowledge is preferred.
• Ability to build credibility with field and office teams, facilitate diverse groups, coach leaders, deliver constructive feedback, and address conflict professionally.
• Strong program and project management, budgeting, vendor management, prioritization, and scheduling skills in an operational environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365, learning-management systems, virtual training tools, e-learning or content-authoring platforms, and reporting/analytics; ability to teach foundational digital skills.
• Ability to simplify complex information, adapt training to varied experience, literacy, language, and technology skill levels, and maintain attention to safety, quality, documentation, and schedule expectations.

Work Environment
Work is performed in offices, classrooms, regional locations, and active commercial construction jobsites. The role may encounter noise, dust, uneven surfaces, temperature and weather changes, and other normal jobsite conditions while wearing required PPE. Travel is expected approximately 25-35%, with occasional early-morning, evening, or adjusted schedules to support field operations.

Safety Responsibilities

• Follow all Midwest Drywall safety policies, site-specific safety rules, and applicable OSHA requirements.
• Use required personal protective equipment and immediately report unsafe conditions, incidents, near misses, or injuries.
• Partner with Safety and operations subject-matter experts to ensure training accurately reinforces current safe-work practices; deliver technical or safety instruction only within verified qualifications and approved content.

Performance Expectations

• Deliver the annual learning plan and priority programs on schedule and within budget, with current content, accurate records, and timely completion reporting.
• Improve onboarding and role readiness as demonstrated by time-to-competency, knowledge and skill validation, manager feedback, and early-tenure retention.
• Strengthen leadership capability, internal mobility, and succession readiness through participation, application, mentoring, cross-training, and promotion outcomes.
• Demonstrate program impact using quality, rework, safety, productivity, engagement, and retention indicators; review results and improvement priorities with People Operations and business leaders.
• Build trusted partnerships with field and office leaders and maintain responsive, practical, and consistently well-rated learning experiences.

Equal Employment Opportunity and ADA Accommodation
Midwest Drywall is an equal opportunity employer. The Company provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities to enable them to perform the essential functions of the job, unless doing so would create an undue hardship. This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed and is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the role.

Employee Acknowledgment
I acknowledge that I have received and reviewed this job description. I understand that it may be revised at any time and that I am responsible for performing the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable.

E-Verify:
Midwest Drywall participates in the E-Verify program to verify employment eligibility of our employees. E-Verify compares information provided on the Form I-9 to data from the US Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration to confirm an individual’s eligibility to work in the US.

Founded in 1974, Midwest Drywall is an industry-leading, employee-owned company (ESOP) helping customers succeed while empowering employees to achieve their full potential.

We are engaged in exciting commercial wall and ceiling projects nationwide, with office locations in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado and Arkansas.

Our employees deserve access to pay and benefits packages befitting our status as an industry leader.

Benefits for full-time employees:

• Profit sharing
• Bonus opportunities
• 401(k) plan
• Health Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Dependent Care FSA

This list may vary based on collective bargaining agreement status or other factors. For specific questions, feel free to contact us.