Procurement Strategy Manager

Career Area:

Procurement

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.

Your Work Shapes the World

Whether it be groundbreaking products, best in class solutions or creating a lifelong career, you can do the work that matters at Caterpillar. With a 95-year legacy of quality and innovation and 150 locations in countries around the world, your impact spans the globe.

When you join Caterpillar, you are joining a team of makers, innovators, and doers. We are the people who roll up our sleeves and do the work to build a better world. We don’t just talk about progress and innovation. We make it happen. And we are proud of that, because it helps our customers build and power the world we live in – the roads, hospitals, homes, and infrastructure.  Without a dedicated workforce Caterpillar could not effectively meet our customer’s needs.  Join us.

Role Definition:

Lead Category Management responsibilities within the RISM Global Electronics & Electrical Category Procurement Team focused on developing and executing strategies for legacy product management, global semiconductor and associated tier-n management, and general E&E goals and objective management and reporting.  E&E managed suppliers and technology play a decisive role in Caterpillar’s ability to meet Customer expectations across the Enterprise.  This team supports all Caterpillar business units as they engage their Customers as it relates to new & current products as well as aftermarket interests.  This role will include management of direct reports and will require extensive internal networking/collaboration skills as well as deep expertise in supplier relationship management using influence and relationship building to further Caterpillar interests.  Success will also require the ability to work and think creatively to solve problems, work semi-autonomously to develop strategies and support current business.  Additional required skills include the ability to create professional materials, experience presenting to senior Caterpillar leaders and their staffs, developing deep industry expertise, creating and executing purposeful contracts, and collaborating with a network of procurement professionals to link and compliment Tier-1 strategies.   

Responsibilities:

• Quickly develop a professional organization supporting critical E&E strategy development, deployment, and reporting. 
• Become the primary chip manufacturer relationship manager.
• Represents RISM as the primary lifecycle strategy manager highly integrated with ICS technical leaders.
• Develop a high functioning team transitioning from tactical to strategic objectives.  High levels of coaching/mentoring.
• Work with category managers and buyers to ensure alignment on all finished component technology and supplier strategies.
• Work closely with engineering process partners to enable flawless New Product Introduction (NPI) and New Source Introduction (NSI).
• Develop a highly intuitive reporting process and materials applicable for various seniority levels internally and externally.
• Manage and improve current initiatives aimed at building resiliency through contracts, finished goods inventory, and global point of consumption effectiveness.
• Responsible for all emergency AoS issues by strategically developing insights and relationships within the broker and secondary markets.
• Govern and adhere to all processes and policies as it relates to semiconductor product management.

Education Requirement:

• Bachelor’s degree – or equivalent experience required (10 years)

Skill Descriptors:

Category Management: Knowledge of category management within an organization’s goods and services sector; ability to use this knowledge to analyze and improve the end-to-end procurement process and maximize business profitability.

• Demonstrate best practices and lead category management activities internally and externally
• Develop and publish category strategies that directly align with prioritized business activities
• Analyzes recent trends and developments related to category management and procurement and discusses future implications.
• Establishes best practices in category management across functional responsibilities
• Leads in the development, evaluation, and selection of suppliers for NPI, NTI, and NSI programs
• Promotes the use of emerging tools and technologies for implementing the category management process

Supplier Management: Knowledge of processes and methods to effectively manage business relationships and transactions with suppliers of raw materials or product components; ability to apply related knowledge, experience, and skills into real practice.

• Establishes best practices for monitoring supplier health, reliability, and performance
• Leads the evaluation of product plans/directions for impact on supply chain requirements
• Mentors others in the resolution of complex supplier issues; consults on the trends of supplier management
• Oversees large supplier networks at the enterprise or global level
• Develops supplier strategies; monitors the marketplace for competitive suppliers

Strategic Sourcing: Knowledge of strategic sourcing methods, technologies, and processes; ability to analyze, improve, and re-evaluate organizational procurement process continuously.

• Plays a leadership role in establishing and directing strategic sourcing standards, policies, and best practices.
• Leads discussions and drives for internal consensus on all aspects of strategic sourcing
• Seamlessly connects category and supplier strategies to strategic sourcing decisions
• Develops a key interesting in understanding both historical perspectives and future opportunities when guiding decision making.
• Influences and directly engages in organization-wide or high-impact decisions

Effective Communications: Understanding of effective communication concepts, tools and techniques; ability to effectively transmit, receive, and accurately interpret ideas, information, and needs through the application of appropriate communication behaviors.

