Category Procurement Manager

Job Description

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.

Procurement

Category Procurement Manager

The Category Procurement Manager leads strategic procurement of Resource Industries (RI) Machine Bar, Rods, and Tubes categories, delivering year‑over‑year improvements in Quality, Cost, Logistics, Development, and Management (QCLDM). In this role, you will be accountable for developing and executing a global sourcing strategy, building a resilient and high‑performing supply base, and managing a high performing North America procurement team.

This role offers a rare global perspective on steel component procurement and its direct impact on Caterpillar machines. You will gain visibility into where your components are assembled into Caterpillar machines which span a wide variety of applications. You will build strategic relationships with manufacturing suppliers and be exposed to steel component cost drivers, global market dynamics, and daily collaboration with counterparts located in Europe, Mexico, India, and China.

You will lead a strong collaborative North America based team, work closely with internal customers and suppliers around the world, and help develop the ultimate Global Strategy.

• Develop, communicate, and implement a Global Sourcing Strategy for RI Machine Bar, Rods, and Tubes categories aligned to Caterpillar enterprise objectives.
• Lead and manage a North America–based procurement team, providing coaching, direction, and performance leadership.
• Collaborate with other Global Strategy Owners and Regional Procurement Managers to ensure alignment across regions and categories.
• Identify supplier performance gaps and lead structured improvement plans across cost, quality, delivery, and capability.
• Partner with the Supply Network on risk mitigation, capacity planning, and predictive cost modeling (geographic and component‑based).
• Serve as a trusted advisor to internal Caterpillar stakeholders and external suppliers.
• Manage the quality of purchased goods and services, resolving complex supplier‑related issues and escalations.
• Lead complex commercial negotiations, balancing enterprise objectives with supplier sustainability.
• Prepare executive‑level reporting to demonstrate category performance, ROI, and business impact.

• Contribute to short‑term operational and tactical plans.
• Ultra focused on achieving long term objectives within your Global Strategy.
• Anticipate plan changes, monitor execution, and course‑correct to meet objectives.

• Communicate clearly upward, downward, and outward.
• Adapt messaging for technical, operational, and executive audiences.
• Demonstrate empathy, influence, and assertiveness.

• Lead significant internal and external negotiations.
• Drive win‑win outcomes while protecting enterprise interests.
• Strong collaborator with advanced purchasing expertise.

• Design and execute end‑to‑end Global category strategies.
• Develop supplier agreements and follow procurement policies.
• Lead execution of all category management stages and train others.
• Experience across multiple component family types within a category.

• Build strategic supplier partnerships that share risk and reward.
• Monitor performance, resolve gaps, and manage supplier exits when required.
• Establish quality standards and supplier governance.

• Lead complex sourcing initiatives including negotiations, contracting, and continuous improvement.
• Develop and deploy sourcing best practices across regions.

• Support Audit & Compliance (A
  
  C) initiatives including SOX‑related controls.
• Improve compliance‑related business…