National Technical Training Manager

The National Technical Training Manager is responsible for developing and delivering technical, product, and practice-development training for employees and customers across the independent eye care professional channel. This role builds the knowledge, skills, and confidence of sales teams, customer-facing employees, and eye care professionals to support exceptional patient care, effective product positioning, and sustainable business growth.

Serving as a technical subject matter expert, the National Technical Training Manager translates complex optical concepts, technologies, and product information into engaging and practical learning experiences. The role leads both in-person and virtual training, supports new product and technology launches, develops training content and resources, and delivers continuing education programs, including ABO/NCLE-approved education.

The position partners closely with Learning & Development, Sales, Business Development, Marketing, Product Management, R&D, Global Training, and other cross-functional teams to ensure technical training is aligned with business priorities, customer needs, and evolving industry trends.

Technical Training & Facilitation

• Develop and deliver engaging in-person, virtual, and blended learning programs covering the full product portfolio, optical principles and technologies, product positioning, and practice development.
• Translate complex technical and optical information into clear, practical learning experiences appropriate for different audiences and levels of expertise.
• Facilitate technical education for sales teams, customer-facing employees, customers, and eye care professionals.
• Adapt training methods and content based on learner needs, business priorities, product developments, and market conditions.
• Maintain a high level of technical and industry knowledge to provide credible, relevant, and current education.

National Training Program Management

• Lead the planning and execution of annual and ongoing technical training initiatives across the organization.
• Develop training plans and learning experiences supporting new product launches, advanced optical technologies, business initiatives, and practice-development opportunities.
• Coordinate training calendars, audiences, content, resources, and delivery requirements to ensure effective execution.
• Partner with Learning & Development leadership to identify training priorities and develop scalable learning solutions.
• Evaluate training effectiveness and use learner feedback, business needs, and performance insights to continuously improve programs.

Customer & Employee Development

• Provide specialized technical and product training to sales representatives, customer service employees, and other customer-facing teams.
• Equip commercial teams with the technical knowledge and product-positioning capabilities needed to confidently engage customers and support business growth.
• Develop customer-facing educational programs that strengthen product understanding and help eye care professionals apply technical knowledge to patient and practice needs.
• Partner with Sales and Business Development teams to identify customer education needs and develop targeted learning solutions.
• Support practice-development education designed to help customers improve patient experiences and strengthen their businesses.

Continuing Education

• Develop, maintain, and deliver continuing education programs that meet applicable ABO/NCLE requirements.
• Facilitate approved continuing education courses virtually and in person at customer events, trade shows, conferences, and other industry programs.
• Maintain required speaker qualifications and ensure continuing education content remains current and compliant with applicable standards.
• Partner with Sales, Business Development, Marketing, and other teams to develop educational workshops that combine technical expertise with practice-development opportunities.

Training Content & Curriculum Development

• Develop, review, and continuously improve technical training materials, presentations, facilitator guides, webinars, job aids, and other learning resources.
• Partner with Marketing, Product Management, and Learning & Development to ensure training content is technically accurate, commercially relevant, engaging, and consistent with product positioning.
• Support the development of training materials for new products, technologies, and strategic initiatives.
• Ensure learning content can be effectively used across multiple audiences and delivery formats.

Technical Subject Matter Expertise

• Serve as a technical and optical subject matter expert to internal teams and customers.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Product Management, R&D, Global Training, Sales, Business Development, and other functions to support strategic initiatives.
• Provide technical expertise during product launches, educational events, customer meetings, and internal development programs.
• Stay current on emerging optical technologies, products, competitive developments, professional standards, and industry trends.
• Translate technical and market developments into relevant learning opportunities for employees and customers.

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Build strong partnerships across Learning & Development, Sales, Marketing, Product Management, R&D, Customer Service, Business Development, and Global Training.
• Participate in cross-functional projects requiring technical training or optical expertise.
• Represent the technical training function at internal meetings, customer events, trade shows, conferences, and other industry forums.
• Balance training priorities across multiple stakeholders while maintaining focus on organizational and customer objectives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
• 3-5+ years of training, technical education, facilitation, or related experience, preferably within the optical, vision care, medical device, healthcare, or a similarly technical industry.
• Strong knowledge of optical products, technologies, industry practices, and relevant market trends.
• Demonstrated experience developing and delivering effective technical or product training programs.
• Strong presentation, facilitation, public-speaking, and virtual-training capabilities.
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into understandable and actionable information for diverse audiences.
• Commercial awareness and understanding of how education, product positioning, and practice-development strategies can support customer and business growth.
• Strong organizational, planning, and project-management skills with the ability to manage multiple initiatives and priorities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to build effective relationships across functions and organizational levels.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within a cross-functional environment.
• Proficiency with PowerPoint and related presentation and learning technologies.
• Ability and willingness to travel nationally to support training programs, customer events, trade shows, conferences, and business priorities.
• Up to 75% Travel

Preferred Qualifications

• ABO certification and/or applicable speaker credentials.
• NCLE certification or experience delivering NCLE-approved education.
• 3+ years of experience working as an optician or in a related optical role.
• Licensed or certified optician.
• Experience developing continuing education content.
• Experience supporting product launches or commercial training within the optical industry.
• Experience delivering education at industry conferences, trade shows, or large customer events.

Competencies

• Develops Talent: Builds the knowledge, confidence, and capabilities of others through engaging education, coaching, feedback, and practical learning experiences.
• Communicates Effectively: Delivers complex technical and business information clearly and effectively across diverse audiences, settings, and communication channels.
• Tech Savvy: Anticipates and applies knowledge of emerging optical technologies, products, and learning tools to strengthen training effectiveness and business capabilities.
• Customer Focus: Builds strong customer relationships and delivers education and technical solutions that support patient care, customer success, and long-term partnership.
• Collaborates: Builds effective partnerships across Learning & Development, Sales, Marketing, Product Management, R&D, and other teams to accomplish shared objectives.
• Plans and Aligns: Establishes training priorities, resources, and execution plans that align learning programs with customer needs and organizational objectives.
• Drives Results: Consistently executes high-quality training initiatives that improve technical capability, product knowledge, customer engagement, and business performance.
• Business Insight: Applies knowledge of the optical industry, customers, market dynamics, and commercial priorities to ensure training programs support meaningful business outcomes.

Additional Responsibilities

The responsibilities described above reflect the primary expectations of the position but are not intended to be exhaustive. The National Technical Training Manager may perform additional duties and responsibilities as assigned based on evolving business needs.

Originally posted on Himalayas