Senior Communications Specialist - Strategic Procurement & Planning

Caterpillar•Peoria, IL

16d•$112,710 - $169,060•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 Senior Communications Specialist – Strategic Procurement and Planning will partner with senior leaders and cross-functional enterprise teams to shape messaging and drive alignment that advance the organization's business objectives. In this role, you’ll lead and execute strategic communications initiatives that support division and enterprise priorities. You’ll also collaborate with the broader segment communications team to ensure consistency and impact across channels and audiences. This position will report to the Strategic Procurement & Planning Division (SPPD) Communications Manager and plays a key role in supporting strategic communications across the enterprise. SPPD is part of Caterpillar’s Resource Industries segment and includes global teams who are working to connect the physical and digital worlds of the supply value chain to maximize competitive advantage and deliver top-quality products and services. The SPPD communication team helps drive awareness, understanding adoption and execution of Caterpillar’s strategy by sharing impactful stories, crafting clear messages and building meaningful connections.

Requirements

College or university degree in communications, marketing, or a related field or considerable job-related experience in corporate communications with proficiency in digital communication tools such as the Microsoft Office Suite
Strong organizational skills with the ability to plan, prioritize and execute multiple projects independently and with urgency; skilled at simplifying complex ideas, anticipating stakeholder needs and adjusting messaging to drive clarity and alignment
Big picture thinking and planning; ability to apply organizational acumen and align messaging and deliverables to key customer objectives and strategies
Excellent listening, verbal and written communication skills; develops a clear and complete understanding of needs through careful listening, probing, reflecting, and summarizing
Strong content creation skills and the ability to edit for various audience consumption
Outstanding relationship management; skilled at establishing and maintaining trust with customers, clients, peers and vendors

Responsibilities

Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders by providing strategic communications support, ensuring clarity, alignment and momentum across a large, matrixed organization
Develop, own and execute comprehensive communications plans including messaging and materials that inform, inspire and align employees to business strategy and customer objectives
Lead strategic communications initiatives that elevate awareness of key efforts that impact supplier, procurement, supply chain and dealer experiences
Collaborate with subject matter experts, business leaders, legal, media relations and communications colleagues to develop content for internal and external audiences, including success stories, announcements, supplier and dealer events, executive presentations, speeches and articles
Translate complex concepts into clear, audience-appropriate communications for internal and external stakeholders
Apply Lean principles and process excellence to enhance quality and accelerate delivery, ensuring streamlined, high-impact communications that make it easy for stakeholders to do business with SPPD
Embrace technology and innovation to reach and engage audiences in new and creative ways
Uphold brand standards by maintaining a consistent tone and style across all content, adhering to brand guidelines and voice
Analyze performance, monitor communications metrics to refine strategies and continuously improve engagement