Director of Education and Development

OVERVIEW

Citarella is one of the most iconic premium food retailers in the United States, built on more than a century of culinary heritage and an uncompromising commitment to quality. Established in New York City in 1912 as a neighborhood seafood shop, the company has evolved into a family-run gourmet market destination known for “fresh from the source” standards, deep product expertise, and a hospitality-forward customer experience.

Today, Citarella operates specialty markets across New York City, the Hamptons, and Greenwich, Connecticut. The brand is widely recognized for extraordinary seafood and a best-in-class assortment of prime dry-aged meats, chef-prepared foods, scratch-made pastries, artisanal cheeses, cured meats, smoked fish and a curated lineup of private-label products. Its reputation rests on craftsmanship, pride, operational discipline, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.

Citarella’s next chapter requires scaling this high-standard, founder-driven business into a durable, professionally managed enterprise capable of sustained growth across markets and channels—while preserving the quality, culture, and customer intimacy that define the brand.

Position Overview

At Citarella, our people are the heart of the guest experience. From our stores and commissary to our support teams, we are committed to developing passionate, hospitality-driven professionals who deliver excellence every day.

We are seeking a dynamic, hands-on, and strategic Director of Education and Development to lead the evolution of training, onboarding, leadership development, and organizational learning across the company. This role will play a critical part in strengthening operational excellence, preserving the Citarella culture, and building the next generation of leaders within our growing organization.

The ideal candidate is both strategic and operational — someone who can build scalable programs while remaining closely connected to the day-to-day realities of a fast-paced retail and food environment. This leader will partner closely with Operations, Store Leadership, HR, and Executive Leadership to create engaging, measurable, and hospitality-focused learning experiences that support business performance and team member growth.

While this position will be based in our Support center location on the Upper Westside. This role requires regular travel throughout NYC and surrounding locations.

Key Responsibilities

Learning Strategy & Organizational Development

• Develop and execute a company-wide Learning & Development strategy aligned with Citarella’s culture, operational goals, and long-term growth plans
• Partner with business leaders to identify skill gaps, succession opportunities, and leadership development priorities across stores, commissary, and corporate functions
• Build scalable learning solutions that support operational excellence, guest service standards, compliance, leadership capability, and career growth

Training & Program Development

• Design, implement, and continuously improve onboarding, training, and development programs for hourly team members, managers, and leaders
• Lead the evolution of new hire orientation to create a welcoming, engaging, and brand-centered experience
• Develop leadership development pathways focused on coaching, accountability, hospitality, communication, and operational execution
• Create structured development plans and performance improvement tools that support team member growth and operational consistency
• Ensure training materials, messaging, and delivery methods reflect the Citarella brand and service expectations across all locations

Operational Partnership

• Partner closely with Store Managers, Department Managers, Operations Leaders, and HR to support workforce readiness and business initiatives
• Spend time in stores and operational environments to understand team needs, identify opportunities, and ensure training programs are practical and impactful
• Support new store initiatives, operational rollouts, process improvements, and culture-building efforts through effective training execution

Measurement & Continuous Improvement

• Establish measurable KPIs and reporting metrics to evaluate training effectiveness, engagement, retention, and operational impact
• Utilize feedback, assessments, and performance trends to continuously improve learning programs and delivery methods
• Identify opportunities to streamline processes, improve adoption, and increase overall training effectiveness

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, coach, and develop members of the Learning & Development function
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, hospitality, and continuous learning
• Stay informed on industry trends, learning technologies, and innovative development practices that enhance the team member experience

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and professional experience
• 5+ years of progressive leadership experience in Learning & Development, Organizational Development, or Talent Development
• Experience building and scaling training programs within fast-paced, multi-unit environments
• Strong operational mindset with the ability to connect learning initiatives directly to business results and guest experience
• Proven ability to influence and partner effectively with leaders across all levels of the organization
• Exceptional communication, facilitation, coaching, and relationship-building skills
• Highly organized with strong project management and execution capabilities
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and familiarity with HRIS, LMS, or learning platforms

Preferred Experience

• Experience within retail, hospitality, food service, grocery, restaurant, or multi-site operational environments
• Bilingual English/Spanish strongly preferred
• Experience supporting diverse hourly workforces
• Comfortable working in both corporate and operational settings, including stores and commissary environments
• Passion for hospitality, people development, and creating exceptional team member experiences

Why Join Citarella

For over 100 years, Citarella has built a reputation for delivering the finest products and exceptional guest experiences. Our continued success is driven by passionate people who care deeply about quality, hospitality, and teamwork.

This is an opportunity to help shape the future of learning, leadership, and culture at one of New York’s most iconic gourmet markets.