{"id":3653520,"url":"https://alion.io/job/caterpillar-category-buyer-9","title":"Category Buyer","company":{"id":176554,"name":"Caterpillar","domain":"caterpillar.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/caterpillar","size_band":"5000+","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Workday","truth_index":{"grade":"A","score":96,"open_postings":176,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.153,"repost_share":0.023,"time_to_fill_p50_days":31,"computed_at":"2026-11-12T10:38:37Z"}},"role":"Operations","role_family":"Operations","seniority":null,"employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Mossville, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":112710,"max":169060,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":169060},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":true,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[],"status":"closed","first_seen_at":"2026-11-02T00:00:00Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-11-02","last_verified_at":"2026-11-10T16:47:18Z","board_verified":false,"closed_at":"2026-11-10T16:47:18Z","days_open":8,"trust":{"level":"not_scored","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":8},"description":"Career Area:\nProcurementJob Description:\nYour Work Shapes the World at Caterpillar Inc.\nWhen 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.\nAbout Power & Energy Procurement\nCaterpillar’s Power & Energy Procurement organization plays a critical role in supporting all divisions within Power & Energy. Our work is geared towards our pistons of Predictable Supply Excellence, Optimized Total Cost of Ownership, Supplier Relationship Management and Lifecycle Sourcing Strategy. We continue to develop suppliers who competitively deliver operational excellence, enabling our customers to build a better world. With a strong focus on data-driven decision-making and operational efficiency, Power & Energy Procurement leverages advanced tools and processes to connect the physical and digital supply chain, enabling business units to deliver high-performance solutions that meet evolving customers and business needs.\nRole Definition\nWe're looking for a Category Buyer to own sourcing for connectors and semiconductors. In this role, you'll bring supply network expertise and apply Quality, Cost, Logistics, Development, and Management (QCLDM) principles to drive maximum value.\nWhat You Will Do:\nDeveloping, managing and executing the category strategy managing policies, agreements, source catalogs, and special procurement programs.\nRecognizing the potential for cost decreases, inventory reductions and quality improvement, as well as responsibility for soundness of business proposals and risk assessment.\nActing as the liaison between the organization and the supplier to communicate information explicitly, while considering production demands and suppliers' conditions.\nDocumenting the suppliers' performance on time sensitiveness and production; maintains a strong relationship with suppliers.\nManaging expectations across verticals as the category will operate as an enterprise category so having the ability to effectively influence across the organization is beneficial.\nHaving Prior experience in electrical and electronics is preferred but not required.\nDegree Requirement\nDegree or equivalent experience desired\nWhat You Will Have:\nData Analytics: Knowledge of techniques and processes for inspecting, cleansing, transforming, and modeling data; ability to discover useful information, draw logical conclusions, and support decision-making.\nLevel Extensive Experience:\nAdvises stakeholders on the relationship between financial, performance, and operational data used in business data analytics.\nAnticipates operational challenges of data collection and its integration with decision-making.\nIdentifies correlations that reveal trends and determine conditions.\nEvaluates the quality of data collected and the effectiveness of data analysis methods for evaluating business performance.\nInterprets potential risks, threats, and opportunities involved with predictive modeling.\nDirects the implementation of business data collection processes and educates junior employees on new data sources.\nEffective 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.\nLevel Extensive Experience:\nReviews others' writing or presentations and provides feedback and coaching.\nAdapts documents and presentations for the intended audience.\nDemonstrates both empathy and assertiveness when communicating a need or defending a position.\nCommunicates well downward, upward, and outward.\nEmploys appropriate methods of persuasion when soliciting agreement.\nMaintains focus on the topic at hand.\nInterpersonal Relationships: Knowledge of the techniques and the ability to work with a variety of individuals and groups in a constructive and collaborative manner.\nLevel Working Knowledge:\nExplains impact of interactions with individuals and groups.\nIdentifies roles and responsibilities for self and others.\nDemonstrates an understanding of alternative points of view.\nCollaborates with departmental associates and management.\nAdapts interaction style to situations and people.\nNegotiating: 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.\nLevel Extensive Experience:\nEnsures negotiators have awareness of complementary yet diverse interests.\nSuccessfully completes significant negotiations, both internal and external.\nDetails the risks of negotiation breakdown from each party's perspective.\nProtects own position, while demonstrating willingness to achieve win-win.\nIdentifies similarities and differences in position and assesses impact on discussions.\nDetects and addresses lack of progress or a stalemate.\nPurchasing Tasks and Activities: Knowledge of policies, regulations and processes of purchasing; ability to use practices and procedures for procurement of materials, components, equipment and services.