Senior Director, Design Engineering, Electrical

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

Reporting to the SVP of Engineering, the Senior Director, Design Engineering - Electrical provides strategic and operational leadership for Blue Bird's Electrical and Controls Engineering function across the full product portfolio and multiple locations. This role leads the development and execution of the technical direction, governance, organizational capability, and operating model for high- and low-voltage electrical systems, vehicle controls, and next-generation electrical architectures across all powertrains and vehicle configurations. The Senior Director translates business and product strategy into a multi-year engineering roadmap; delivers safe, compliant, reliable, manufacturable, and cost-effective solutions from concept through launch and field support; and builds a high-performing leadership and engineering team. As a senior engineering leader, this position partners across Product Development, Program Management, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, Purchasing, Service, Finance, and commercial teams to improve speed to market, product quality, warranty performance, customer satisfaction, and long-term business results.

 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and execute the electrical and controls engineering strategy, multi-year technology roadmap, operating model, and priorities in alignment with Blue Bird's product and business objectives.
• Lead a multi-site organization of engineering managers, technical leaders, and professionals; manage organizational structure, workforce plans, talent development, succession, performance expectations, and accountability.
• Serve as the senior technical authority for high- and low-voltage electrical systems, vehicle controls, electrical architecture, diagnostics, electric vehicles, and electrical safety.
• Implement and maintain engineering governance, design standards, technical review and approval processes, configuration and change controls, and documentation requirements.
• Lead the portfolio of electrical engineering programs from concept through production launch and field support, ensuring disciplined scope, resource, schedule, budget, risk, and milestone management.
• Lead development and launch of next-generation electrical architectures, technologies, and processes that improve vehicle capability, reliability, serviceability, scalability, and speed to market.
• Ensure designs and validation plans meet applicable federal, state, industry, safety, and customer requirements and support the company's product safety and compliance obligations.
• Champion robust engineering practices, including systems engineering, requirements management, design reviews, DFMEA, DFM/DFA, verification and validation, and engineering release discipline.
• Lead resolution of significant product, launch, field, and warranty issues by driving cross-functional root cause, containment, corrective action, and lessons learned.
• Partner with Manufacturing, Quality, and Operations leadership to improve design for manufacturability, first-time quality, production efficiency, and long-term product performance.
• Partner with Supply Chain, Purchasing, and Supplier Quality to develop a technically capable, resilient supply base and ensure supplier design, validation, APQP, and PPAP readiness.
• Drive value engineering, product cost, complexity reduction, and standardization initiatives while maintaining safety, quality, customer, and regulatory requirements.
• Develop and manage the function's operating and capital plans, resource allocation, business cases, and investment recommendations; track return on investment and delivery of committed benefits.
• Provide clear, timely communication on strategy, performance, program health, technical risk, investment needs, and critical decisions to the SVP of Engineering and senior leadership.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES FOR SUCCESS

• Senior functional leadership capability with a demonstrated record of setting technical strategy, translating strategy into executable plans, and delivering measurable business and product results.
• Deep technical expertise in vehicle electrical systems, including high- and low-voltage architecture, distribution, controls, diagnostics, communications networks, and electric-vehicle safety.
• Broad leadership expertise across multiple engineering disciplines, product platforms, locations, and phases of the product lifecycle.
• Proven ability to lead leaders, build organizational capability, establish accountability, coach high-potential talent, and develop succession plans.
• Strong portfolio and program governance capability, with the ability to prioritize competing initiatives, allocate resources, manage dependencies, and deliver complex programs from concept through launch.
• Senior-level judgment and systems thinking, with the ability to make sound trade-off decisions involving safety, compliance, quality, cost, timing, customer needs, and technical risk.
• Strong business and financial acumen, including operating and capital budget ownership, business-case development, cost analysis, forecasting, and return-on-investment assessment.
• Demonstrated command of product safety, regulatory compliance, engineering governance, design assurance, verification and validation, and change control.
• Senior leadership presence and communication skills, with the ability to present complex technical and business matters clearly to senior leaders and align stakeholders around decisions and priorities.
• Proven ability to influence across functions and organizational boundaries and build trusted relationships with customers, suppliers, and internal business partners.
• Demonstrated change leadership, continuous-improvement orientation, and ability to challenge established practices constructively
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability, including the use of data, engineering evidence, and risk-based decision making
• High integrity, sound professional judgment, and a visible commitment to safety, quality, customer focus, collaboration, and accountability
• Working knowledge of engineering development and collaboration tools, product lifecycle management systems, and standard business applications.

BASIC EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

• Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related engineering discipline from an accredited institution, required.
• 15+ years of progressively responsible product engineering experience in the automotive, commercial vehicle, truck, bus, or similarly complex manufacturing industry, required.
• 8+ years of progressive engineering leadership experience, including experience leading managers, senior technical leaders, and/or multi-site engineering organizations, required.
• 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.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE

• Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Engineering Management, or Business Administration, preferred.
• Senior leadership experience in vehicle electrification, embedded controls, advanced electrical architecture, and/or zero-emission commercial vehicles; PMP, Lean, or Six Sigma certification is a plus.

WE VALUE

• An enterprise mindset and the ability to connect engineering priorities to customer, operational, and financial outcomes.
• Visible, decisive leadership that creates clarity, builds trust, and holds leaders and teams accountable for commitments.
• The courage to challenge assumptions, elevate risks early, and make timely decisions grounded in data and sound engineering judgment.
• A customer-focused approach and the ability to balance safety, quality, cost, timing, innovation, and manufacturability.
• The ability to build strong cross-functional partnerships and influence senior stakeholders without relying solely on positional authority.
• A commitment to developing people, strengthening succession, and creating an inclusive, high-performing engineering culture.
• Resilience, adaptability, and disciplined follow-through in a fast-paced, complex product-development and manufacturing environment.

INCLUDES

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

 

WORK CONDITIONS

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Office and manufacturing facility environment
• Occasional periods of standing or sitting for extended periods of time
• Required wearing of appropriate PPE when in prototype or assembly plant areas
• Frequent computer and telephone use
• 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.

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Qualifications Education Required Bachelors or better. Experience Required Progressive engineering leadership experience, including experience leading managers, senior technical leaders, and/or multi-site engineering organizations Progressively responsible product engineering experience in the automotive, commercial vehicle, truck, bus, or similarly complex manufacturing industry Equal Opportunity Employer
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