Category Buyer
CaterpillarCareer Area:
ProcurementJob 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.
About E&T Procurement
Caterpillar’s E&T Procurement organization plays a critical role in supporting all divisions within Energy and Transportation. Our work is geared towards our pistons of Predictable Supply Excellence, Optimized Total Cost of Ownership, Supplier Relationship Management and Lifecycle Sourcing Strategy. We continue to develop suppliers who competitively deliver operational excellence, enabling our customers to build a better world. With a strong focus on data-driven decision-making and operational efficiency, E&T Procurement leverages advanced tools and processes to connect the physical and digital supply chain, enabling business units to deliver high-performance solutions that meet evolving customers and business needs
Job Summary:
We are seeking a Category Buyer to support team initiatives and lead strategic sourcing projects. This role delivers results by applying QCLDM (Quality, Cost, Logistics, Development, and Management) principles and providing supply network solutions expertise.
What You Will Do:
Serves as the primary liaison between Caterpillar and suppliers for global/regional initiatives.
Ability to recognize the potential for cost and inventory reductions, and quality improvement; as well as responsibility for soundness of business proposals and risk assessment.
Leads commercial negotiations and manages supplier relationships.
Develops and executes global sourcing and category strategies.
Drives performance in Quality, Cost, Logistics, Development, and Management (QCLDM).
Oversees supplier onboarding/offboarding, risk management, and contract execution.
Leads Six Sigma sourcing projects and manages cross-category initiatives to ensure timely delivery and stakeholder satisfaction.
Mentor and develop other Buyers, SQEs, and Purchasing Analysts (where assigned).
Collaborates with Supplier Development Engineers to improve supplier performance.
May serve as Supplier Lead for multi-source suppliers.
What You Will Have:
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.
Level Extensive Experience:
Reviews others' writing or presentations and provides feedback and coaching.
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 on the topic at hand.
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.
Level Extensive Experience:
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.
Protects own position, while demonstrating willingness to achieve win-win.
Identifies similarities and differences in position and assesses impact on discussions.
Detects and addresses lack of progress or a stalemate.
Contracts Management and Administration: Knowledge of policies, standards and processes of how to manage and administer contracts; ability to use proper processes and practices for managing and administering a variety of contractual agreements.
Level Working Knowledge:
Administers locally relevant contracts for the department.
Implements organizational protocols and procedures for contracts management.
Explains the types of information required before a contract is signed.
Reviews contracts to ensure compliance with contract specifications and regulations.
Assists in creating files of relevant information for specific vendors, customers, or contracts.
Purchasing Tasks and Activities: Knowledge of policies, regulations and processes of purchasing; ability to use practices and procedures for procurement of materials, components, equipment and services.
Level Working Knowledge:
Records documents of purchasing tasks and activities, such as orders, bidding.
Uses available procurement systems and tools.
Ensures compliance with procurement regulations and contract specifications.
Works with basic purchasing related tasks and activities.
Adheres to various requirements and steps of the procurement process
Conducts strategic sourcing activities in a limited environment.
Follows relevant standards, policies and practices regarding strategic sourcing.
Supplier Relationship Management: Knowledge of supplier relationship management concept and strategies; ability to address critical issues to meet supplier needs and maintain engaged, partnering relationship with suppliers.
Level Extensive Experience:
Advises others on the organization's supplier relationship management practices.
Builds consensus, resolves conflicts, and applies techniques to achieve influence and impact results with different suppliers in the organization's supplier network.
Coaches juniors on selecting, evaluating, and managing suppliers.
Conducts periodic reviews of work effort, progress, issues, and successes in supplier relationship establishment and management.
Evaluates the impact of SRM on the organization's different financials.
Refines organizational processes for establishing and maintaining supplier partnerships
Additional Information:
This position requires the candidate to work a 5-day-a-week schedule in the office.
Relocation is not for this position.
Sponsorship is not offered for this position.
Travel is less than 15%
Caterpillar Inc. is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. For nearly 100 years, we’ve been helping customers build a better, more sustainable world and are committed and contributing to a reduced-carbon future. Our innovative products and services, backed by our global dealer network, provide exceptional value that helps customers succeed.
Summary Pay Range:
$110,520.00 - $165,840.00Compensation 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:
Subject to plan eligibility, terms, and guidelines. This is a summary list of benefits.
Medical, dental, and vision benefits*
Paid time off plan (Vacation, Holidays, Volunteer, etc.)*
401(k) savings plans*
Health Savings Account (HSA)*
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)*
Health Lifestyle Programs*
Employee Assistance Program*
Voluntary Benefits and Employee Discounts*
Career Development*
Incentive bonus*
Disability benefits
Life Insurance
Parental leave
Adoption benefits
Tuition Reimbursement
* These benefits also apply to part-time employees
Posting Dates:
September 22, 2025 - September 28, 2025Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen.
Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer, Including Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities. Qualified applicants of any age are encouraged to apply.
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