Your new role
About Us:
It takes a whole lot of passion to be at the centre of what makes a house feel like home — and that’s just what we do at DFS. We’re the leading sofa retail specialist in the UK, helping people find a comfy seat on their great quality sofas since 1969.
About the role:
The Upholstery Trainer is responsible for delivering high-quality training and coaching to new and existing upholstery colleagues, ensuring they develop the skills, knowledge, and confidence required to meet quality, productivity, and safety standards. The role supports the continuous development of the upholstery team through practical instruction, performance monitoring, and ongoing skills development.
Here’s what we offer:
The Highlights
Competitive Pay & Work-Life Balance: With an yearly salary of £38k and a reliable schedule, leading to a strong annual earning potential including uncapped commission.
Working hours :40 per week - flexibility to cover early and late shifts
Growth and Training: Learn new skills and develop your career with us.
There’s more…
Generous holiday allowance – the time you need to rest and relax and the longer you’re with us, the more time you’ll get. Opportunity to purchase additional holidays each year.
Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave: to give you the time you need to settle in with your new family member.
Discounts: Get 30% off DFS and Sofology products for yourself, plus discounts for friends and family – and savings at big brands like Sainsbury’s, ASOS, and IKEA.
Wellbeing Perks: Access healthcare services, an Employee Assistance Programme, and discounted gym memberships.
Pension and Savings: Join our Group Pension and Sharesave schemes.
Life Assurance & Sick Pay: Peace of mind with Life Assurance and Company Sick Pay.
What you'll be doing:
Identifying the skills, knowledge, and competencies required at each stage of the upholstery process, including correct preparation and assembly techniques.
Assessing and evaluating current colleague skill levels, identifying strengths, development needs, and training requirements across all upholstery operations.
Identifying skill shortages within the workforce and developing targeted training plans to address capability gaps.
Delivering structured, hands-on training to ensure colleagues achieve and maintain the required standards of quality, workmanship, and productivity.
Coaching and mentoring colleagues on best-practice upholstery techniques, promoting consistency and attention to detail.
Working closely with the Product Development and Manufacturing teams to support new model introductions, ensuring training materials and delivery are aligned to new product requirements.
Developing and implementing training programmes that increase operational flexibility by enabling colleagues to work competently across multiple upholstery processes.
Supporting succession planning and workforce development by broadening skills and increasing cross-functional capability.
Accelerating colleague development through effective training provision, reducing the time taken for individuals to achieve full competency.
Monitoring training effectiveness through competency assessments, quality measures, and performance reviews, adapting training programmes where required.
Promoting a culture of continuous learning, quality excellence, and continuous improvement throughout the upholstery operation.
Ensuring all training activities are delivered in accordance with company policies, product specifications, and Health & Safety requirements.
This role is for you if you have
Proven experience within an upholstery manufacturing environment, with a strong understanding of upholstery techniques, materials, and processes.
Demonstrable experience across multiple stages of upholstery, including preparation, assembly, fitting, and finishing.
Experience training, coaching, mentoring, or developing colleagues in a production or manufacturing setting.
Experience conducting skills assessments and identifying development needs within a workforce.
Experience supporting new product introductions or process changes is desirable.
Previous experience working within a quality-focused manufacturing environment.
Skills ,knowledge & Personal Attributes
Strong technical knowledge of upholstery methods, tools, equipment, and best practices.
Ability to identify skill gaps and develop effective training plans to improve capability and performance.
Excellent coaching and mentoring skills, with the ability to adapt training methods to suit different learning styles.
Strong understanding of quality standards and the ability to instil a right-first-time approach.
Ability to interpret product specifications, technical drawings, and manufacturing instructions.
Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to identify and address performance or training issues.
Good organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple training priorities effectively.
Competent in maintaining training records, competency assessments, and development plans.
Effective communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build positive relationships across all levels of the business.
Passionate about developing others and helping colleagues reach their full potential.
Patient, approachable, and supportive, with a positive attitude towards coaching and continuous improvement.
Self-motivated with the ability to work independently and take ownership of training initiatives.
Strong attention to detail and commitment to high-quality workmanship.
Flexible and adaptable, with the ability to respond to changing business and production requirements.
Committed to promoting a safe working environment and ensuring compliance with Health & Safety standards.
Qualifications(Desirable)
Recognised qualification in Training, Learning & Development, Coaching, or a related discipline.
Vocational qualification in Upholstery, Furniture Manufacturing, or a relevant trade.
Train the Trainer qualification or equivalent experience in delivering workplace training.
Health & Safety qualification or experience within a manufacturing environment.
Our Commitment to Inclusion:
We’re committed to a culture where everyone feels welcome, valued, and can thrive at work. We celebrate diverse voices, champion inclusion, and support each other through our growing colleague networks. We invest in partnerships that drive change, from introducing the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower and supporting Doncaster Pride, to partnering with Carers UK and developing leaders with Diversity in Retail.
We're proud to be an equal opportunities employer, committed to building a workplace that reflects the communities we serve. So, if your experience doesn't quite match the specification, we'd still really love to hear from you.
(All roles are subject to satisfactory DBS checks.)