Department
Job Title
Position Type
Reports To
Central Office (10)
Training Coordinator
Full-Time
VP – People and Culture
Supervises Staff
Pay Grade
Classification
Date Approved
No
8
Exempt
July 2026
The Training Coordinator is responsible for leading the agency’s training, onboarding, and workforce development programs across all operational and administrative functions. This position designs, coordinates, delivers, and tracks training programs that ensure regulatory compliance while supporting safe operations, consistent performance, and employee development across all Metro Waste Authority facilities. This role is critical to reducing operational risk, ensuring compliance with related regulations, improving onboarding effectiveness, and strengthening workforce capability across the organization.
The essential functions include, but are not limited to the following:
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Develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive training program for all MWA facilities.
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Serve as the central point of contact for training activities, including scheduling sessions, coordinating instructors, facilities, materials, and managing training rosters across multiple sites.
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Create standardized onboarding programs for: Equipment operators (heavy equipment, forklift, CDL), Operations staff (transfer station, landfill, recycling, MRF), and administrative staff.
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Manage onboarding programs averaging 40–50 hours per employee and ensure all new hires complete job-specific training requirements prior to independent duty.
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Create and maintain standardized training materials, including onboarding programs, SOP-based learning modules, job aids, presentations, videos, competency assessments, and other training resources.
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Coordinate and track all required compliance, regulatory, and safety training while maintaining accurate, audit-ready training records within LMS or other tracking systems.
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Partner with subject matter experts, supervisors, and department leaders to translate operational procedures, institutional knowledge, and regulatory requirements into effective training programs and documentation.
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Ensure consistency and standardization of training programs, procedures, and documentation across all facilities.
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Administer and maintain the agency's Learning Management System (LMS) or training tracking platform, ensuring accurate, complete, and audit-ready training records.
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Develop and support cross-training programs, skill certification paths, career development pathways, and development programs that strengthen workforce capability and organizational resilience.
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Evaluate training effectiveness through assessments, operational performance indicators, employee feedback, compliance outcomes, and training metrics; recommend and implement improvements as needed.
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Collaborate with department leaders to identify training needs, operational skill gaps, and workforce development opportunities.
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Track, analyze, and report training metrics including compliance rates, onboarding completion, total training hours, certifications, and time-to-productivity; recommend program improvements based on findings.
Environmental Stewardship – Demonstrates an understanding of Metro Waste Authority’s Environmental Management System (EMS). Guided by the EMS processes and procedures, we focus on six main areas aimed at increasing diversion and/or protecting the environment. These include:
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Recycling
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Household Hazardous Waste Collection
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Organics Management
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Water Quality Improvement
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Greenhouse Gas Reduction
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Environmental Education
MWA Values - Demonstrates an understanding of Metro Waste Authority’s values and applies them to the position, and assigned responsibilities, as well as to all interactions with customers and co-workers.
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Leadership – Set the example because everyone is a leader!
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Integrity – Always do what is right!
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Positivity – Bring our best to every task, every day and bring out the best in your colleagues!
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Teamwork – Collaborate because we know that together we will address opportunities and challenges!
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Innovation – Forge a new path and evolve!
Behavioral Competencies
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Acquires Information - Consults with others on problems and activities; collects information from a range of sources to assist and guide job activities; asks effective questions to obtain information to help him/her perform their job.
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Communicating Effectively - Expresses ideas and information in a clear and concise manner; tailors message to fit the interests and needs of the audience; delivers information in a manner that is interesting and compelling to the listener
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Coordinates Project Activities - Communicates project goals, timelines, and milestones; lets people know what they need to accomplish; identifies project interdependencies and potential resource constraints; follows up with others to ensure they are on track to meet project goals.
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Developing Plans - Clearly defines goals and the actions required to accomplish them; considers possible changes, constraints or other obstacles that might impact plans; accurately estimates time and resources need to accomplish tasks.
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Managing Resources - Accurately estimates resources and time required to complete projects; identifies and secures resources needed to complete tasks and initiatives; makes efficient use of resources.
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Presenting and Public Speaking - Displays confidence and poise in formal speaking situations; creates effective and compelling presentations.
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Prioritizing and Organizing Work - Allocates time and attention based on what is the most important to achieve key goals and objectives; approaches work in an organized and systematic manner; effectively manages tasks, information, and requests.
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Teaching - Explains things in a way that is easy for others to follow; works patiently to help people learn tasks and concepts; welcomes readily responds to questions and requests for assistance from others.
Travel
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This position requires frequent travel in and around the Des Moines metro area to support all Metro Waste Authority facilities.
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Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Organizational Development, Education, Business Administration,
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or related field.
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3 - 5 years’ related experience in training coordination or workforce development.
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Experience with Training systems/LMS
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Excellent organizational and project management skills
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Valid driver’s license
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An equivalent combination of education, training, and relevant work experience that demonstrates the required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered in lieu of the stated educational requirements.
Preferred Education & Experience
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Experience in public works, waste management, construction, or industrial operations
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Experience developing training programs from the ground up
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Experience delivering hands-on or field-based training
Physical Demands
While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers; handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk; sit; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate.
Work Environment
This position will work in all types of environments including the landfill, compost center, recycling facility, hazardous waste facility and transfer station locations. These locations are subject to potential hazards, including odor, dust, moving machinery, and extreme temperatures. This role routinely involves standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.
I have carefully read and understand the contents of this job description. I understand the responsibilities, requirements, and duties expected of me. I understand that this is not necessarily an exhaustive list of responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, efforts, or working conditions associated with the job. While this list is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, the Employer reserves the right to revise the functions and duties of the job or to require that additional or different tasks be performed as directed by the Employer. I understand that I may be required to work overtime, different shifts, or hours outside the normally defined workday or workweek.
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The company is an Equal Opportunity Employer, drug free workplace, and complies with ADA regulations as applicable.
