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 Sr. Mgr., Program Management, this role is responsible for leading all aspects of complex, major program offerings to ensure business objectives are met. This role’s key objectives include: project planning, ensuring execution of required deliverables and commitments, and communicating project status updates to project sponsors, key stakeholders and senior management.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Provides leadership, vision and direction for assigned project teams.
- Leads the development of the project scope, timing and budget, and coordinates activities to ensure projects are on time and on budget.
- Leverages the team’s input to develop detailed and achievable Microsoft Project timing plan.
- Creates and negotiates a Statement of Work (SOW) between internal stakeholders and third-party providers and monitors/assigns internal actions for completion of the SOW and key milestones.
- Communicates project deliverable expectations; planning, monitoring, and reviewing project tasks; ensures adherence to Blue Bird’s Product Development System (PDS).
- Provides coaching and guidance to project team members.
- Identifies resource requirements needed to complete the project successfully and communicates needs to functional area leaders.
- Makes decisions and takes independent action on matters directly affecting project objectives.
- Evaluates project status continuously and regularly reports the status to Executive Management and key stakeholders.
- Prepares Gate Review documents for project approval and leads the review meeting with management.
- Review processes and documents with the team to ensure communication is concise; proposes ideas for continuous improvement
- Performs other related duties as assigned.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities for Success
- Ability to complete projects on time and within the stated budget using Project Management tools.
- Must possess excellent communication, organization, time management, business acumen and leadership skills.
- Must be proactive, with a can-do mindset
- Advanced skills using Microsoft Project, Excel, PowerPoint, preferred
- Experience with process development and continuous improvement, preferred
Basic Education and Experience Required
- Bachelor’s Degree in Business or Engineering related field, required
- Minimum 7 years of managing major projects with
- 2+ years in a manufacturing or technical 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.
Preferred Education and Experience
- MBA or Engineering Management Master’s degree, preferred
- PMP Certification, preferred
- Technical background or engineering development background, preferred
- Experience managing a Product Development Program from concept to launch, preferred
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 that 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
- Medical Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- 14 Paid Holidays
- Vacation time
- 401 K Matching
*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.
#LI-Onsite
Qualifications Education Required Bachelors or better. Masters or better. Experience Required Managing major projects in a manufacturing or technical environment Equal Opportunity EmployerThis employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's Degree in Business or Engineering related field
- Minimum 7 years managing major projects
- 2+ years in a manufacturing or technical environment
- Authorization to work in the United States (U.S. citizen or permanent resident)
- PMP Certification
- MBA or Engineering Management Master's degree
- Advanced skills using Microsoft Project, Excel, PowerPoint
- Technical or engineering development background
- Experience managing a product development program from concept to launch
- Experience with process development and continuous improvement
Blue Bird Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Blue Bird and has not been reviewed or approved by Blue Bird.
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Pay Growth & Progression — The 2024 collective bargaining agreement delivered meaningful wage increases for covered hourly employees, with larger boosts at the lowest pay bands. Subsequent contractual provisions point to a structurally improved earnings path for many production roles.
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Strong & Reliable Incentives — Overtime availability and profit sharing lift overall earnings potential, particularly in production settings. The contract formalized profit sharing and added financial provisions that enhance variable pay.
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Retirement Support — A 401(k) with Roth option and an employer match is offered, and the union agreement introduced a defined‑contribution retirement plan for covered workers. Company materials indicate employer contributions are part of the total rewards package.
Blue Bird Insights
What We Do
About Us Blue Bird offers a complete line of Type A, C and D school buses in a variety of options and configurations. Since 1927, Blue Bird Corporation has continued to set industry standards with its innovative design and manufacturing capabilities. Additionally, Blue Bird provides comprehensive financial solutions through Blue Bird Capital Services. Today, Blue Bird has more than 1,600 employees, Georgia-based manufacturing facilities and an extensive network of Dealers and Parts & Service facilities throughout North America. Its global presence can be seen in more than 60 countries through sales into Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East. Our Promise We are singularly focused on building and selling school buses that customers want and value. The safety of schoolchildren is at the center of all that we do and we will strive every day, just as we have since our beginning in 1927, to provide an unparalleled and affordable product in terms of safety, quality, durability, and serviceability. We will be easy to do business with, responsive to our customers' wants and needs, and provide prompt after-sale support in parts and service through a professional, high-qualified distribution network. Customer satisfaction is our top priority. What We Stand For We come to work every day with one common goal, to design, build, sell and service the world's finest school bus. That's what we do - no distractions, no competing priorities. We are heirs to a rich legacy, one of listening to our customers, embracing their needs, and delivering innovations that lead the market. We commit ourselves to four driving priorities - safety, quality, durability, and serviceability. We embody the interests of every child that rides us, every driver that drives us, every service technician that services us and every district that buys us. More than a business, this work is our heritage, and we have been at it since 1927 - that's purpose driven.
