Senior Procurement Technical Professional

Career Area:

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

We are seeking a Senior Procurement Technical Professional to apply technical expertise and experience to drive communication, collaboration and problem solving for the procurement organization.

What you will do:

• Leading a variety of complex purchasing-related initiatives, projects, processes, and operations with innovative thinking.
• Initiating and driving collaboration among engineering personnel, business unit procurement teams, and suppliers to solve business problems.
• Providing guidance and leadership on complex technical issues in the resolution of supplier quality problems, field failures, manufacturing problems, and warranty claims.
• Implementing new ideas on products, processes, technologies, techniques, and procedures to reduce cost and improve quality and availability of purchased products.

What you will have:

Quality Management: Knowledge of quality management methods, tools, and techniques and ability to create and support an environment that meets the quality goals of the organization.

 Level Extensive Experience:

• Interprets results of quantitative and statistical tools and explains results to others.
• Communicates key benefits of a quality management process.
• Conducts and directs quality reviews.
• Develops expertise in quality assurance tools, techniques, and standards.
• Develops quality assurance processes based on Six Sigma, ISO 9000 or Baldrige principles.

Risk Management: Knowledge of processes, tools and techniques for assessing and controlling an organization's exposure to risks of various kinds; ability to apply knowledge of risk management appropriately to diverse situations.

Level Working Knowledge:

• Produces and interprets common risk assessment and management reports.
• Identifies common technology, security, or financial risks relevant to own function or unit.
• Implements or manages risk management for own area.
• Documents the key steps of a unit-specific risk management process and associated procedures.
• Evaluates risk assessment models and techniques relevant to a specific line of business.

Data-driven Decision Making: Knowledge of the data-driven decision-making process and associated tools and techniques; ability to gather and analyze data to make organizational decisions that align with strategic business objectives and goals.

 Level Extensive Experience:

• Advises on advanced data analysis methodologies and technologies to make more informed decisions.
• Coaches others on improving the validity and reliability of data used in various Decision-Making processes.
• Designs KPIs and metrics to analyze data and influence decisions.
• Evaluates the opportunities and the challenges of integrating data into decisions.
• Oversees data gathering and analysis activities within the organization.
• Seeks input from multiple sources to generate diverse ideas for Decision Making.

Problem Solving: Knowledge of approaches, tools, techniques for recognizing, anticipating, and resolving organizational, operational or process problems; ability to apply knowledge of problem solving appropriately to diverse situations.

 Level Working Knowledge:

• Identifies and documents specific problems and resolution alternatives.
• Examines a specific problem and understands the perspective of each involved stakeholder.
• Develops alternative techniques for assessing accuracy and relevance of information.
• Helps to analyze risks and benefits of alternative approaches and obtain decision on resolution.
• Uses fact-finding techniques and diagnostic tools to identify problems.

Manufacturing Best Practices and Standards: Knowledge of best practices and standards for improving the effectiveness, efficiency, and safety of the design, production, and distribution of manufacturing products; ability to create and implement best practices and standards for various manufacturing processes and activities.

 Level Working Knowledge:

• Analyzes the feasibility of applying best practices within a manufacturing facility.
• Describes common problems and implementation issues with applying best practices.
• Explains the process of creation, dissemination, and maintenance of best practice documentation.
• Reviews and assesses proposed criteria for identifying best practices.
• Works with existing best practices within own's area of responsibility.

Supplier Management - MFG: 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.

 Level Extensive Experience:

• Facilitates supplier partnering arrangements that share risk and reward.
• Monitors supplier performance; works to resolve discrepancies between performance and agreements.
• Develops quality standards and controls for suppliers.
• Builds and maintains partnerships with multiple and/or large suppliers.
• Evaluates issues and terminates supplier relationships as appropriate; works with legal departments.
• Ensures the fulfillment of report and record-keeping requirements.

Top Candidates May Have:

• Six Sigma Black Belt Certification
• Experience with Quality Management Systems (QMS) or Certified Quality Systems (CQS) methodologies, including process improvement, compliance, and quality assurance practices.

Additional Information:

• This position may require travel up to 50%

Summary Pay Range:

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

Posting Dates:

Any 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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