\nLevel Working Knowledge:\nRecords documents of purchasing tasks and activities, such as orders, bidding.\nUses available procurement systems and tools.\nEnsures compliance with procurement regulations and contract specifications.\nWorks with basic purchasing related tasks and activities.\nAdheres to various requirements and steps of the procurement process.\nStrategic Sourcing: Knowledge of strategic sourcing methods, technologies and processes; ability to analyze, improve and re-evaluate organizational procurement process continuously.\nLevel Working Knowledge:\nWorks with various basic components of strategic sourcing, such as data analysis, market research and purchasing budgets examination.\nParticipates in enhancing institutional sourcing process continuously including identifying improvement opportunities.\nConducts strategic sourcing activities in a limited environment.\nFollows relevant standards, policies and practices regarding strategic sourcing.\nAssists senior sourcing professionals with strategic sourcing in multiple environments.\nAdditional Information:\nThe primary locations are Mossville, IL OR Irving, TX\nRelocation assistance is NOT available for this position\nVisa sponsorship is NOT available with this position.\nCaterpillar Inc. is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. For nearly 100 years, we’ve been helping customers build a better, more sustainable world and are committed and contributing to a reduced-carbon future. Our innovative products and services, backed by our global dealer network, provide exceptional value that helps customers succeed.\nThis Job Description is intended as a general guide to the job duties for this position and is intended for the purpose of establishing the specific salary grade. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as an exhaustive summary of all responsibilities, duties and effort required of employees assigned to this job. At the discretion of management, this description may be changed at any time to address the evolving needs of the organization. It is expressly not intended to be a comprehensive list of “essential job functions” as that term is defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.\nSummary Pay Range:\n$112,710.00 - $169,060.00Compensation and benefits offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, job level, market location, job-relatedknowledge, skills, individual performance and experience. Please note that salary is only one component of total compensation at Caterpillar.\nBenefits:\nSubject to plan eligibility, terms, and guidelines. This is a summary list of benefits.\nMedical, dental, and vision benefits*\n\nPaid time off plan (Vacation, Holidays, Volunteer, etc.)*\n\n401(k) savings plans*\n\nHealth Savings Account (HSA)*\n\nFlexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)*\n\nHealth Lifestyle Programs*\n\nEmployee Assistance Program*\n\nVoluntary Benefits and Employee Discounts*\n\nCareer Development*\n\nIncentive bonus*\n\nDisability benefits\n\nLife Insurance\n\nParental leave\n\nAdoption benefits\n\nTuition Reimbursement\n\n* These benefits also apply to part-time employees\nPosting Dates:\nNovember 2, 2026 - November 9, 2026Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen.\nCaterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer, Including Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities. Qualified applicants of any age are encouraged to apply.\nNot ready to apply? Join our Talent Community.","description_format":"text","description_chars":8976,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":null,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":null,"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Life insurance","Parental leave","Relocation assistance"],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":true,"industries":["Industrial Machinery"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-11-03T00:56:48Z"},{"event":"close","at":"2026-11-10T16:47:18Z"}],"visa":[{"country":"US","licensed_sponsor":true,"adverts_offering_sponsorship_24m":49,"sanctioned_now":false,"evidence":"H-1B filings in 12 months: 343 · green card filings: 92","filings_12m":343,"filings_prev_12m":364,"green_card_filings_12m":92,"median_offered_wage_usd":114569,"route":null,"cap_exempt":false,"checked_at":"2026-11-12T07:36:15+00:00","sources":["US Department of Labor: LCA disclosure data (H-1B, H-1B1, E-3)","US Department of Labor: PERM disclosure data (green cards)","Alion: sponsorship offered in the employer's own job adverts (24 months)"],"filings_for_role_12m":0}],"liveness":null,"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":169060,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/caterpillar-category-buyer-9","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/caterpillar-category-buyer-9.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-12T16:40:46Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":34997,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-13T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.1,"usd":0.01,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":176554},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=176554"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fcaterpillar-category-buyer-9"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":2,"usd":0.2},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fcaterpillar-category-buyer-9"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.1,"usd":0.01},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fcaterpillar-category-buyer-9"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/caterpillar-category-buyer-9\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fcaterpillar-category-buyer-9"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":3653520}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"caterpillar.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":3653520},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. 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