Learning & Development Specialist

Hope Mission Statement

The mission of Hope the Mission is to prevent, reduce and eliminate poverty, hunger, and homelessness by offering immediate assistance and long-term solutions.

Position Purpose and Summary 

Hope the Mission's frontline workforce operates in one of the most demanding environments in human services. Every shift, staff navigate trauma, de-escalation, and complex behavioral health needs in shelters serving people in crisis. How well staff are prepared for that environment determines how safe those spaces are, how long employees stay, and how effectively Hope the Mission delivers on its mission. The Learning and Development Specialist is the person responsible for that preparation.

Reporting to the Director of Development, the L&D Specialist designs, develops, and delivers training across the Hope the Mission workforce. This includes facilitating onboarding and ongoing staff development, providing shelter-specific training in trauma-informed care, de-escalation, crisis intervention, emergency procedures, and safety protocols, developing management training, creating instructional materials, tracking training completion and outcomes, and coordinating training logistics. The L&D Specialist collaborates with shelter managers and frontline staff to tailor content to the realities of shelter operations and works with external training vendors and subject matter experts as needed. Travel to program sites is required up to 50% of the time. This is a grant-funded position.

Staff who are undertrained don't just struggle. They leave, they make mistakes, and they sometimes cause harm. Hope the Mission's ability to retain a capable frontline workforce and deliver consistent, quality services depends in part on whether people feel equipped to do the job they were hired to do. The L&D Specialist builds that capacity, one training at a time, in the rooms where the work actually happens.

Responsibilities

Training Design and Development

• Design, develop, and update training programs for frontline staff and management using adult learning principles

• Create instructional materials including presentations, handouts, and workbooks

• Develop training content specific to shelter operations including trauma-informed care, de-escalation techniques, understanding homelessness, crisis intervention, emergency procedures, and safety protocols

• Liaise with subject matter experts regarding instructional design

• Stay current on training design methodologies and best practices

Training Delivery and Facilitation

• Deliver live and on-demand training programs using a range of facilitation methods including role-playing, simulations, team exercises, group discussions, videos, and lectures

• Facilitate onboarding training for new staff

• Provide ongoing training for existing staff across programs and departments

• Offer site-based training for program teams at shelter and program locations

• Develop and facilitate management and leadership training programs

Vendor and External Coordination

• Identify appropriate external training vendors for organizational needs

• Coordinate and liaise with external subject matter experts as needed

Logistics, Tracking, and Reporting

• Handle all logistics for training activities including venues, schedules, and equipment

• Manage and maintain in-house training facilities and equipment

• Track and report on training completion rates and outcomes

• Attend meetings and seminars to gather information for use in training programs or to update leadership on training program status

Collaboration and Continuous Improvement

• Collaborate with shelter managers and frontline staff to tailor training content to the specific needs and challenges of shelter operations

• Assist with identifying training gaps and developing solutions to address them

• Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Behavioral Science, Education, Human Services, or a related field required

• Minimum 2 years of training experience required

• Experience in homeless services, social services, or a related field preferred

• Bilingual in English and Spanish preferred

Skills

• Design and facilitate training programs using adult learning principles across diverse staff populations

• Facilitate live training sessions with strong public speaking and group engagement skills

• Develop instructional materials including slide presentations, handouts, and participant workbooks

• Tailor training content to the specific needs and challenges of shelter and human services environments

• Track training completion data and report outcomes to leadership

• Manage multiple training projects and deadlines simultaneously with strong organizational skills

• Work autonomously and take initiative with minimal supervision

• Communicate clearly and professionally in writing and verbally with staff, managers, and external partners

• Adapt to a fast-paced, constantly changing environment

• Proficient in Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, and other common web-based applications

Mandatory Requirements

• Background Screening – Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of  background checks as required per worksite.

• Drug and Alcohol Testing – Candidates must pass pre-employment and ongoing drug and alcohol screenings in accordance with company policy.

• Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) Check – For roles requiring driving, employment is contingent upon an acceptable driving record.

• Legal Eligibility to Work – Candidates must provide proof of legal authorization to work in the US.

• Compliance with Company Policies and HIPAA standards – All employees must comply with company policies, including safety, confidentiality, and conduct standards.

• Must have reliable transportation..

Physical, Demands, Environmental Conditions, Equipment 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions. The employee is required to: walk and climb stairs; stand, bend,  squat, climb, kneel, and twist on an intermittent or sometimes continuous basis; grasp, push, pull objects such as  files, file cabinet drawers, and reach overhead; handle, finger, grasp and feel objects and equipment; reach with  hands and arms; be mobile by moving oneself from place to place quickly and easily; repeat various motions with  the wrists, hands, and fingers; be able to perform visual activities for (including, but not limited to) administrative  and clerical tasks; ability to lift up to 25 lbs.; communicate, receive and exchange ideas, information by means of  the spoken and written word; drive vehicles in and around Los Angeles County; be able to enter various buildings  that may require climbing stairs; be periodically subjected to outside environmental conditions. The employee may work in proximity to service animals and emotional support animals; use a desktop and/or laptop computer; various office machines. Complete all required forms in personal writing. 

Work Environment

The employee may be in contact with individuals and families in crisis who may be ill, using alcohol and drugs, and who may not be attentive to basic personal hygiene, health and safety practices. The employee may experience a number of unpleasant sensory demands associated with the participants’ use of alcohol and drugs, and lack of personal hygiene. The employee must be ready to respond quickly and effectively to many types of situations, including crisis situations and potentially hostile situations. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate in an office setting. Sometimes work may become stressful when working under pressure or in crisis intervention.

EEO: HTM (Hope the Mission) provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, HTM complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, placement, promotion, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. 

HTM will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if HTM is concerned about a conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing’s Fair Chance Act webpage.