Director, Project Management, Design and Procurement

Blue Bird Corporation; Troy (MI); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Continued Professional Development

Benefits package

Job summary

Blue Bird Corporation is seeking a Director of Project Management, Design and Procurement to lead design readiness, technical transfer, supplier onboarding, and procurement execution for the next-generation F53/F59 chassis platform.

The role coordinates across engineering, product, supply chain, purchasing, supplier quality, finance, Ford, and Detroit Chassis to ensure continuous product quality and scalable platform expansion.

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of design release processes, supplier readiness, procurement planning, change control, and launch risk management.
• Ability to influence technical and commercial stakeholders without direct authority and communicate complex risks clearly.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain the integrated design and procurement project plan, including milestones, sourcing deliverables, supplier readiness, material availability, and critical path dependencies.
• Coordinate platform transfer activities and ensure design requirements, product specs, certifications, test validation, quality expectations, and feature continuity are tracked.
• Partner with procurement and supply chain to support supplier selection, tooling needs, long-lead material planning, cost targets, and supply continuity.
• Coordinate with SQE to ensure supplier compliance is completed in a timely manner aligned with milestones.
• Manage risks related to design changes, release timing, supplier capacity, component availability, cost, quality, and schedule adherence.
• Engage with Ford and Detroit Chassis stakeholders for knowledge transfer, issue resolution, and Powered by Ford requirements alignment.
• Engage body builders to plan chassis readiness; ensure prototyping/pilot builds meet launch timelines.
• Provide regular updates to the Sr Director on design readiness, sourcing progress, and mitigation plans.
• Ensure milestones align with master launch schedule and supplier/material readiness for production.

Skills

Design release processes

Stakeholder influence

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, supply chain, business, or related field

Job description

About Blue Bird Corporation

Blue Bird (NASDAQ: BLBD) is recognized as a technology leader and innovator of school buses since its founding in 1927. Our dedicated team members design, engineer and manufacture school buses with a singular focus on safety, reliability, and durability. School buses carry the most precious cargo in the world – 25 million children twice a day – making them the most trusted mode of student transportation. The company is the proven leader in low- and zero-emission school buses with more than 25,000 propane, natural gas, and electric powered buses sold. Blue Bird is transforming the student transportation industry through cleaner energy solutions. For more information on Blue Bird’s complete product and service portfolio, visit www.blue-bird.com.

About Blue Bird Corporation

Blue Bird (NASDAQ: BLBD) is recognized as a technology leader and innovator of school buses since its founding in 1927. Our dedicated team members design, engineer and manufacture school buses with a singular focus on safety, reliability, and durability. School buses carry the most precious cargo in the world – 25 million children twice a day – making them the most trusted mode of student transportation. The company is the proven leader in low- and zero-emission school buses with more than 25,000 propane, natural gas, and electric powered buses sold. Blue Bird is transforming the student transportation industry through cleaner energy solutions. For more information on Blue Bird’s complete product and service portfolio, visit www.blue-bird.com.

Job Summary

The Director, Project Management, Design and Procurement will lead the project management workstreams that ensure product design readiness, technical transfer, supplier on boarding, supplier readiness, body builder product integration, sourcing decisions, and procurement execution for the next generation F53/F59 chassis platform. This role will coordinate across engineering, product management, supply chain, purchasing, supplier quality, finance, Ford, and Detroit Chassis stakeholders to support continuity of product quality and features while enabling future scalability and platform expansion.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain the integrated design and procurement project plan, including technical milestones, sourcing deliverables, supplier readiness, material availability, and critical path dependencies.
• Coordinate technical platform transfer activities and ensure design requirements, product specifications, certifications, test validation, quality expectations, and feature continuity are clearly defined and tracked.
• Partner with procurement and supply chain leaders to support supplier selection, commercial readiness, tooling needs, long-lead material planning, cost targets, and supply continuity.
• Partner with SQE to ensure supplier compliance is completed in a timely manner appropriate to key project milestones.
• Manage risks related to design changes, engineering release timing, supplier capacity, component availability, cost, quality, and schedule adherence.
• Support collaboration with Ford and Detroit Chassis stakeholders to ensure knowledge transfer, documentation availability, technical issue resolution, and alignment to Powered by Ford requirements.
• Engage with body builders to develop detailed plans to ensure the chassis is body mount ready. Ensure that any prototyping or pilot builds meet timing expectations of the overall launch dates of the program.
• Manage timing updates with outside engineering teams.
• Provide regular updates to the Sr Director on design readiness, sourcing progress, cost risks, open decisions, and mitigation plans.
• Design and procurement milestones completed in alignment with the master launch schedule.
• Supplier and material readiness secured to support production launch.
• Product quality, features, technical continuity, and cost objectives protected through disciplined project management.
• Clear visibility to technical and supply risks before they affect launch timing, customer commitments, or returns.

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities For Success

• Strong understanding of design release processes, supplier readiness, procurement planning, change control, and launch risk management.
• Ability to influence technical and commercial stakeholders without direct authority and communicate complex risks clearly.

Basic Education And Experience Required

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, supply chain, business, or a related field required.
• 8+ years of experience in program management, engineering project management, procurement, sourcing, or product launch within a manufacturing, automotive, commercial vehicle, or industrial environment.
• All candidates must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States and will be required to provide proof of employment eligibility at the time of hire.

WE VALUE

• Ability to anticipate and understand customer needs and provide guidance
• Excellent interpersonal and customer relationship skills to handle difficult and sensitive matters.
• Strong project management skills. Exposure to difficult or complex projects a plus.
• Ability to influence stakeholders
• Effective communication and ability to communicate complex details in a clear manner.
• Flexible workspaces and work hours to help you unleash the best you.
• Working in a collaborative team and balancing the needs of individual stakeholders while delivering corporate objectives.

INCLUDES

• Continued Professional Development
• Benefits including medical, dental and vision insurance, 14 paid holidays, vacation time and 401k matching

WORK CONDITIONS

• Office environment and production environment
• Must work in a manufacturing environment with exposure to heat, cold and noise
• Fast-paced production area with moving objects and sheet metal
• Occasional periods of standing or sitting for extended periods of time
• You must wear appropriate PPE when and where required
• Frequent weeks working 40+ hours
• Frequent communication with people throughout the day
• The specific statements shown in each section of this description are not intended to be all-inclusive. They represent typical elements and criteria necessary to successfully perform the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions

Blue Bird® is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit. We strive to have the best available talent in every job based on the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities each person brings. Blue Bird is committed to compliance with all applicable laws providing equal employment opportunities. This commitment applies to all persons involved in Company operations and prohibits unlawful discrimination in all forms.

All candidates must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States and will be required to provide proof of employment eligibility at the time of hire