Senior Category Buyer

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.

The Indirect Procurement group in the Finance Services Division currently has an opening for a Technology Procurement Senior Buyer, located in Peoria, IL. As a Senior Category Buyer you will assist our internal Business Unit customers globally acquiring technology solutions via executing sourcing to contract and procure to pay processes. 

What You Will Do:

Serve as the primary contact between Caterpillar and the global supply base for key initiatives. Act as the functional lead for commercial discussions and negotiations, serving as the recognized expert for the assigned portion of the global category and supporting the development and execution of global category strategies. 

This role leads the development of comprehensive negotiation plans by identifying leverage points, evaluating all deal variables, and preparing effective counteroffers. The role also ensures strong collaboration with third-party advisory firms to strengthen market intelligence and negotiation strategies. 

The position is responsible for leading the development, management, implementation, and execution of site, regional, or global sourcing strategies for technology procurement. Responsibilities include managing global supplier relationships across supplier performance, cost, risk, and category network management. 

Additionally, this role leads and manages agreements, policies, source catalogs, and special procurement programs, and serves as the liaison with Category/Platform-based Buyers and the Center of Excellence (COE) / Regional Buying Center (RBC) teams. The role is accountable for delivering annual savings targets and other key performance metrics.

• Leadership - Provide leadership for strategic sourcing, business continuity, supplier risk management, and resource management decisions.  Lead continuous improvement initiatives and/or projects within Purchasing that will be supporting Business Unit customers.  Alignment reviews with internal stakeholders on negotiation plans, strategy, timing, and process steps, ensuring team-wide understanding and buy-in. Demonstrate leadership by owning contract management and working with legal, risk assessments, supplier commercial negotiations, cost/spend analysis, supplier on boarding/off boarding, and resource management decisions.  Engagement with stakeholders on supplier RFx requirements, participation in supplier technology evaluations, and partnership with other supporting teams to deliver the end results. Promote the highest level of professionalism and business ethics.
• Strategy – Lead strategic sourcing and supply base strategy development and subsequent execution for the technology procurement category portfolio. Development of comprehensive negotiation strategies, ensuring all points of leverage are identified, deal variables are thoroughly considered, and effective counteroffers are formulated.
• Legal – Must possess strong expertise in drafting, negotiating, and executing a broad range of complex procurement and legal agreements and serve as a senior commercial and contracting expert for the team. This role is responsible for independently drafting, negotiating, and executing Master Software License Agreements (MSLAs), Master Cloud Service Agreements (MCSAs), Schedules and Statements of Work (SOWs), End User License Agreements (EULAs), Service Level Agreements (SLAs), and other procurement related contractual documents, while partnering closely with Legal to assess risk, ensure compliance, and achieve commercially sound outcomes.
• Accountability and Management - Handle a substantial flow of procurement activities and projects with challenging or expedited timelines. Actively manage procurement efforts end to end with a hands-on approach, guiding contracts through completion by working effectively with Business Unit stakeholders, Service Owners, Subject Matter Experts, Legal, Tax, and other partners as needed to resolve negotiation issues and execute agreements. Develop and maintain strong relationships built on trust and accountability with internal Business Units.
• Supplier Relationship Management and Development – Manage day to day execution and ongoing engagement with a defined