Director of Service Training

About Us

The St. Joe Company is a premier developer and operator of luxury hospitality experiences along Northwest Florida’s Emerald Coast. Our hospitality portfolio includes Forbes-rated boutique hotels, private membership clubs, scenic golf courses, full-service beach clubs, award-winning restaurants, and world-class event venues.

We are dedicated to delivering personalized, high-touch service that reflects the charm and natural beauty of the region. Our properties are thoughtfully designed to create memorable guest experiences, whether it’s a beachfront vacation, a fine dining evening, a wellness retreat, or a private event.

As a company, we are deeply rooted in our community and driven by a culture of service excellence, integrity, and innovation. At The St. Joe Company, we don’t just offer hospitality—we create places where people connect, celebrate, and return time and time again.

Position Summary:

The Director of Service Training is a strategic hospitality leader responsible for creating and driving world-class training programs that elevate luxury service standards across The St. Joe Company’s hospitality portfolio. With a strong focus on Forbes Travel Guide principles, this role is instrumental in shaping a service culture rooted in excellence, consistency, and authentic Southern hospitality.

This leader will oversee the development and execution of immersive, property-level training initiatives that enhance guest experiences across hotels, clubs, restaurants, and resort amenities. The Director will work closely with operational leaders to embed Forbes standards into daily service routines, build a high-performance culture through the Certified Trainer program, and provide hands-on coaching and support to team members and leadership alike.

In addition to supporting wine and beverage education, leadership development, and guest experience programming, the Director serves as a brand ambassador for service excellence—ensuring that every team member is equipped to deliver personalized, refined, and memorable experiences at every guest touchpoint.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and lead the enterprise-wide learning and development strategy, aligning all training initiatives with The St. Joe Company’s brand standards, business goals, and long-term vision for service excellence.
• Drive the strategic implementation of Forbes Travel Guide standards across all properties, ensuring a consistent, luxury-level guest experience throughout Housekeeping, Front Office, and Food & Beverage operations.
• Provide executive oversight for all regulatory compliance training programs, maintaining adherence to federal and state requirements across food safety, alcohol service, and other mandated topics.
• Direct the management and optimization of the company’s Learning Management System (LMS) within Paycom, ensuring enterprise-level tracking, reporting, and content governance.
• Partner with senior operations leaders to embed service culture into daily operations, integrating training initiatives into departmental SOPs, lineups, and ongoing coaching.
• Lead the strategic development and oversight of the Certified Trainer Program to scale onboarding, cross-training, and leadership readiness across all locations.
• Develop and implement a company-wide beverage and wine service education strategy to elevate the guest dining experience and support F&B revenue objectives.
• Analyze and report on the effectiveness and ROI of training programs using guest satisfaction metrics, employee performance data, and business outcomes to inform future strategy.
• Oversee the planning, execution, and budgeting of quarterly and annual learning events, executive training retreats, and cross-functional workshops.
• Collaborate with HR and Talent leadership to build career pathways and succession planning frameworks for high-potential leaders, ensuring a strong internal talent pipeline.
• Serve as the primary executive liaison for Forbes Travel Guide, managing certification preparation, evaluation readiness, and post-evaluation action plans.

• Additional Responsibilities:

• Own development of the company-wide annual training calendar and service communication strategy.
• Attend and contribute to daily property standups and pre-shift briefings as needed to ensure alignment.
• Lead ongoing evaluations and audits of service standards and recommend coaching or retraining when appropriate.
• Support special initiatives led by the Talent, Leadership & Culture department.
• Guide and support new property openings or transitions with pre-opening training and onboarding programs.
• Serve as point of contact for Forbes Travel Guide property evaluations and certification preparation.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, Human Resources, Organizational Development, or related field preferred.
• 10+ years of leadership experience in training or hospitality operations, preferably in a luxury or Forbes-rated environment.
• In-depth knowledge of Forbes service standards and operational training in hotel, club, or resort settings.
• Strong command of regulatory compliance standards and certifications.
• Fluency in Spanish highly preferred to support bilingual workforce and training delivery.
• Exceptional public speaking, facilitation, and coaching skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, LMS platforms (especially Paycom), and eLearning development tools.
• Ability to travel between properties and work a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends when necessary.

Working Conditions:

• Must be able to travel frequently between properties.
• Flexibility in work hours is required to accommodate training schedules.
• Will be expected to lead trainings in both classroom and on-floor environments.
• May be exposed to operational environments in kitchens, guest-facing areas, and outdoor spaces.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed and are not an exclusive list of all duties and responsibilities.  The St Joe Company reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet business and organizational needs.