At Caterpillar, we work to help our customers build a better world. Without our team of talented, bright and driven individuals, we wouldn’t be the Caterpillar we are today. Now, this is your chance to join our team and do work that matters. We want you to help us enable customer success, make progress possible around the world and help our communities grow and thrive. We are looking for a dynamic, organized self-starter to join our Product Support and Logistics Division as a Category Buyer III in Peoria, IL.

The Product Support and Logistics Division (PSLD) is one of the most innovative divisions within Caterpillar. In PSLD, as within all of Caterpillar, our priority is our customers and helping them build a better world. We touch nearly every element of the services value stream from procurement to design and manufacturing to distribution. PSLD is responsible for Aftermarket Parts Distribution of Cat Parts, Integrated Logistics, segment Procurement and the design and manufacture of Wear Components (Undercarriage and GET) and Maintenance Components (Seals, Tubes & Hardware, Hose & Couplings, Fluids and Filters).

We’re committed to our customers, who build a better world with our products, services and solutions. We understand and show the value of why they should always choose us. We’re exploring new ideas and opportunities –innovating to discover the breakthroughs necessary for tomorrow’s growth.

Through it all, we are one team– creating and delivering world-class components and solutions superior to the competition.

Learn more about the Caterpillar Experience.

As a Category Buyer III you will provide supply network solutions expertise, using Quality, Cost, Logistics, Development, and Management (QCLDM) to deliver maximum value. This role will be the primary contact for our suppliers, including forging and casting.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Developing, managing, and executing the category strategy managing policies, agreements, source catalogs, and special procurement programs.

• Recognizing the potential for cost decreases, inventory reductions and quality improvement, as well as responsibility for soundness of business proposals and risk assessment.

• Acting as the liaison between the organization and the supplier to communicate information explicitly, while considering production demands and suppliers' conditions.

• Monitor the Supplier scorecards and improve suppliers' performance and production; maintain a strong relationship with suppliers.

• Lead source changes, supplier negotiations and cost reduction projects.

• Manage suppliers’ capacity, Assurance of Supply, Supplier resiliency and sustainability.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree from accredited university – In lieu of a degree, 6+ years of experience within category procurement, supply chain, manufacturing or engineering

• Purchasing and Procurement: Spend: 70 - 90 million. Previous experience in a buyer/purchasing role is required. Fully understand the current performance of the supply network, evaluate strategic options, decide a course of action, and begin implementation

• Strategic sourcing: Provide leadership for strategic sourcing – qualified supply network, business continuity, supplier risk management – capacity & financial, contract management, supplier commercial negotiations, cost/spend management – Supplier on boarding/off boarding, lead time optimization and resource management decisions

• Communication: The role will require a strong communicator capable of keeping the customer fully informed of progress and working closely with the customer to ensure all requirements are met.

• Interpersonal and Supplier Relationships: Mentor and coach other team members on sourcing, logistics and resource management decisions. Collaborate with Supplier Development Engineers, to ensure continuous improvement in QCLDM with key suppliers. Advises others on the organization's supplier relationship management practices. Conducts periodic reviews of work effort, progress, issues, and successes in supplier relationship establishment and management. Refines organizational processes for establishing and maintaining supplier partnerships.

• Data Analytics: Knowledge of techniques and processes for inspecting, cleansing, transforming, and modeling data; ability to discover useful information, draw logical conclusions, and support decision-making.
  Negotiating: Ensures negotiators have awareness of complementary yet diverse interests. Successfully completes significant negotiations, both internal and external. Details the risks of negotiation breakdown from each party's perspective.
  Contracts Management: Administers locally relevant contracts for the department. Implements organizational protocols and procedures for contracts management. Reviews contracts to ensure compliance with contract specifications and regulations. Assists in creating files of relevant information for specific vendors, customers, or contracts.
  

Top Candidates will also have:

• Well-developed negotiation skills including the ability to interpret, evaluate and negotiate contractual elements

• Leadership and problem-solving experience (teams, projects, and/or data supported solutions)

Additional Details

Locations: Peoria, IL

Relocation is not available

Travel up to 25%

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.

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