Workforce Capability & Training Manager

Appvion, Inc.; Appleton (WI); On-site; USD 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Appvion, Inc. Workforce Capability & Training Manager strengthens the capability of operations by building clear standards, practical learning systems, and confident frontline leaders.

This role connects production training, leadership development, and digital enablement so teams can execute safely, consistently, and with greater speed and accountability. The role focuses on production competency, frontline leadership development, and operational capability with digital tools.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent practical experience.
• 5+ years of experience in manufacturing, operations, training, or leadership development.
• Experience building training programs, competency standards, or learning systems.
• Comfortable using digital tools, data, and AI-enabled resources to improve training.
• Demonstrated ability to develop frontline leaders and supervisors.
• Strong knowledge of plant operations, safety, quality, and productivity.

Responsibilities

• Strengthen production team competency and standard work with clear expectations.
• Develop a structured frontline leadership curriculum for coaching and accountability.
• Scale digital enablement and continuous improvement across shifts and sites.
• Provide leaders with visibility to capability gaps, training needs, and qualification readiness.
• Bridge training, leader capability, and standard work to measurable safety, quality, and productivity outcomes.

Skills

Facilitation

Coaching

Change leadership

Digital tools adoption

AI-enabled resources awareness

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in operations, manufacturing, organizational development, human resources, education, or related field

Tools

Learning Management System (LMS)

AI-enabled tools

Job description

The Workforce Capability & Training Manager strengthens the capability of Appvion operations by building clear standards, practical learning systems, and confident frontline leaders. This role connects production training, leadership development, and digital enablement so teams can execute safely, consistently, and with greater speed and accountability.

Key Focus Areas

• Production Team Competency & Standard Work – 45%
  Ensure production team members have the skills, standards, and confidence required to perform work safely, correctly, and consistently.
  • Establish role-based competency expectations, qualification standards, and training progression for critical production roles.
  • Create practical standard work and learning tools that improve consistency, reduce variation, and support faster employee readiness.
  • Provide leaders with clear visibility to workforce capability, training gaps, and qualification readiness.
• Frontline Leadership Development – 30%
  Build strong supervisors, leads, trainers, and emerging leaders who can coach performance, reinforce expectations, and drive accountability on the floor.
  • Develop a structured frontline leadership curriculum focused on coaching, communication, accountability, performance management, and consistent execution.
  • Strengthen the trainer and supervisor network so expectations are reinforced consistently across shifts, departments, and sites.
  • Support leader readiness, succession depth, and targeted development for key hourly and salaried operations talent.
• Operational Capability, Digital Enablement & Continuous Improvement – 25%
  Improve the operating capability of salaried teams by scaling knowledge, simplifying access to information, and embedding modern tools into daily execution.
  • Build scalable learning systems for supervisors, area managers, process leaders, and teams supporting plant performance.
  • Champion responsible use of digital and AI-enabled tools to improve knowledge access, training quality, problem-solving, and execution speed.
  • Connect training, leader capability, and standard work to measurable outcomes in safety, quality, productivity, engagement, and operational discipline.

Key Attributes & Strengths

• Operationally credible, with the ability to translate plant floor work into clear training expectations, standard work, and measurable competency.
• Strong facilitator and coach who can develop supervisors, trainers, leads, and salaried operations employees in a practical, business-relevant way.
• Comfortable working across functions and levels, building alignment with operations, HR, safety, quality, maintenance, and site leadership.
• Forward-looking and technology-curious, with the ability to promote responsible use of digital tools and AI-enabled resources to improve training access, knowledge sharing, and execution speed.
• Disciplined in follow-up, documentation, metrics, and accountability without allowing the role to become purely administrative.
• Strong communicator who can simplify complex operational expectations and create training tools that employees and leaders will actually use.
• Continuous improvement mindset with a focus on measurable impact in safety, quality, productivity, engagement, and leader effectiveness.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in operations, manufacturing, organizational development, human resources, education, or a related field; equivalent practical experience may be considered.
• 5+ years of experience in manufacturing, operations, training, leadership development, continuous improvement, or workforce capability development.
• Experience building or improving training programs, competency standards, standard work, qualification processes, or learning systems in an operational environment.
• Comfortable using digital tools, learning systems, data, and AI-enabled resources to improve training effectiveness, knowledge access, and operating discipline.
• Demonstrated ability to develop frontline leaders, supervisors, trainers, or emerging operations talent.
• Strong working knowledge of plant operations, safety, quality, productivity, and employee engagement drivers.
• Ability to work cross-functionally with operations, HR, safety, quality, maintenance, and site leadership.
• Strong communication, facilitation, coaching, and change leadership skills.

*LI-MD1

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

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