Senior Category Buyer

Caterpillar Inc.•Peoria, IL

1d•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 Indirect Procurement group in the Finance Services Division currently has an opening for a Consulting Services Category Buyer, located in Peoria, IL. As a Category Buyer you will assist our internal Business Unit customers globally within Consulting Services category with sourcing, buying, and spend analytics. What You Will Do: Serve as the primary contact between Caterpillar and the supply base for global initiatives, including filling the functional seat for commercial discussions/negotiations with suppliers, being the recognized expert for assigned portion of the global category and supporting the development and execution of global category strategies. This role is responsible for leading the development, management, implementation, and execution of a site, regional, or worldwide sourcing strategy for Consulting Services. They will help manage global supplier relationships including, but not limited to, supplier performance management, cost management, risk management, and category network management. This role is also responsible for leading and managing agreements, policies, source catalogs, and special procurement programs and will also be accountable for the liaison with corresponding Category/Platform based Buyers and the Center of Excellence (COE) / Regional Buying Center (RBC) team. Leadership - Provide leadership for strategic sourcing, business continuity, supplier risk management, and resource management decisions. Lead continuous improvement initiatives and/or projects within Purchasing that will be supporting Business Unit customers. Demonstrate leadership by owning contract management and working with legal, risk assessments, supplier commercial negotiations, cost/spend analysis, supplier on boarding/off boarding, and resource management decisions. Promote the highest level of professionalism and business ethics. Supplier Relationship Management - to help manage the global supplier relationship including but not limited to supplier performance management, cost management, risk management, and category network management. This role is responsible and accountable for directing the development, and/or communication and implementation of worldwide Consulting Services sourcing strategy. Responsible for development, management and execution of the Consulting Services category strategy managing policies, agreements, and special procurement programs. Accountability and Management - Be able to handle a substantial flow of projects with challenging/expedited deadlines. Actively facilitate and manage procurement from start to finish with a hands-on approach. Be able to propel, steer and guide contracts through completion drawing upon excellent people skills, working efficiently with internal BU Stakeholders, Service Owners, Subject Matter Experts, Legal, Tax as well as others as appropriate to resolve negotiation issues in a timely manner to complete a deal through to execution. A strong relationship of mutual trust and accountability must be developed and maintained with internal Business Unit’s. Strategy – Lead strategic sourcing and supply base strategy development and subsequent execution for the Consulting Services Category portfolio. Legal – Must be able to draft, negotiate, and execute contractual documents including master purchasing agreements, schedules/statements of work, service level agreements, and other procurement related documents. Supplier Development – Collaborate with Suppliers and Business Units to ensure continuous improvement with key suppliers. Build and foster mutually beneficial supplier relationships at all organizational levels.

Requirements

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.
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.
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.
Effective Communications: Understanding 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.

Nice To Haves

Bachelors Degree (preferably in Business, Finance, Purchasing/Supply Chain, Law or IT) or equivalent (CIPS Level 6 / NVQ Level 4) or progressive experience in sourcing/purchasing for Indirect or Direct procurement.
Expert communicator: proficient in building collaborative and trusted partnerships to work across a internal matrix organization and external Supplier network.
Well-developed interpersonal skills, acting with integrity in tough and emotive situations; able to mediate and reach consensus within a group environment.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary contact between Caterpillar and the supply base for global initiatives
Lead the development, management, implementation, and execution of a site, regional, or worldwide sourcing strategy for Consulting Services
Manage global supplier relationships including, but not limited to, supplier performance management, cost management, risk management, and category network management
Lead and manage agreements, policies, source catalogs, and special procurement programs
Provide leadership for strategic sourcing, business continuity, supplier risk management, and resource management decisions
Lead continuous improvement initiatives and/or projects within Purchasing that will be supporting Business Unit customers
Demonstrate leadership by owning contract management and working with legal, risk assessments, supplier commercial negotiations, cost/spend analysis, supplier on boarding/off boarding, and resource management decisions
Actively facilitate and manage procurement from start to finish with a hands-on approach
Lead strategic sourcing and supply base strategy development and subsequent execution for the Consulting Services Category portfolio
Draft, negotiate, and execute contractual documents including master purchasing agreements, schedules/statements of work, service level agreements, and other procurement related documents
Collaborate with Suppliers and Business Units to ensure continuous improvement with key suppliers