Purchasing Project Specialist

Blue Bird Careers•Fort Valley, GA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Blue Bird Corporation is a technology leader and innovator of school buses, dedicated to safety, reliability, and durability. The company is the proven leader in low- and zero-emission school buses and is transforming the student transportation industry through cleaner energy solutions. This role supports various improvement/standardization initiatives, assists the Sr. Purchasing Manager with KPI tracking and Cost Measures Reporting, and manages Capex projects for plant expansion and capacity improvements. The position ensures ongoing coordination between internal stakeholders including Purchasing, Finance, Engineering, Maintenance, Accounts Payable, and Internal Controls. Department support includes tasks such as managing the Invoice Hold Report and general system maintenance. The role also involves supplier negotiations, quote analysis, terms review, and financial modeling to determine the best fully landed cost decisions for Blue Bird Purchasing.

Requirements

Ability to create and track large data sets, analyze trends, and present to track success over multiple metrics.
Ability to demonstrate intermediate to advanced level skills in MS Office application reporting tools.
Ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams and present complex data to a wide variety of stakeholders.
Ability to prioritize and perform in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
Ability to be organized and detail-oriented.
Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with internal customers.
Ability to demonstrate strong project management skills in a high-intensity production environment.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, project management or equivalent experience required.
3+ years of experience working as a project specialist or project manager.
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.

Nice To Haves

3+ Automotive or manufacturing project management experience, preferred.
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.

Responsibilities

Support continuous improvement projects and cost reduction efforts related to Blue Bird supply chain.
Implement continuous improvement initiatives to enhance procurement efficiency.
Prepare timely reports and presentations to Finance and Purchasing management highlighting key financial insights.
Maintain files and other documents to support business compliance and ISO certification.
Research and address identified Purchasing gaps related to compliance and risk management.
Create and track supply chain success metrics through advanced business analytics.
Partner with project teams to ensure departmental milestones are met in a timely and accurate fashion.
Track and report MRO Purchasing KPIs and targets for cost measures and supply agreements including, but not limited to, the Hold Report and Spend Under Contract.
Performs other duties as expected.