Manager, Supplier Capability and Quality

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.

About EPD:

Caterpillar's Electric Power Division (EPD) offers integrated solutions, parts, and services to meet the needs of our various commercial and industrial electric power customers. EPD supports a wide range of customer applications across the globe, including providing back-up power to hospitals, providing emergency power when natural disasters strike, and supporting critical infrastructure for data centers, municipalities, and more. With a rich history of more than 95 years in the electric power business, our team has world-class expertise and a proven ability to adapt to changing demands. We’re committed to providing sustainable and reliable solutions to our customers. Join our team to help build a better, more sustainable world for future generations!

Job Summary:

Caterpillar’s Electric Power Division (EPD) is seeking a leader to drive supplier capability, quality, and readiness across a global supply base supporting critical power solutions. This role leads the Supplier Development Engineering (SDE) function and is responsible for building and advancing supplier capability to support new product introduction, production stability, and long-term strategic growth.

As a key member of the Procurement Solutions organization, this role operates at the intersection of Procurement, Engineering, Quality, and Operations—ensuring suppliers are technically capable, operationally ready, and aligned with enterprise standards. You will shape how suppliers are onboarded, developed, and managed while influencing sourcing decisions and driving measurable improvements in quality and performance.

This is a high-impact role for a leader who thrives in complex, cross-functional environments and is passionate about developing supplier ecosystems that enable business success.

What You Will Do:

Lead the Supplier Development Engineering Function

• Lead the SDE team, providing direction on strategy, capability development, workforce planning, and performance management

• Establish clear roles, expectations, and standard work to build a high-performing supplier development organization

Own Supplier Capability & Readiness

• Lead the end-to-end supplier onboarding and readiness lifecycle, including capability validation, audits, PPAP/readiness gates, and launch execution

• Develop and implement frameworks for supplier assessments and capability improvement plans

• Ensure suppliers are prepared to meet quality, capacity, and delivery expectations across programs

Drive Supplier Quality & Performance Improvement

• Partner with Supplier Quality, Engineering, and Operations to identify risks and drive corrective actions across the supply base

• Lead structured problem-solving, root cause analysis, and supplier recovery plans

• Establish mechanisms to monitor, measure, and improve supplier quality and operational performance

Influence Sourcing & Cross-Functional Decisions

• Collaborate with Procurement, Commercial, and Engineering stakeholders to align supplier capability with sourcing strategies

• Provide input into supplier selection, sourcing locations, and investment decisions based on technical and operational readiness

• Serve as a key connector between suppliers and internal teams, driving alignment and accountability

Define and Strengthen the Operating Model

• Establish and govern the operating model across SDE, Supplier Quality, Engineering, and factory teams

• Clarify ownership, escalation paths, and intervention strategies to ensure effective execution

• Improve transparency through data, analytics, and system integration

Enable Continuous Improvement & Transformation

• Lead initiatives to enhance processes, tools, and systems supporting supplier development and readiness

• Drive adoption of data-driven insights, standardization, and automation to improve efficiency and outcomes

What You Will Have:

• Business P