About MEC
At MEC, we believe the transformative power of the outdoors makes us better humans and drives us to do good for the planet. We are here to inspire and support everyone in getting active outside, matching people with gear and advice that instills confidence. We offer more than products; we offer passion for the outdoors. We play with purpose!
Our business model is dependent on impassioned and well-trained outdoor enthusiasts and as such we look for individuals who live our purpose and fit with MEC ethos and lifestyle. If you are that person, we’d love to connect with you. Join us!
MEC is an equal opportunity employer and committed to building an inclusive community of staffers. We’re proud to work with our people to create a diverse workplace, where everyone feels like they belong and has the opportunity to be successful. We welcome of all applicants to join our diverse team. Tell us what you need during the hiring process, and we’ll do our best to accommodate you.
Job Overview
The Senior Manager, Learning & Development is responsible for leading, developing and executing MEC's retail learning and capability strategy across Stores and Customer Care. This role ensures our teams have the knowledge, skills, and leadership capabilities required to deliver exceptional member experiences, operational excellence, and strong business performance.
Reporting to the VP, Operations, this role leads MEC's Regional Trainers and collaborates closely with Retail Operations, Brand Experience, People & Culture, Customer Care, and external partners to design scalable learning solutions that strengthen product expertise, selling capability, leadership effectiveness, and operational consistency across the organization.
Success in this role will be measured through business outcomes including member experience, conversion, average transaction value (ATV), units per transaction (UPT), employee engagement, learning adoption, and leadership capability development.
Location: This is a hybrid role based out of MEC's Support Office (HO) in Vancouver, BC. Team members are expected to work from the office a minimum of two days per week, with flexibility to work remotely for the remainder of the week. Occasional travel to MEC stores and training events across Canada is required.
As the Senior Manager, Learning & Development you'll:
- Lead MEC's retail learning and development strategy across Stores and Customer Care, ensuring alignment with business priorities and member experience goals.
- Design, develop, and deliver scalable learning programs focused on product knowledge, member service, leadership development, onboarding, technical services, and store operations.
- Create role-specific development programs for General Managers, Department Managers, Senior Store Staff, and emerging leaders.
- Build leadership capability through coaching, facilitation, development pathways, and performance-focused learning initiatives.
- Partner with Retail Operations, Brand Experience, People & Culture, and vendor partners to identify capability gaps and implement effective learning solutions.
- Develop and support specialty retail selling systems that enhance member experience, product expertise, and business performance.
- Deliver and support experiential learning opportunities, including field experiences, product clinics, and vendor-led training programs.
- Lead, coach, and develop MEC's Regional Trainers, ensuring consistent execution of learning initiatives across the retail network.
- Conduct store visits to support training delivery, leadership coaching, operational consistency, and business opportunity identification.
- Utilize a variety of learning methods and tools, including e-learning, facilitator-led training, self-directed resources, workbooks, job aids, and digital learning platforms.
- Measure learning effectiveness and drive continuous improvement through feedback, program evaluation, learning metrics, and business performance outcomes.
- Oversee the administration, tracking, reporting, and change management of learning and development initiatives.
- Identify barriers to learning adoption and execution, and develop practical solutions that improve effectiveness and consistency across the retail network.
- Recommend and implement innovative approaches to learning delivery, content development, and capability building.
- Build scalable processes, systems, resources, and documentation that support sustainable learning and development across the organization.
- Partner with People & Culture and Retail Operations to support employee engagement, inclusion, and culture-building initiatives.
- Foster strong relationships with internal stakeholders and external brand partners to support learning, product expertise, and employee development.
- Stay informed on retail, leadership, learning, and outdoor industry trends, leveraging insights to enhance member experience, productivity, and product expertise.
- Lead change management activities that support successful adoption of new programs, initiatives, and operational practices.
- Communicate effectively with audiences ranging from frontline staff to senior leaders, building credibility and influence across the organization.
- Travel as required to support stores, training events, field-based learning initiatives, and partner engagements.
Qualifications
- 5+ years of progressive experience in Learning & Development, Retail Training, Leadership Development, or Capability Building.
- Experience leading people, programs, and cross-functional initiatives.
- Experience supporting multiple retail locations within a distributed store network.
- Strong knowledge of adult learning principles, instructional design, facilitation, coaching, and needs analysis.
- Proven experience creating and implementing learning programs that drive measurable business outcomes.
- Strong leadership, stakeholder management, influencing, and relationship-building skills.
- Excellent communication, facilitation, presentation, and technical writing abilities.
- Strong project management, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
- Ability to challenge the status quo constructively and drive continuous improvement.
- Experience leveraging Learning Management Systems (LMS), e-learning tools, Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and digital learning technologies.
- Bilingualism in French and English is considered an asset.
The Compensation & Perks!
This is a permanent role with the anticipated salary range of $106,000 to $132,600 base + bonus. The exact salary will be dependent on the successful candidate’s relevant skills, experience, qualifications and internal equity.
- Generous annual vacation allotment & Paid Care time (Wellness/sick)
- Maternity and Parental leave top-up
- Staff Discount and amazing deals straight from vendors
- Top-notch benefit plan & Retirement plan with matched contributions
- Paid days to pursue outdoor activities and/or volunteer in your community
- Access to a learning platform and educational assistance support
