Quality Enterprise Capability Owner

Caterpillar Inc.•Lafayette, IN

2d•Onsite

About The Position

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. The Quality Enterprise Capability Owner, a Senior Quality Manager, serves as a quality subject matter expert, leading the development and deployment of quality visibility and predictive capabilities that support Operational Excellence and Modern Manufacturing. This enterprise-level role focuses on advancing quality capabilities while partnering closely with other Modern Manufacturing workstreams where quality is embedded within broader solutions. With a strong emphasis on Modern Manufacturing pilot facilities, this role drives capability development and scalable deployment across the organization. The successful candidate will collaborate closely with workstream leads and facility teams to ensure alignment with the Future of Manufacturing strategy, while championing best practices and meaningful KPIs that deliver measurable, enterprise-wide impact. What You Will Do: Serve as the Quality subject matter expert for Modern Manufacturing, leading the development, deployment, and sustainment of quality visibility and predictive capabilities that support Operational Excellence. Drive the innovation, creation and implementation of enterprise quality solutions, ensuring scalability and consistency across manufacturing facilities, with an initial focus on Modern Manufacturing pilot sites. Partner closely with Modern Manufacturing workstream leads, ECOs, and facility teams to embed quality requirements into broader manufacturing capabilities and initiatives. Lead the definition, deployment, and monitoring of quality best practices, standards, and KPIs, ensuring alignment with the Future of Manufacturing strategy and measurable business impact. Analyze quality data and trends to identify risks, opportunities, and improvement actions, enabling proactive decision‑making and predictive insights across operations. Champion AI integration and innovation in quality. Drive digital thread connectivity and support Enterprise Data Domains, including the Global Quality domain and Data Council initiatives. Provide guidance and influence to cross‑functional stakeholders to ensure quality considerations are integrated early into manufacturing capability design and deployment. Capabilities include traceability, process capability (Cpk, Ppk, SPC) and inspection standards and technologies. High volume, low volume, highly automated and manual processes all need to be considered in these capabilities. Champion a culture of continuous improvement, data‑driven quality management, and operational discipline across the enterprise. Support change management and capability adoption by collaborating with facility leadership to ensure successful implementation, engagement, and long‑term sustainability.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, or related discipline) or equivalent knowledge demonstrated through professional experience.
Strategic Thinking Demonstrated experience leading enterprise‑level quality and manufacturing initiatives aligned to long‑term business objectives.
Proven ability to interpret complex data, market trends, and operational insights to shape strategy and prioritize capability development.
Experience positioning organizations for long‑term competitiveness by aligning quality initiatives with the Future of Manufacturing strategy and broader operational goals.
Decision Making and Critical Thinking Extensive experience applying data‑driven decision‑making to complex, ambiguous quality and manufacturing challenges.
Proven ability to evaluate assumptions, assess risks, and analyze alternatives to drive sound, high‑impact decisions.
Skilled at advising leaders and teams by synthesizing data and applying appropriate decision‑making approaches to deliver sustainable outcomes.
Influencing Proven ability to influence cross‑functional stakeholders and drive alignment across ECOs, workstreams, and manufacturing facilities without direct authority.
Experience presenting clear, compelling business cases that address cost, risk, and operational impact.
Demonstrates strong capability building buy‑in, commitment, and shared accountability to ensure adoption of quality capabilities and standards.
Problem Solving Extensive experience leading the resolution of complex, high‑impact quality and process problems across manufacturing environments.
Skilled in applying structured problem‑solving methodologies, capturing lessons learned, and standardizing approaches to prevent recurrence.
Proven success delivering effective, scalable solutions that improve quality performance and operational outcomes.

Nice To Haves

Experience with factory automation and inspection systems
Background in visual inspection technologies and AI‑based system implementation
Knowledge of process control and advanced manufacturing quality capabilities

Responsibilities

Serve as the Quality subject matter expert for Modern Manufacturing, leading the development, deployment, and sustainment of quality visibility and predictive capabilities that support Operational Excellence.
Drive the innovation, creation and implementation of enterprise quality solutions, ensuring scalability and consistency across manufacturing facilities, with an initial focus on Modern Manufacturing pilot sites.
Partner closely with Modern Manufacturing workstream leads, ECOs, and facility teams to embed quality requirements into broader manufacturing capabilities and initiatives.
Lead the definition, deployment, and monitoring of quality best practices, standards, and KPIs, ensuring alignment with the Future of Manufacturing strategy and measurable business impact.
Analyze quality data and trends to identify risks, opportunities, and improvement actions, enabling proactive decision‑making and predictive insights across operations.
Champion AI integration and innovation in quality.
Drive digital thread connectivity and support Enterprise Data Domains, including the Global Quality domain and Data Council initiatives.
Provide guidance and influence to cross‑functional stakeholders to ensure quality considerations are integrated early into manufacturing capability design and deployment. Capabilities include traceability, process capability (Cpk, Ppk, SPC) and inspection standards and technologies. High volume, low volume, highly automated and manual processes all need to be considered in these capabilities.
Champion a culture of continuous improvement, data‑driven quality management, and operational discipline across the enterprise.
Support change management and capability adoption by collaborating with facility leadership to ensure successful implementation, engagement, and long‑term sustainability.