Senior Buyer, Controls and Vehicle Systems

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 Senior Manager, Purchasing, the Senior Buyer, Electrical, Controls & Vehicle Systems is responsible for leading strategic sourcing, commercial negotiation, supplier transition, and operational continuity for vehicle electrical architecture, electrical distribution systems, electronic components, controls, and assigned vehicle systems. This role serves as the commercial owner for critical commodities including wire harnesses, electrical distribution, control modules, switches, sensors, climate and cockpit systems, and related integrated vehicle systems. The position balances technology-driven sourcing with rigorous operational risk mitigation, serving as the primary escalation point for component shortages, long lead-time electronic constraints, supplier recovery, and supply continuity planning to ensure successful launch and continuous production. 

 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Commodity Strategy & Sourcing: Develop and execute comprehensive sourcing strategies for the Electrical, Controls & Vehicle Systems portfolio to optimize total cost of ownership (TCO), quality, delivery, and supply continuity. 
• Supplier Risk & Electronics Continuity: Lead operational risk management for highly constrained commodities; serve as the primary escalation point for critical electronics and wire harness shortages, establishing swift cross-functional recovery teams. 
• Contract & Technology Negotiation: Lead multi-million-dollar contract negotiations, multi-year supply agreements, and pricing structures with tier-1 automotive electronics, harness fabricators, controls, and vehicle systems suppliers. 
• Supplier Performance & Technical Recovery: Monitor On-Time Delivery (OTD) and quality metrics; lead 8D root-cause investigations and corrective action plans directly with supplier facilities when component quality or delivery targets are missed. 
• Lifecycle & Capacity Mapping: Conduct regular supplier capacity reviews, sub-tier electronic component risk assessments, and vulnerability mapping to safeguard against semiconductor or global electronic supply chain shocks. 
• Program Launch & Supplier Transition: Lead purchasing activities supporting new product introduction and supplier transition, including sourcing readiness, commercial closure, tooling, capacity validation, APQP/PPAP execution, and production launch readiness in partnership with Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, and Program Management. 
• Resilience Planning: Proactively identify single-source electrical and electronic components and critical vehicle systems; develop dual-sourcing, validation, component-substitution, or manufacturing contingency strategies to mitigate supply risk. 
• Operational Reporting & Mentorship: Maintain operational KPI dashboards, manage component cost tracking, and mentor junior buyers and operational specialists within the purchasing department. 

 

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES: 

• Technical Commodity Expertise: Strong knowledge of automotive/commercial vehicle electrical architectures, electrical distribution systems, wire harness manufacturing, electronic control modules, switches, sensors, vehicle controls, and related integrated vehicle systems. 
• Electronics Supply Chain Fluency: Strong understanding of electronic component lifecycles, lead-time management, and navigating global electronics/semiconductor distribution channels. 
• Advanced Sourcing & Negotiation: Proven track record of managing high-spend portfolios, executing complex supplier agreements, and handling indexing for raw materials (such as copper). 
• Operational Recovery: Demonstrated experience leading supplier recovery efforts and managing business continuity in high-pressure manufacturing environments. 
• Quality & Engineering Literacy: Strong understanding of automotive quality standards, APQP, PPAP, electrical schematics, and functional safety considerations. 
• Systems Proficiency: High proficiency in ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, or Infor) and advanced Microsoft Excel data analysis capabilities. 

 

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE 

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, Operations Management, or related field 
• 7+ years of supply chain, purchasing, operations, planning, or supplier management experience 
• 3+ years of strategic sourcing, commodity management, supplier management, or purchasing experience within automotive, commercial vehicle, heavy truck, aerospace, or similar complex manufacturing environments; electrical, electronics, controls, or vehicle systems experience preferred. 
• 2+ years leading cross-functional projects, crisis management initiatives, supplier transition, or supplier development teams. 
• Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident 

 

PREFERRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE 

• MBA or Master’s degree in a technical or business discipline. 
• Experience with automotive or commercial vehicle electrical architecture, controls, wire harnesses, electronics, or integrated vehicle systems preferred. 
• Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM), APICS/ASCM, or PMP certification. 
• Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt with a strong foundation in Lean manufacturing. 
• Experience presenting commodity strategies and electronic risk mitigation updates to executive leadership. 
• Automotive or commercial vehicle experience strongly preferred 

 

WE VALUE 

• Strategic thinking with operational execution capability 
• Leadership during crisis situations 
• Ability to influence and build relationships 
• Strong analytical skills 
• Continuous improvement mindset 
• Strong customer and production support focus 

 

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. 

• Local travel 30%  
• Office environment and production environment  
• Must work in 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 
• 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. 

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