Caterpillar, Inc

Procurement Specialist

Caterpillar, Inc$112K — $169K *
Manufacturing & Automotive
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5-7 years of experience in procurement or supply chain roles.
  • Proven knowledge of data analytics techniques and software.
  • Extensive experience in negotiating across various stakeholders.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage vendors and supplier relationships effectively.
  • Strong understanding of category management and cost control principles.
  • A degree in Business or Supply Chain is required.
  • Familiarity with manufacturing processes, particularly casting or machining, is preferred.

Responsibilities

  • Lead projects focused on improving procurement processes and tools.
  • Design and develop procurement solutions in collaboration with stakeholders.
  • Contribute to the development of best practices and training materials.
  • Act as a technical representative in procurement discussions with senior leaders.
  • Analyze and interpret data to drive business decisions and strategies.

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, and vision benefits available for employees and part-time staff.
  • Paid time off including vacation and holidays.
  • 401(k) savings plans with company contributions.
  • Flexible spending accounts to manage healthcare expenses.
  • Career development opportunities to enhance professional growth.
  • Incentive bonuses based on performance and achievements.
  • Tuition reimbursement for continued education and training.
Full Job Description
Career Area:
Procurement

Job Description:

Role Definition
Supports the execution of designing, developing, deploying, and monitoring procurement capabilities to provide business solutions that are globally effective & applicable.

Responsibilities
• Leading projects associated with lean processes, global market understanding, tools, and systems.
• Designs and develops solutions, collaborates with senior stakeholders and business users to collect voice-of-business/voice-of-customer, business requirements, and prepares implementation plans for successful deployment.
• Contributes to strategic initiatives such as the development of standardized best practices, offerings, services and development of associated tools and training.
• Serves as the lead technical representative for a respective discipline and will work directly with a wide range of procurement and enterprise representatives, including presenting recommendations to senior leaders.

Skill Descriptors
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.

Level Working Knowledge:
• Collects required data through various data sources and documents them for evaluating trends and activities.
• Assists in preparing charts, graphs, tables, and other tools to represent the results obtained from data analysis.
• Researches business-related data, analyzes, interprets, and presents findings to management.
• Recognizes and assesses problems, opportunities, and methods for improving existing business performance.
• Utilizes designated data analysis software to analyze the data.

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.

Matrix Management: Understanding of the importance of being able to leverage external resources when required and ability to build and use effective working relationships within own department and across department, functional, and geographic reporting lines.

Level Working Knowledge:
• Communicates effectively up, down, and across the organization.
• Balances requirements and deliverables from various functional areas.
• Describes basic viewpoint of own functional specialty.
• Under guidance, identifies and resolves potentially conflicting requirements.
• Keeps relevant functional and line associates involved on key project or tactical issues.

Vendor/Supplier Management: Knowledge of external provider management processes and ability to effectively manage the business relationship with external providers (e.g., vendors, service providers, contractors, consultants, and suppliers).

Level Extensive Experience:
• Manages actual and perceived conflict of interest issues.
• Influences existing and new vendor relationships and the approved vendor list.
• Interprets documents detailing service provisions and financial arrangements.
• Explains case studies of effective and ineffective partnering relationships and lessons learned.
• Monitors and communicates vendor effectiveness, reliability, and performance.
• Advises others on the issues and considerations for working with new vendors, suppliers, or partners.

Cost Management: Knowledge of cost management; ability to plan and control organizational costs in order to lower product and service costs and maximize return.

Level Extensive Experience:
• Evaluates the effectiveness of organizational cost management procedures; makes corrections accordingly.
• Coaches others on how to use software to improve the effectiveness of cost management.
• Oversees the implementation of raw material, labor and overhead cost control processes.
• Directs cost estimation activities for budgeting and business planning.
• Approves over-budget expenditures based on comprehensive considerations.
• Analyzes project or business operations to identify where cost savings can be made.

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.

Level Working Knowledge:
• Assists senior category professionals in creating categories based on spend analysis, market analysis, and other stages of the category management lifecycle.
• Follows established procedures, guidelines, and approval level requests to perform procurement activities.
• Identifies and documents challenges related to category management.
• Participates in defining goals, KPIs, and objectives of the assigned category.
• Utilizes basic tools and technologies to analyze procurement management data.

Procurement: Knowledge of buying and procurement; ability to work with organizational strategies and practices, and use tools for buying goods, supplies, equipment and services needed to conduct business.

Level Extensive Experience:
• Monitors effectiveness of procurement policies in high-cost or critical path purchases.
• Selects appropriate qualified suppliers and negotiates related contracts.
• Compares and contrasts alternative sourcing strategies (sole sourcing, reverse auctions, etc.).
• Develops alternative sources of supply for the manufacturing organization.
• Assists in creating contingency plans for and with critical suppliers.
• Coordinates the procurement of a variety of products, materials and services.

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.

Desired Qualification

Business or Supply Chain Degree

Experience as a Buyer in a manufacturing environment

Preferred Qualifications

Familiar with casting or machining

This Job Description is intended as a general guide to the job duties for this position and is intended for the purpose of establishing the specific salary grade. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as an exhaustive summary of all responsibilities, duties and effort required of employees assigned to this job. At the discretion of management, this description may be changed at any time to address the evolving needs of the organization. It is expressly not intended to be a comprehensive list of "essential job functions" as that term is defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Summary Pay Range:

$112,704.00 - $169,056.00

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:

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

This position requires working onsite five days a week.

Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position.

Posting Dates:
July 7, 2026 - July 21, 2026

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

Not ready to apply? Join our Talent Community.

About Caterpillar, Inc

Progress Rail Services Corporation, a Caterpillar company, is one of the largest integrated and diversified suppliers of railroad and transit system products and services worldwide. Since its acquisition by Caterpillar Inc. in 2006, Progress Rail has used the Caterpillar international footprint to gain quick and widespread notice and approval across the globe. Product technology, reliability and durability, along with legendary aftermarket parts and service support, have been their keys to success. Caterpillar is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines. The technology and world reach of Caterpillar, combined with the service standard and historical reliability of Progress Rail, ensures their products and services make a growing impact on the world rail industry. With their acquisition of Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD), Progress Rail is the world's largest builder of diesel-electric locomotives for all commercial railroad applications including freight, intercity passenger, commuter, switching, industrial and mining. EMD is also a global provider of diesel power engines for marine propulsion, offshore and land based oil well drilling rigs and stationary power generation. Electro-Motive is the only diesel engine manufacturer of its size to have produced more than 70,000 engines. This success stems from product reliability, serviceability, load acceptance capability, low operating costs and ease of maintenance with standardized components.

Caterpillar, Inc. Careers

Join the robust team at Caterpillar, Inc., a global leader in construction and mining equipment, where innovation drives everything we do. As part of our team, you'll engage in work that improves the world and furthers your career with every project you touch.

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Make a great first impression. Prepare for your interview at Caterpillar by reviewing common questions and practicing your responses. Tailor your resume to highlight the experiences and skills that make you the ideal candidate for the position you are applying for. At Caterpillar, Inc., every role offers the chance to make an impact. Come be a part of our team and drive the future of our global industries. Your career at Caterpillar is not just about what you'll accomplish, but how you'll grow and the innovation you'll lead. Join us and build a career that matters.
Learn more about Caterpillar, Inc
Size
107,700 employees
Market Cap
$125.3 billion
Industry
Net Income
$2.9 billion
Founded
1925
5 Year Trend
+5.8%
Revenue
$41.7 billion
NASDAQ

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