• Adapts documents and presentations for the intended audience
• Demonstrates both empathy and assertiveness when communicating a need or defending a position
• Communicates well downward, upward, and outward
• Employs appropriate methods of persuasion when soliciting agreement
• Maintains focus with acute focus on progress over perfection

Negotiating: Knowledge of successful negotiation concepts and techniques; ability to negotiate successfully across the organization and with external vendors and clients in a constructive and collaborative manner.

• Leads complex, high-impact or volatile negotiations involving high business risks
• Advocates a win-win approach to negotiating
• Explains appropriateness of using adversarial negotiating versus joint problem-solving techniques
• Overcomes resistance to the negotiation process
• Guides internal consensus on negotiating strategies and objectives
• Negotiates complex matters involving multiple parties

Planning: Knowledge of effective planning techniques and ability to contribute to operational (short term), tactical (1-2 years) and strategic (3-5 years) planning in support of the overall business plan.

• Develops, refines, and communicates plans to meet organizational objectives
• Provides the right level of detail as input for strategic plan development
• Demonstrates the value and necessity of linking tactical plans to overall strategic plan
• Understands the budget planning and prioritization process for seamless alignment into objectives and category strategies

Top Candidates will have:

• Experience working semi-autonomously, thinking creatively, and gaining broad-based and cross-functional consensus
• Developing and executing complex strategies
• Deep expertise building and leveraging relationships while building a highly effective network
• Experience quickly building the skillsets of the team to achieve aggressive but highly valuable objectives
• Experience meeting with and reporting out to senior leaders with Cat and externally with the supply base
• Experience developing and completing complex category strategies
• Experience negotiating traditional and non-traditional contracts with both US domestic and international suppliers
• Expertise at crafting and presenting highly visual and engaging materials to targeted audiences
• Previous purchasing, operations or supply chain knowledge experience
• Prior leadership experience
• Proficiency in English and advanced communication/negotiation skills

Additional Information

The locations for this position are Mossville, IL and Woodridge, IL.

Relocation assistance is not available for this position. Any relocation costs incurred would be the responsibility of the selected candidate

This position may require up to 25% travel.

What You Will Get:

Our goal at Caterpillar is for you to have a rewarding career. Our teams are critical to the success of our customers who build a better world. Here you earn more than just wage, because we value your performance, we offer a total rewards package that provides:

• Competitive Base Salary
• Annual incentive bonus plan*
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Paid time off plan (Vacation, Holiday, Volunteer, Etc.)
• 401k savings plan
• Health savings account (HSA)
• Flexible spending accounts (FSAs)
• Short and long-term disability coverage
• Life Insurance
• Paid parental leave
• Healthy Lifestyle Programs
• Employee Assistance Programs
• Voluntary Benefits (Ex. Accident, Identity Theft Protection)

*Subject to annual eligibility and incentive plan guidelines.

Final details

Please frequently check the email associated with your application, including the junk/spam folder, as this is the primary correspondence method. If you wish to know the status of your application – please use the candidate log-in on our career website as it will reflect any updates to your status.

This employer is not currently hiring foreign national applicants that require or will require sponsorship tied to a specific employer, such as H, L, TN, F, J, E, O. As a global company, Caterpillar offers many job opportunities outside of the U.S. which can be found through our employment website at www.Caterpillar.com/Careers.

For more information, visit caterpillar.com. To connect with us on social media, visit caterpillar.com/social-media

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Summary Pay Range:

$144,960.00 - $217,320.00

Compensation and benefits offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, job level, market location, job-related knowledge, skills, individual performance and experience. Please note that salary is only one component of total compensation at Caterpillar. 

Benefits:

Annual incentive bonus plan*

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Paid time off plan (Vacation, Holiday, Volunteer, Etc.)

401k savings plan

Health savings account (HSA)

Flexible spending accounts (FSAs)

Disability benefits

Life Insurance

Parental leave

Healthy Lifestyle Programs

Employee Assistance Programs

Voluntary Benefits and Employee Discounts

Tuition Reimbursement

Career Development

*Subject to annual eligibility and incentive plan guidelines.

Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position. This employer is not currently hiring foreign national applicants that require or will require sponsorship tied to a specific employer, such as, H, L, TN, F, J, E, O. As a global company, Caterpillar offers many job opportunities outside of the U.S which can be found through our employment website at www.caterpillar.com/careers.

Posting Dates:

February 3, 2025 - February 17, 2025

Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen.

EEO/AA Employer.  All qualified individuals - Including minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities - are encouraged to apply.

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