Manager Category Procurement

Career Area:

Job Description:

Your Work Shapes the World at Caterpillar Inc.

When you join Caterpillar, you’re joining a global team who cares not just about the work we do – but also about each other. We are the makers, problem solvers, and future world builders who are creating stronger, more sustainable communities. We don’t just talk about progress and innovation here – we make it happen, with our customers, where we work and live. Together, we are building a better world, so we can all enjoy living in it.

The Manager Category Procurement is responsible for managing supplier performance, relationships, and agreements for their category; while collaborating with facility and business partners to create a competitive advantage for our customers and the enterprise by developing, optimizing, and integrating a world-class supply network. To accomplish this, the position requires strong negotiation skills, understanding of supplier capacity planning, as well as business acumen.

This role manages a multi-site team of procurement professionals who develop and execute a high performing global supply network for the Logistics Services & Packaging Category in the assigned regions. The leader will manage, mentor, and train personnel capable of delivering the supplier strategy for the category and maintain the highest ethical and professional standards within this diverse organization.

Through a strong knowledge of the category, the incumbent will lead the team to fully understand the requirements and performance of the supply base, developing improvement plans for identified gaps. Using a strategic sourcing approach, the team will evaluate network needs and supplier offerings, optimizing solutions for the best business results.

The role will manage suppliers delivering products and services into many Caterpillar facilities. Given this, the position requires strong communication skills to keep stakeholders fully informed of critical items, and to ensure all requirements are met when delivering solutions for internal customers and business partners.

Assurance of supply is a key priority for this role. This requires robust relationship building skills that encourage trust, professionalism, and continuous improvement with management at senior levels within the supplier base. The ability to utilize predictive cost modeling and understand macroeconomic impacts on the category supply base is expected from the leader, enabling identification, evaluation, and mitigation of price and supply concerns.

Travel – Up to 25% travel required.

BACKGROUND/EXPERIENCE:
Bachelor’s Degree – or equivalent experience required.
Complex strategic relationship management experience required.
Well-developed communication and negotiation skills required.
Able to understand geopolitical and environmental factors influencing a supply network.
Previous 6 Sigma or Lean experience preferred.
Master’s Degree - or equivalent experience preferred.
Professional certification in Purchasing or Supply Chain preferred.

Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EEO).

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