Manager, Training Strategy

About Carvana

If you like disrupting the norm and are looking to join a company revolutionizing an industry then you will LOVE what Carvana has done for the car buying experience. Buying a car the old fashioned way sucks and we are working hard to make it NOT suck. I mean, have you seen our vending machine?!

We are looking for people who are excited to thrive in an environment of impactful change. Team spirit is evident at Carvana and everyday we let our passions and creativity foster innovation. We take big swings, set ambitious goals, and challenge each other to make data- and process-driven decisions in everything we do. For more information on Carvana and our mission, learn more about what it’s like to work here from the people that already do. 

About the team and position

Carvana's Recon operation spans 36 sites and is on a path to support 3 million cars per year. Getting there requires more than hiring — it requires building a training system that consistently develops skilled associates, advances internal talent, and catches performance gaps before they compound.

The Manager, Training Strategy owns one program of that system end-to-end. There are three versions of this role — Entry-level, Technician and Cosmetic — and each Training Program Manager is the single accountable owner of their program  from content design through field delivery and performance measurement. This is the connective tissue role: the bridge between Recon Operations (who define what good looks like on the floor), Instructional Designers (who build the content), and Product (who embed training into our tools), and Analytics (who measure whether it's working).

This is an operational leadership role that requires deep field presence, the ability to build trusted relationships with Associate Directors and General Managers across dozens of sites, and the discipline to protect training time even when production pressure is high. The standard this role is held to is simple: is every associate in my tier on track, at every site, right now?

This position is based at our corporate headquarters in Tempe, AZ and requires travel up to 25% of the time.

What you will do

Program Execution and Lifecycle Management

• Own execution of the full training program lifecycle— from gap analysis and content development to field delivery and performance measurement, ensuring continuous improvement loop. Own operational readiness by building and maintaining the training calendar, managing deployment schedules, certification cycles, and site visit cadence.  
• Own the launch of  the training program at new or newly qualifying sites — from trainer identification through the first certification cycle
• Own field communications for your program — ensure curriculum updates, cert changes, and new requirements land clearly and consistently at the site level
• Define and execute a blended learning strategy, both online via Workday/Carli and offline via side-by-side OTJ training.
• Lead and refine SOPs and workflows

Field Relationships and Alignment

• Serve as the primary bridge between content creation (Instructional Designers) and site-level Associate Directors and General Managers — ensure alignment before anything rolls out
• Build trusted relationships with Inspection Center leaders to ensure training time is protected and treated as an operational priority, not a corporate requirement
• Translate what you observe in the field into content update requests for Instructional Designers

Performance Monitoring and Improvement

• Own metrics by monitoring standard work adherence through validation, progress, and productivity; proactively surface gaps, insights, and trends 
• Partner with Analytics to measure, monitor, and interpret progress to develop reporting for internal stakeholders and operators
• Own the remediation and action plans for chronically underperforming training sites to prevent compounding gaps, and partner with Inspection Center General Managers to implement solutions

Trainer Development and Accountability

• Partner with Inspection Center General Manager to select, onboard, and maintain a high-quality bench of certified Trainers to ensure zero program downtime
• Own structured feedback and ongoing development for Trainers through regular observations
• Own train-the-trainer materials, certification criteria, and the ongoing Trainer development cadence
• Track Trainer quality metrics by site — standard work fidelity, associate ramp outcomes, curriculum adherence

What you should know/have

• 6+ years of experience in training program management, human capital, learning and development, operations, or a related field 
• Proven ability to design and run training programs at scale — not just build content, but own delivery consistency across a distributed footprint
• Proven ability to develop training needs assessments, training strategies and training plans with key stakeholders across the business
• Strong data literacy — comfortable interpreting standard work results, certification completion funnels, ramp rates, and quality miss rates and using that data to drive program decisions
• Demonstrated track record of collaboration with field or site-level operations leaders and driving accountability to program adherence 
• Strong project management and organizational skills — ability to manage multiple programs and timelines simultaneously without losing accountability
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; proven ability to communicate effectively across all levels of an organization
• Willingness to travel up to 25%

It would be great if you also have

• Master’s in Business, Supply Chain, I/O Psychology, Learning Design or related degree.
• Experience with Google Suite.
• Experience in consulting.
• Project management certification.

What we’ll offer in return

• Full-Time Salary Position with a competitive salary.
• Medical, Dental, and Vision benefits.
• 401K with company match.
• A multitude of perks including student loan payments, discounts on vehicles, benefits for your pets, and much more.
• A great wellness program to keep you healthy and happy both physically and mentally.
• Access to opportunities to expand your skill set and share your knowledge with others across the organization.
• A company culture focused on high performance and bar-raising, with vast opportunity to learn and grow.

Other requirements

To be able to do your job at Carvana, there are some basic requirements we want to share with you.

• Must be able to read, write, speak and understand English.

Of course, we’ll make any reasonable accommodations for those with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their jobs. 

Legal stuff

Hiring is contingent on passing a complete background check.  This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

Carvana is an equal employment opportunity employer.  All applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, age, mental or physical disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law.  Carvana also prohibits harassment of applicants or employees based on any of these protected categories.

Please note this job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.