Learning & Development Specialist

Job Description

Posted Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at 6:00 AM

Kampgrounds of America, Inc. (KOA) is the world’s largest network of privately owned campgrounds and the leader in outdoor hospitality. KOA has 500+ locations across the United States and Canada including a mix of franchised and company-owned parks (OAK). Founded in 1962, the mission of KOA is “connecting people to the outdoors and each other,” and those who represent the brand share the values of being family-oriented, passionate, entrepreneurial, customer-focused, and innovative.

At KOA, we believe the outdoors is fun and for everyone. We are committed to having an environment where all are treated with dignity and respect. We strive to:

• intentionally create a sense of community and belonging for our guests, employees and franchise partners
• continually educate ourselves and expand our knowledge to foster an inclusive and supportive environment
• sustain a culture that promotes diversity of thought and experiences
• ensure everyone has the ability to experience the outdoors and that our facilities are accessible to all
• drive change in our company and industry through action and implementation

Lead the strategy and execution of learning and development across the KOA system. This role is responsible for strengthening operational capability, elevating guest experience standards, and supporting system quality and revenue growth through measurable learning outcomes. The position owns KOA’s learning ecosystem, ensuring that education initiatives align with business priorities, drive adoption of system standards, and produce observable operational impact across franchise locations.

• Own KOA’s learning ecosystem strategy, ensuring tools, platforms, and content drive adoption of operational standards and strategic initiatives.
• Lead management and optimization of KOA’s Learning Management System (LMS), including functionality, reporting, user access, content governance, and performance tracking.
• Design and deliver multi-platform learning experiences for KOA University, KOA Manager School, Next Gen Summit, and other system education programs, both in-person and virtual.
• Partner with Field Operations and Quality Assurance teams to identify capability gaps and translate five-year master plans and system standards into targeted learning pathways.
• Collaborate with internal departments and subject matter experts to build programs that support priority initiatives such as Campfire Services, Wi‑Fi standards, technology adoption, and operational consistency.
• Develop leadership pathways for franchise owners, managers, and emerging leaders to strengthen leadership bench strength across the KOA system.
• Embed KOA’s guest service philosophy and Fans First mindset into all training programs to reinforce cultural expectations and behavioral standards.
• Establish and track measurable business outcomes tied to training initiatives, moving beyond course completion metrics to operational impact such as quality scores, NPS, and initiative adoption rates.
• Lead learning and communication strategies for major system initiatives to reduce ambiguity and ensure consistent understanding and implementation by franchisees.
• Oversee training budget management, expense tracking, and executive reporting related to system education performance and ROI.
• Serve as a strategic partner to executive leadership on system capability development and franchise education priorities.
• This job description is not intended to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at any time with or without notice.

• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Communications, Management, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in learning and development, instructional design, or a related field. CPTM (Certified Professional in Training Management) is preferred.
• Proven experience managing an LMS and creating e‑learning content with tools such as Articulate 360, Storyline, or Adobe Captivate.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to…