Value Chain Designer

Overview

When you join Caterpillar, you're joining a global team that cares not only about the work we do but also about each other. We are makers, problem solvers, and future world builders creating stronger, more sustainable communities. We help build a better world and power the machines that build it.

As a Value Chain Designer at our Decatur, IL facility, you’ll own the full value chain from inbound material planning to final product flow. You will act as an engineer embedded in purchasing and supply chain to drive end‑to‑end optimization across a global enterprise.

Decatur, IL (Domestic relocation assistance available; may require up to 10% travel). Sponsorship not available.

• Lead and coordinate cross‑functional teams (Engineering, Manufacturing, Procurement, Supply Chain, Logistics, and Suppliers) to optimize end‑to‑end value chain performance from the supply base through final delivery.
• Operate as an engineer within the value chain, blending technical, purchasing, and supply chain expertise to solve complex system challenges.
• Serve as the prime contact for material continuity, proactively resolving part shortages and ensuring production remains uninterrupted.
• Define boundary conditions, identify system constraints, and develop solutions that improve flow, capacity, and overall network performance.
• Drive critical value chain activities including inbound material planning, product sourcing, supplier and internal capacity planning, and footprint/network analysis.
• Develop and maintain global value stream and network models, comparing current‑ and future‑state configurations to inform strategic decisions.
• Partner closely with the supply base and internal stakeholders to strengthen supplier performance and enable a resilient, high‑performing value chain.
• Analyze data across systems to model physical flows, transit times, variability, and delivery performance by translating insights into actionable recommendations.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives by identifying inefficiencies across inbound through outbound flows and implementing data‑driven solutions.
• Apply structured problem‑solving, root cause analysis, and process mapping to resolve complex operational issues and prevent recurrence.

• You influence decisions across the entire value chain from suppliers and manufacturing to distribution partners and the end customer.
• Your work directly shapes future‑state network strategies, helping the business optimize cost, quality, delivery, and customer experience.
• You operate at the intersection of data, strategy, and execution, turning complex modeling into real‑world impact.
• You collaborate with diverse, high‑impact teams across engineering, operations, supply chain, and external partners.
• You play a key role in S&OP and Business Cycle Management, influencing both current and future points‑in‑cycle.
• You become a recognized enterprise expert in value stream modeling and optimization, building capabilities that scale across Caterpillar.
• Your insights enable continuous improvement and smarter, faster decisions that improve performance across a global network.

• Degree or equivalent experience desired.

• Business Process Design:
  Ability to redesign or enhance business processes, lead process design initiatives, and assess cross‑functional re‑engineering impacts.
• Process Management:
  Expert ability to remove barriers to improvement, create mechanisms for process reviews, and consult on optimization approaches, tools, and techniques.
• Analytical Thinking:
  Ability to break down complex problems, quantify costs/benefits/risks, and choose from a diverse set of analytical tools.
• Effective Communication:
  Ability to adapt messages for the intended audience, influence stakeholders, and communicate clearly upward, downward, and across functions.
• Problem Solving:
  Expert ability to orchestrate solutions for high‑impact, cross‑functional issues and establish decision criteria and assessment processes.
• Root Cause Analysis (RCA):
  Expert capability to lead structured investigations, mentor others, and foster a root‑cause‑driven…