Manager of Culture & Growth

Role:   Manager of Culture & Growth

Location: Queen Creek and Apache Junction, AZ

Why This Role Matters

The Manager of Culture & Growth plays a critical role in connecting employee experience, professional development, and operational performance. By investing in culture, building workforce capabilities, and creating pathways into technical careers, this leader will help shape a workplace where employees can thrive and the organization can grow sustainably.

Overview

The Manager of Culture & Growth leads initiatives that strengthen organizational culture, enhance employee engagement, and develop workforce capabilities across the manufacturing operation, including workforce communications, learning and development, new hire orientation, and technical training. This role will also help strengthen our industry-academia partnerships with focus on establishing a technician development program, creating pathways that connect education with rewarding careers in manufacturing. Leading a team of three professionals, the Manager will work closely with other members of human resources, operations, company leadership, and external education partners to build a workplace where employees feel informed, valued, and empowered to grow.

Key Responsibilities

Shape Culture & Employee Experience

• Develop initiatives that strengthen employee engagement, recognition, inclusion, and connection to organizational values.
• Lead workforce communications that keep employees informed and connected, including all-hands meetings, employee newsletters, and other communication channels.
• Partner with leaders to share business updates, celebrate achievements, communicate priorities, and reinforce a shared sense of purpose.
• Use employee feedback and engagement data to identify opportunities and implement meaningful improvements to the employee experience.

Grow Talent Through Learning & Development

• Lead learning and development initiatives that support employee growth, leadership effectiveness, and organizational capability.
• Oversee new hire orientation and onboarding to create a welcoming, consistent experience that helps employees understand our culture, expectations, and opportunities.
• Partner with leaders to identify workforce development needs and build learning pathways that support career progression, internal mobility, and retention.
• Evaluate program effectiveness and continuously improve learning experiences to meet organizational needs.

Build Technical Capabilities & Future Talent

• Provide strategic oversight of technical training and competency development across the manufacturing operation.
• Partner with Operations and subject matter experts to strengthen technical skills, training standards, qualification processes, and cross-training opportunities.
• Oversee the development and implementation of a technician development program in collaboration with educational institutions, technical schools, community colleges, and other relevant partners.
• Monitor program outcomes, including participant progression, competency attainment, talent pipeline effectiveness, and workforce readiness.

Lead, Collaborate & Drive Results

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of three direct reports: one Technical Trainer and two HR professionals focused on culture, engagement, and learning and development.
• Build strong partnerships across HR, operations, company leadership, and external stakeholders to align people initiatives with business objectives.
• In concert with leadership, establish clear priorities and measurable goals while fostering collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Evaluate program outcomes using engagement, retention, training, and workforce development metrics to demonstrate impact and guide improvements.

Qualifications

Required:

• A bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Business Administration, Education, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Five or more years of progressive experience in human resources, learning and development, organizational development, technical training, or a related discipline.
• Experience leading teams, managing cross-functional initiatives, and developing programs that improve employee engagement or workforce capabilities.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to create clear, engaging messages for diverse employee audiences.
• The ability to build collaborative relationships with operational leaders, employees, and external partners.
• A strategic and practical mindset, with strong project management, problem-solving, and analytical skills.

Preferred:

• Experience in manufacturing or another environment supporting operations.
• Experience developing technical training programs, competency frameworks, or career pathways.
• Experience partnering with educational institutions, technical schools, or community colleges to develop talent pipelines.
• Experience leading employee communications, all-hands meetings, newsletters, or engagement initiatives.
• Familiarity with learning management systems, employee engagement tools, and workforce analytics.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role will be measured by improved employee engagement and retention, effective onboarding, increased technical competency, stronger leadership and employee development, and the successful establishment of sustainable technician talent pipelines through educational partnerships. The Manager will build a cohesive team and deliver programs that strengthen both the employee experience and the operational capabilities of the business.