Senior Manager, Design Engineering

Overview

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 Senior Manager, Design Engineering is responsible for overseeing the design, development, and manufacturing of three-phase transformers. This senior-level manager leads engineering efforts of junior-level managers and advanced-level individual contributors, contributing to & ensuring alignment with organizational goals and strategies. The senior-level Engineering Manager plays a critical role in driving the tactical execution of engineering plans, managing cross-functional collaboration, and delivering business results through high quality, custom, and optimized transformer designs. 

This role will be onsite in Waddell, AZ. Relocation Assistance

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage multiple teams of engineering professionals, including managers and senior individual contributors.
• Oversee the design, development, optimization, and execution of designs for three-phase distribution transformers.
• Manage the overall product scope in relation to the production lines assigned to this role.
• Drive the tactical execution of engineering strategies, ensuring projects meet quality, cost, and time targets while adhering to company-wide strategic goals.
• Provide cross-functional leadership, working closely with sales, supply chain, manufacturing and quality to align engineering initiatives with broader business strategies and customer needs.
• Develop and implement engineering strategies that improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance product performance and quality across teams and product lines.
• Mentor and develop junior managers and senior engineers, foster leadership capabilities and ensuring succession planning within the engineering organization.
• Ensure compliance with industry standards (e.g. IEEE) and regulatory requirements (e.g. DOE) for transformer and product design within the engineering function.
• Manage budgets and resource allocation to ensure projects are completed within financial and resource constraints.
• Lead risk management and problem-solving activities, guiding teams through unforeseen challenges to deliver successful project outcomes.
• Promote and uphold safety standards within the engineering teams and throughout project execution.
• Implement, monitor, and manage performance metrics, ensuring that engineering KPIs align with business objectives and drive measurable success.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• More than 8 years of experience in distribution transformer design, with experience in managing other leaders and individual contributors. Experience with three-phase, liquid filled distribution transformers preferred. 
• Familiarity with industry standards (e.g., IEEE, IEC, CSA) and regulatory requirements (e.g. DOE) for transformers and related components.
• Proven ability to lead large, cross-functional engineering teams and deliver results aligned with business strategy.
• Understanding of product optimization in relation to material commodities, regulatory requirements, customer specifications, and industry standards.
• Extensive knowledge of engineering design processes, industry standards, and modern manufacturing practices.
• Strong leadership skills with demonstrated success in developing and mentoring engineering teams and managers.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with a tactical decision-making approach to resolving complex challenges.
• Effective communication, listening and interpersonal skills, capable of collaborating with senior leadership and cross-functional teams to achieve business objectives.
• Experience managing budgets and project resources to ensure successful project delivery.
• High level of professionalism, loyalty, integrity, and commitment to continuous improvement and innovation.

Join ERMCO and TRANSFORM your career!

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