Director, Project Management, Design and Procurement

Director, Project Management, Design and Procurement

Job Category : Engineering

Requisition Number : DIREC
004665

• Posted :
  August 18, 2026
• Full-Time
• On-site

Showing 1 location

Blue Bird, Michigan
1040 E Maple Rd
Troy, MI 48083, USA

Blue Bird, Michigan
1040 E Maple Rd
Troy, MI 48083, USA

Blue Bird 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  .

JOB SUMMARY

The Director, Project Management, Design and Procurement will lead the project management work streams 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…