Training & Development Manager
Raja Gharazeddine
Raja is a certificated flight instructor with instrument flight ratings teaching new students primary, advanced, and commercial ratings. Raja also holds advanced ground instructor ratings and teaches private pilot ground school at the University of Louisiana at Layfayette.
Raja has over twenty three years experience in management with a history of consistently setting unprecedented sales records and exceeding financial goals. Raja has expertise in program development, team management and budget and human resources management. Experienced in training needs analysis, design and delivery of courses and evaluation of course effectiveness. Effective at planning, forecasting and reporting. Solid track record of turning around declining operations while maintaining excellent morale and customer service standards. Possess strong management skills with expertise in overseeing multiple tasks and projects, with exceptional attention to detail and organization. Computer skills include: Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
Training and Development Skills
- Implemented and taught safety and sanitation practices utilizing classroom and field training procedures.
- Served as Safety and Security Coordinator for Lafayette market consisting of 18 restaurants.
- Provided classroom training for restaurant, resulting in increased average check through suggestive selling training.
- Managed Training Coordinator of one of largest restaurant chains in U.S. to strategize staffing issues, retention status, and development needs of under-performing employees and training and development opportunities for staff.
- Taught evaluation management techniques to five managers responsible for training 110 employees.
- Implemented performance evaluations for 30 key employees bi-annually.
- Set up operational systems to streamline operations, resulting in efficient operating practices and reduced expenses.
- Developed and delivered courses which resulted in outstanding employee training.
- Designed and delivered training courses to staff and managers, facilitating improved organizational and managerial skills.
- Advised the human resource team and business managers in resolving recruitment and retention issues, in order to build a workforce possessing the project’s key skill requirements.
- Worked with managers to optimize available budget for enhancing the performance review process.
- Provided long and short-term training and development strategies for staff, management and new employees to position organization for future growth and staff expansion, managing a $700,000 annual budget.
- Created and delivered courses to improve management, recruitment and interactive skills, with topics including performance management, recruitment and selection, as well as sales building workshops.
- Analyzed annual course offerings and compiled a class list, equipping staff and management with skills critical to providing top job performance.
- Constructed and implemented course evaluation process to ensure training effectiveness.
- Collaborated with the head of human resources to implement performance reviews throughout the organization, ensuring all employees developed a Personal Development Plan.
- Interacted successfully with staff from a variety of social, economic and ethnic backgrounds to facilitate the resolution of company’s human resources needs.
- Improved processes and defined standards by organizational restructuring, identification of competencies and dissemination of corporate policy to all employees.
- Coordinated employee assessments to discern training needs as well as identify individual development opportunities.
- Counseled employees on career opportunities and planning, in order to guide and encourage growth within the organization while increasing employee retention.
- Counseled employees regarding workplace issues by mediating conflict and grievances to improve interpersonal relationships and team productivity. Encounters also included counseling needs assessments and substance abuse referrals.
Management Skills
- Supervised restaurant and gift shop operations through planning, coaching, and directing the unit’s resources in order to achieve goals.
- Employed 110 employees and five salaried managers with restaurants generating $3 million annually.
- Achieved net operating income 40% higher than company average for 2006 and 2007.
- Through effective management, secured lowest turnover with 97% retention for 2003 in region.
- Reduced turnover by 33% through appropriate training and excellent rapport with employees.
- Secured highest sales increase in District in 2003 and increased net operating income by 142% from 2002 to 2005 and awarded General Manager of the year in 2004.
- Increased same store sales by 11% over prior year for 12th fastest growing fast food restaurant in United States.
- Created and implemented local store marketing campaigns, resulting in increased traffic and revenue.
- Managed payroll of up to $79,000 monthly, processed invoices of $60,000 monthly and managed product inventory.
- Performed weekly sales projections, reviewed production level of employees, managed ordering of food supplies and paper products.
- Managed and conducted leadership meetings to strategize marketing promotions.
- Provided direct supervision and management of multiple teams during a period of fiscal difficulty and change within the agency.
- Recruited and selected over 500 employees for staff and management positions by assessing personal qualifications and matching candidates.
- Used innovation and creativity in developing a new workplace image and market strategy to increase candidate pools and applicant diversity.
- Attended large job fairs, performed preliminary interviews and coordinated follow-up application process to identify qualified candidates.
- Administered recruiting and hiring procedures resulting in consistent adherence to ADA and EEOC guidelines.
- Supervised a hierarchy of 115 employees and oversaw facility operations resulting in a smoothly run restaurant consisting of a $3 million budget.
- Established communication initiatives between staff and management to clarify performance expectations, discuss successes, and identify areas for improvement and perform terminations, as needed.
- Assisted in new employee orientation planning as well as guiding team members in understanding of company policies and benefits.
Professional Work History
Substitute Teacher/Instructor - Vermillion and Lafayette Parish School Board, Gueydan, LA. & Lafayette, LA - 2007 to PresentGeneral Manager - Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Lafayette, LA - 1999 to 2007
General Manager - Pancho’s Mexican Buffet, Lafayette, LA - 1997 to 1999
General Manager - Sydran Food Services/Burger King Restaurants, Crowley, LA - 1993 to 1997
Owner/Franchisee - N.S.G. Corporation/FOOD ETC., Kaplan, LA 1986 to 1993
Education
M.B.A. Coursework, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA Anticipated graduation 2009
B.S., Business Administration, Major: Marketing, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, 1985 Lafayette, LA