Senior 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.

Role Definition
Processes requisitions and provides support for purchasing, supply chain, sourcing, cost, price analyses and contract/purchase order generation.

Responsibilities
•    Developing improvement plans to support Supply Chain tasks related to response time, lean targets, quality, cost, logistics, development, and management to enable optimal and efficient operations.
•    Performing analysis and maintenance of assigned processes that produce output excellence, builds expertise for the assigned process area, and contributing to continuous improvement efforts.
•    Supporting customers and customer proposal efforts with pricing information and supplier selection.
•    Performing analytical and administrative tasks in support of purchasing strategic initiatives.

Skill Descriptors

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.
Level: Working Knowledge 
•    Approaches a situation or problem by defining the problem or issue and determining its significance.
•    Makes a systematic comparison of two or more alternative solutions.
•    Uses flow charts, Pareto charts, fish diagrams, etc. to disclose meaningful data patterns.
•    Uses logic and intuition to make inferences about the meaning of the data and arrive at conclusions.
•    Identifies the major forces, events, and people impacting and impacted by the situation at hand.

Effective Communications: 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.
Level: Working Knowledge
•    Delivers helpful feedback that focuses on behaviors without offending the recipient.
•    Listens to feedback without defensiveness and uses it for own communication effectiveness.
•    Makes oral presentations and writes reports needed for own work.
•    Avoids technical jargon when inappropriate.
•    Looks for and considers non-verbal cues from individuals and groups.

Negotiating: Knowledge of successful negotiation concepts and techniques; ability to negotiate successfully across the organization and with external vendors and clients in a constructive and collaborative manner.
Level: Extensive Experience 
•    Ensures negotiators have awareness of complementary yet diverse interests.
•    Successfully completes significant negotiations, both internal and external.
•    Details the risks of negotiation breakdown from each party's perspective.
•    Protects own position, while demonstrating willingness to achieve win-win.
•    Identifies similarities and differences in position and assesses impact on discussions.
•    Detects and addresses lack of progress or a stalemate.

Vendor/Supplier Management: Knowledge of external provider management processes and ability to effectively manage the business relationship with external providers (e.g., vendors, service providers, contractors, consultants, and suppliers).
Level: Working Knowledge
•    Works with vendors to assure that products or services are delivered to time and quality specifications.
•    Provides feedback on vendor performance to responsible contract administrators.
•    Resolves routine issues or problems with vendors in organization's best interest.
•    Identifies communications bottlenecks and recommends appropriate solutions.
•    Builds effective working relationships with counterparts in vendor or supplier's organization.

Cost Management: Knowledge of cost management; ability to plan and control organizational costs in order to lower product and service costs and maximize return.
Level: Working Knowledge
•    Assists in predicting costs (e.g. overhead) when budgeting or business planning.
•    Maintains records of actual expenditures that occur in daily business operations.
•    Obtains approval of expenditures before purchasing and ensures they remain wi