Learning and Development Specialist (Stores)

About Our Company

Lids Sports Group is the largest licensed sports retailer in North America, selling fan and fashion-oriented headwear and apparel across the US, Canada, Mexico, Europe, and Australia. Operating out of Indianapolis, IN, our retail stores offer officially licensed headwear and apparel from collegiate and professional sports teams, plus top brands like Nike, New Era, Adidas, and Mitchell & Ness.

We currently operate 1,200+ locations domestically and 50+ internationally, including specialty concept stores for the NBA, NHL, Paris Saint-Germain, and numerous MLB teams. In recent years, Lids has built partnerships with iconic global brands including Marvel, Playboy, and the Harlem Globetrotters, and gained ambassadors like Justin Jefferson, Quavo, and Josephine Skriver – creating a community for both sports fans and fashion lovers.

The company is currently expanding with the goal of becoming the largest licensed brick-and-mortar sports retailer across the globe.

General Position Summary

The Learning and Development Specialist supports a our brick-and-mortar team of over 5,000 retail employees in their daily pursuit to develop drive sales and enhance store-level performance. The Learning and Development Specialist is responsible for designing, updating, and delivering training materials that educate employees on policies and operational procedures. This position works closely with the field Corporate Trainers, District Sales Managers, and other subject matter experts to assess developmental needs, identify training initiatives, and create suitable training materials for employees. The Learning and Development Specialist utilizes knowledge and research in industry practices and effective learning methods to drive engagement and performance.

Principle Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead the development, design, and delivery of learning programs and content (including micro-learnings and e-learnings) as well as tools to support employee training and development.
• Maintain learning management system (LMS) to ensure the proper assignment of learning items and organization of programs, content, and user profiles.
• Create and update procedural manuals and other training documentation in accordance with systematic updates and organizational/departmental requirements.
• Develop and coordinate new-hire orientation for new field leaders.
• Collaborate with the Store Operations and Talent Development teams to gather and understand learning needs and priorities to develop effective execution and a strong feedback loop.
• Create developmental courses and/or programs for specialized learning cohorts. (i.e. – District Manager in Training program)
• Identify and track measurables for training and development with the ability to report on and speak to results to key stakeholders.
• Keep up with industry trends pertaining to talent development, adult learning, and LMS administration.

Job Required Knowledge & Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Human Resources, Training and Development, Organizational Development or related field.
• Intermediate knowledge of Microsoft Suite, Adobe Creative Suite, and/or other instructional design tools. 
• Proficiency with a learning management system and other learning software.
• Experience developing and facilitating training and development materials.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong presentation and facilitation skills.
• Excellent project management including the ability to manage multiple tasks.

Preferred Job Required Knowledge & Skills

• Familiarity with best practices surrounding adult learning and instructional design.
• 2-5 years of experience in Learning and Development, preferably in a retail environment.
• Demonstrated experience designing and facilitating interactive and impactful development programs and learning journeys.

Reports To

Director of Store Operations