Category Buyer

**Career Area**:
Procurement

**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.

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.

Caterpillar has an exciting opportunity for a **Category Buyer **- Fabrications in E&T Procurement supporting LPSD. In this role, you will provide supply network solutions expertise, using Quality, Cost, Logistics, Development, and Management (QCLDM) to deliver maximum value.

**What You Will Do**:

- Serve as the primary contact between Caterpillar and the supply base for global/regional initiatives, including filling the functional seat for commercial discussions/negotiations with suppliers, being the recognized expert for his or her assigned portion of the global category, supports development and execution of global category strategies.
- Drives performance excellence in Quality, Cost, Logistics, Development, and Management (QCLDM) through direct leverage with the supply base partnering with Supplier Development Professional (SDP) personnel and Product/Facility Procurement organizations.
- Help to manage the supplier relationship for that supplier’s location including but not limited to Supplier Relationship Mgmt., Supplier Performance Mgmt., Cost Mgmt., Risk Mgmt., and Category Network Mgmt.
- Responsible for development, management and execution of the global category strategy managing policies, agreements, source catalogs, and special procurement programs. Accountable for the liaison with the corresponding source buyers.
- Provide leadership for strategic sourcing -qualified supply network, business continuity, supplier risk management - capacity & financial, logistics, contract management, supplier commercial negotiations, cost/spend management - TCA assurance, supplier on boarding/off boarding, lead/response time optimization and resource management decisions.
- Collaborate with Supplier Development Engineers, to ensure continuous improvement in QCLDM with key suppliers. Build and foster mutually beneficial supplier relationships at all organizational levels.

**What You Will Have**:

- 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.
- Looks for and considers non-verbal cues from individuals and groups.

**Negotiating: Level Working Knowledge**: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.
- Works to achieve win-win in negotiations, rather than taking a win-lose approach. LAA, MDO 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.

**Purchasing Tasks and Activities: Level Working Knowledge**:Knowledge of policies, regulations and processes of purchasing; ability to use practices and procedures for procurement of materials, components, equipment and services.
- Uses available procurement systems and tools.
- Ensures compliance with procurement regulations and contract specifications. (Follows Purchasing Practices)
- Works with basic purchasing related tasks and activities.
- Adheres to various requirements and steps of the procurement process.

**Supplier Relationship Management: Level Working Knowledge**:Knowledge of supplier relationship management concept and strategies; ability to address critical issues to meet supplier needs and maintain engaged, partnering relationship with suppliers.
- 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 r