Category Buyer II – Electric Power

Caterpillar Inc.•Mossville, IL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Category Buyer II role plays a hands-on role in driving supplier performance and category success within the Electric Power Division. In this role, you’ll own key supplier relationships, lead category strategies, and influence sourcing decisions that impact cost, quality, and continuity of supply. You’ll work closely with suppliers and internal partners to analyze quotes, manage agreements, and navigate challenges in a fast-moving manufacturing environment. This is a great opportunity for a proactive, relationship-driven professional who enjoys being close to the action, solving problems, and making a visible impact across the supply chain.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree preferred; equivalent procurement or purchasing experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
Data Analytics: Extensive experience and knowledge of techniques and processes for inspecting, cleansing, transforming, and modeling data; ability to discover useful information, draw logical conclusions, and support decision-making. 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.
Interpersonal Relationships: Working knowledge of the techniques and the ability to work with a variety of individuals and groups in a constructive and collaborative manner. 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: Working 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. 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.
Purchasing Tasks and Activities: Working knowledge of policies, regulations and processes of purchasing; ability to use practices and procedures for procurement of materials, components, equipment and services. 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: Working 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 relationship management practices.
Strategic Sourcing: Working knowledge of strategic sourcing methods, technologies and processes; ability to analyze, improve and re-evaluate organizational procurement process continuously. 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.

Nice To Haves

Experience in roles requiring frequent supplier interaction and relationship management.
Comfort operating in roles with accountability for communication, follow-through, and stakeholder alignment.
Advanced Excel skills (e.g., VLOOKUPs, quote comparison and analysis).
Experience using Microsoft Copilot or similar AI-enabled productivity tools.
Demonstrated energy, engagement, and readiness to contribute in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

Develop, manage, and execute category strategies, including ownership of policies, supplier agreements, source catalogs, and special procurement programs.
Analyze supplier quotes and procurement data to support sourcing decisions, identify cost-reduction and inventory-optimization opportunities, and drive quality improvements.
Ensure the soundness of business proposals by completing supplier risk assessments and supporting data-driven recommendations.
Serve as a primary liaison between the organization and assigned suppliers, clearly communicating expectations while balancing production requirements and supplier capabilities.
Monitor, document, and report on supplier performance related to on-time delivery, production responsiveness, and overall service levels.
Build and maintain strong, collaborative supplier relationships that support business continuity and long-term value creation.
Utilize Microsoft Office tools, particularly Excel and PowerPoint, to support quote analysis, supplier evaluations, and stakeholder presentations.