Product Availability Lead

Career Area:

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.

Caterpillar’s Earthmoving division is looking to hire a Product Availability Lead for Peoria, IL

Role Summary

The Product Availability Lead is responsible for developing and executing the end‑to‑end availability strategy for the product line. This role ensures world‑class product availability by aligning supply assurance, data‑driven decision‑making, and cross-functional coordination across manufacturing facilities and product distribution centers. The lead will champion a breakthrough customer order‑to‑delivery experience by driving a tactical execution plan to deliver the strategy.

What You’ll Do (Job Duties)

Availability Strategy & Execution

• Develop and deliver the availability strategy for the product line.

• Deliver the right end-to-end machine availability to meet customer needs.

• Drive world‑class availability performance through proactive planning, problem-solving, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Data Analytics & Tactical Management

• Proactively leverage advanced data analytics to identify risks, opportunities, and emerging trends influencing product availability.

• Execute tactical plans that improve order fulfillment, lead times, and overall delivery performance.

• Monitor real-time supply chain signals and take decisive action to resolve availability constraints.

Customer Order‑to‑Delivery Excellence

• Lead initiatives aimed at transforming the customer experience from order placement through delivery.

• Partner with sales, logistics, and distribution teams to remove friction across the order‑to‑delivery journey.

• Ensure transparency, accuracy, and predictability in product availability communications.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with global manufacturing facilities to align production plans with market and customer requirements.

• Collaborate with Product Distribution Centers to optimize inventory positioning and material flow.

• Serve as the key availability liaison across product groups, supply chain, operations, and commercial organizations.

What You Have (Core Skills)

• Analytical Thinking: Knowledge of techniques and tools that promote effective analysis; ability to determine the root cause of organizational problems and create alternative solutions that resolve these problems.

• Effective Communication: Understanding of 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.

• Problem Solving: Knowledge of approaches, tools, techniques for recognizing, anticipating, and resolving organizational, operational or process problems; ability to apply knowledge of problem solving appropriately to diverse situations.

• Root Cause Analysis (RCA): Knowledge of the concepts, principles and techniques of root cause analysis (RCA); ability to use a structured approach to identify the causes of undesirable consequences in a manufacturing environment and the changes needed to prevent recurrences.

• Process Mapping/Flowcharting: Knowledge of the concepts of process mapping; ability to carry out the documentation of current and proposed manufacturing processes to identify and make improvements.

Top Candidates Will Also Have

• Experience in commercial, sales & operations planning, supply chain, operations, or manufacturing.

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, supply chain, operations, manufacturing or related field.

• Strong analytical skills with proficiency in data tools and performance metrics.

• Ability to influence cross-functional teams and drive execution in a fast-paced environment.

• Excellent communication and proble