Trade Operations Manager Jobs in Arizona (NOW HIRING)

About ERMCO Electric Research and Manufacturing Cooperative, Inc. (ERMCO) was founded in 1964 by three electric cooperatives with a mission to deliver reliable transformers to rural communities often overlooked by larger manufacturers. Headquartered in Dyersburg, Tennessee, the company quickly established itself as an innovator-becoming the first U.S. plant exclusively designed to produce single-phase pad-mounted transformers.  

Over the decades, ERMCO has expanded its capabilities and footprint through facility growth, strategic acquisitions, and continued investment in innovation. ERMCO designs and manufactures a comprehensive portfolio of liquid-filled distribution transformers, including single-phase and three-phase pad-mounted and pole-mounted transformers, supported by a full range of components such as amorphous and silicon steel transformer cores, fuses, bushings, disconnect switches, and circuit breakers. 

Today, nearly 3,500 employees across eight sites in North America support the company's role as a leader in powering energy grids to meet evolving customer demand. Now more than ever, ERMCO is positioned to be the industry's Most Valued Partner.

About ERMCO's Arizona Facility 

Electric Research and Manufacturing Cooperative, Inc. (ERMCO) is expanding into the Greater Phoenix market with a new 566,121-square-foot manufacturing facility in Waddell. The site will strengthen ERMCO's Three-Phase transformer production and create new opportunities to advance automated manufacturing capabilities. 

This marks ERMCO's first expansion west of the Mississippi River. Operational readiness is underway, with the first transformer set to be manufactured in 2027. 

ERMCO is offering long-term career opportunities across engineering, skilled trades, and operations. Team members at this facility will help build scalable processes, embed best practices, and drive alignment across the enterprise-playing a key role in shaping how work is done at ERMCO both locally and companywide. 

Job Summary

The Site Manufacturing Operations Manager plays a critical leadership role in ERMCO's new Phoenix, AZ facility. Reporting directly to the General Manager, this role provides oversight and leadership across all areas of plant operations, including fabrication, core manufacturing, assembly, testing, and production support functions. This leader will be responsible for all three shifts and will guide Area Managers, Supervisors, and production teams to ensure safety, quality, and productivity targets are consistently met.

Because this is a new plant startup, the Site Manufacturing Operations Manager will be heavily involved in establishing production processes, building teams, implementing training, and aligning workflows with the established operations at ERMCO's Dyersburg, TN facility. Significant travel to Dyersburg will be required for onboarding, knowledge transfer, and alignment of manufacturing standards.

A successful candidate brings deep manufacturing leadership experience, an engineering or technical background, strong change-management capabilities, and proven success in high-growth or startup environments.

This position is located in Waddell, AZ. Relocation assistance will be provided.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Daily Operations

• Lead daily production activities across all shifts, ensuring adherence to schedules, quality standards, and safety expectations.
• Facilitate daily SQDC meetings, driving discussion and accountability for Safety, Quality, Delivery, and Cost.
• Promote a safe, positive, and productive work environment while modeling ERMCO's cultural values.

People Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop Area Managers and Department Supervisors, strengthening leadership bench strength.
• Drive associate engagement by championing enthusiasm, ownership, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Oversee recruiting, hiring, onboarding, training, performance evaluations, coaching, and corrective actions.

Startup & Cross-Site Collaboration

• Travel extensively to the Dyersburg, TN facility for onboarding, process alignment, and training.
• Collaborate with Dyersburg leadership to transfer best practices, operational standards, and manufacturing methods.
• Assist in developing and launching all new production workflows for the Phoenix facility.

Operational Excellence

• Continuously analyze and improve processes to maximize efficiency, output, and product quality.
• Drive Lean Manufacturing initiatives, root cause analysis efforts, and continuous improvement projects.
• Monitor key performance metrics, including labor utilization, scrap, rework, scheduling adherence, and cost performance.

Quality & Safety Assurance

• Ensure that all products meet or exceed industry standards and customer expectations.
• Partner with Quality to resolve nonconformances and implement corrective actions.
• Enforce strict safety protocols and support a proactive safety culture across the plant.

Resource & Cost Management

• Monitor manufacturing costs, minimize waste, and optimize resource utilization, including non-personnel costs by department.
• Oversee equipment upkeep, preventive maintenance schedules, and calibration compliance.
• Collaborate with Area Managers and the General Manager to develop capital budgets and justify CapEx initiatives.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Supply Chain, Inventory Control, Training, Quality, Safety, Maintenance, Engineering, and HR to support plant performance.
• Communicate effectively with all levels of the organization, as well as with service providers and equipment suppliers.

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required; technical degree or certification in manufacturing, engineering, or related field strongly preferred.
• Minimum of 12 years of manufacturing leadership experience, ideally in electrical transformer manufacturing or a related industrial environment.
• Demonstrated success managing complex production operations across multiple shifts.
• Strong understanding of Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement methodologies, and operational best practices.
• Exceptional servant leadership skills with the ability to motivate, develop, and engage large teams.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple competing priorities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and familiarity with ERP/production systems.
• Ability and willingness to travel extensively during plant startup and ramp-up phases.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with new plant startup, major facility expansion, or rapid-scale manufacturing environments.
• Engineering background or strong technical acumen (industrial, mechanical, manufacturing engineering, etc.).
• Lean or Six Sigma certification.
• Experience in transformer manufacturing or other high-mix, precision manufacturing environments is highly preferred.

Disclaimer

This job description is intended to provide essential information regarding the scope of this role. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or working conditions. Additional tasks may be assigned as needed to support the success of the Phoenix facility.

Let's Build the Future Together

At ERMCO, your ideas matter, your growth is supported, and your impact is real. Whether you're building on early career experience or launching your professional journey, you'll have the opportunity to learn, contribute, and grow in a manufacturing environment that values innovation and collaboration.

Join ERMCO and TRANSFORM Your Career.