Category Buyer

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.

Role Definition

Provides supply network solutions expertise, using Quality, Cost, Logistics, Development, and Management (QCLDM) to deliver maximum value.

Responsibilities

• 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.
• Documenting the suppliers' performance on time sensitiveness and production; maintains a strong relationship with suppliers.
  
  

Degree Requirement

Degree or equivalent experience desired

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 Extensive Experience:

• Advises stakeholders on the relationship between financial, performance, and operational data used in business data analytics.
• Anticipates operational challenges of data collection and its integration with decision-making.
• Identifies correlations that reveal trends and determine conditions.
• Evaluates the quality of data collected and the effectiveness of data analysis methods for evaluating business performance.
• Interprets potential risks, threats, and opportunities involved with predictive modeling.
• Directs the implementation of business data collection processes and educates junior employees on new data sources.
  
  

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 Working Knowledge:

• Delivers helpful feedback that focuses on behaviors without offending the recipient.
• Listens to feedback without defensiveness and uses it for own communication effectiveness.
• Makes oral presentations and writes reports needed for own work.
• Avoids technical jargon when inappropriate.
• Looks for and considers non-verbal cues from individuals and groups.
  
  

Interpersonal Relationships: Knowledge of the techniques and the ability to work with a variety of individuals and groups in a constructive and collaborative manner.

Level Working Knowledge:

• Explains impact of interactions with individuals and groups.
• Identifies roles and responsibilities for self and others.
• Demonstrates an understanding of alternative points of view.
• Collaborates with departmental associates and management.
• Adapts interaction style to situations and people.
  
  

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 Working Knowledge:

• Works to achieve win-win in negotiations, rather than taking a win-lose approach.
• Focuses on issues rather than personalities.
• Uses active listening and probing techniques to surface problems, issues, and interests.
• Demonstrates a willingness to examine own position.
• Presents own position and listens attentively to position of others.
  
  

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.
  
  

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 Working Knowledge:

• Adheres to organizational policies and codes for supplier relationship management.
• Communicates with suppliers about contract preparation and negotiation.
• Documents and analyzes problems and challenges in supplier relationship establishment and management.
• Monitors satisfaction levels of the organization's important suppliers on a regular basis.
• Works with different external suppliers to address critical issues and resolves major problems for implementing supplier relationship management practices.
  
  

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

Level Working Knowledge:

• Works with various basic components of strategic sourcing, such as data analysis, market research and purchasing budgets examination.
• Participates in enhancing institutional sourcing process continuously including identifying improvement opportunities.
• Conducts strategic sourcing activities in a limited environment.
• Follows relevant standards, policies and practices regarding strategic sourcing.
• Assists senior sourcing professionals with strategic sourcing in multiple environments.
  
  

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.

Relocation is available for this position.

Posting Dates:

September 29, 2025 - October 9, 2025

Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants of any age are encouraged to apply

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