Category Buyer

Caterpillar, Inc.; Irving (TX); On-site; USD 113,000 - 169,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision benefits

Paid time off

401(k) savings plans

Health Savings Account

Flexible Spending Accounts

Career Development

Incentive bonus

Disability benefits and Life Insurance

Parental leave

Tuition Reimbursement

Job summary

Caterpillar in Irving, TX is seeking a Category Buyer to own sourcing for connectors and semiconductors, applying QCLDM to maximize value. You will develop category strategies, manage supplier relationships, and drive cost reductions while ensuring supply continuity. Prior experience in electrical/electronics is preferred.

This role emphasizes data analytics, effective communication, and cross-functional collaboration to deliver high-performance procurement outcomes.

Qualifications

• Experience applying QCLDM principles to sourcing decisions.
• Ability to analyze data to support procurement strategies.
• Strong communication across functions and with suppliers.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the category strategy for connectors and semiconductors.
• Manage supplier catalogs, agreements, and special procurement programs.
• Coordinate with internal stakeholders to align sourcing with production needs.
• Document supplier performance and drive on-time delivery and quality.
• Influence across the organization to achieve enterprise category goals.
• Provide clear proposals and risk assessments for business cases.

Skills

Data analytics

Effective communications

Interpersonal relationships

Negotiation

Purchasing

Strategic sourcing

Education

Degree or equivalent experience

Job description

Career Area: Procurement 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 Power & Energy Procurement

Caterpillar’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.

Role Definition

We'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.

What You Will Do:

• Developing, managing and executing the category strategy managing policies, agreements, source catalogs, and special procurement programs.
• Recognizing the potential for cost decreases, inventory reductions and quality improvement, as well as responsibility for soundness of business proposals and risk assessment.
• Acting as the liaison between the organization and the supplier to communicate information explicitly, while considering production demands and suppliers’ conditions.
• Documenting the suppliers' performance on time sensitiveness and production; maintains a strong relationship with suppliers.
• Managing expectations across verticals as the category will operate as an enterprise category so having the ability to effectively influence across the organization is beneficial.
• Having Prior experience in electrical and electronics is preferred but not required.
• Degree Requirement Degree or equivalent experience desired.

What You Will Have:

Data 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.

Level Extensive Experience: Advises stakeholders on the relationship between financial, performance, and operational data used in business data analytics.

Anticipates operational challenges of data collection and its integration with decision-making. Identifies correlations that reveal trends and determine conditions. Evaluates the quality of data collected and the effectiveness of data analysis methods for evaluating business performance.

Interprets potential risks, threats, and opportunities involved with predictive modeling. Directs the implementation of business data collection processes and educates junior employees on new data sources.

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 Extensive Experience: Reviews others' writing or presentations and provides feedback and coaching.

Adapt documents and presentations for the intended audience. Demonstrates both empathy and assertiveness when communicating a need or defending a position. Communicates well downward, upward, and outward. Employs appropriate methods of persuasion when soliciting agreement. Maintains focus on the topic at hand.

Interpersonal Relationships:

Knowledge of the techniques and the ability to work with a variety of individuals and groups in a constructive and collaborative manner.

Level Working Knowledge: Explains impact of interactions with individuals and groups. Identifies roles and responsibilities for self and others. Demonstrates an understanding of alternative points of view. Collaborates with departmental associates and management. Adapts interaction style to situations and people.

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.

Purchasing 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.

Level Working Knowledge: Records documents of purchasing tasks and activities, such as orders, bidding. Uses available procurement systems and tools. Ensures compliance with procurement regulations and contract specifications. Works with basic purchasing related tasks and activities. Adheres to various requirements and steps of the procurement process.

Strategic Sourcing:

Knowledge of strategic sourcing methods, technologies and processes; ability to analyze, improve and re-evaluate organizational procurement process continuously.

Level Working Knowledge: Works with various basic components of strategic sourcing, such as data analysis, market research and purchasing budgets examination. Participates in enhancing institutional sourcing process continuously including identifying improvement opportunities. Conducts strategic sourcing activities in a limited environment. Follows relevant standards, policies and practices regarding strategic sourcing. Assists senior sourcing professionals with strategic sourcing in multiple environments.

Additional Information:

The primary locations are Mossville, IL OR Irving, TX Relocation assistance is NOT available for this position Visa sponsorship is NOT available with this position.

Caterpillar 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.

This 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 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.

Summary Pay Range: $112,710.00 - $169,060.00 Compensation and benefits offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, job level, market location, job-related knowledge, skills, individual performance and experience. Please note that salary is only one component of total compensation at Caterpillar.

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits*
• Paid time off plan (Vacation, Holidays, Volunteer, etc.)*
• 401(k) savings plans*
• Health Savings Account (HSA)*
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)*
• Health Lifestyle Programs*
• Employee Assistance Program*
• Voluntary Benefits and Employee Discounts*
• Career Development*
• Incentive bonus*
• Disability benefits Life Insurance Parental leave Adoption benefits Tuition Reimbursement * These benefits also apply to part-time employees

Posting Dates: November 2, 2026 - November 9, 2026

Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer, Including Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities. Qualified applicants of any age are encouraged to apply.

We hire smart, friendly people and it shows in our culture. We hold ourselves to high standards and make sure our values of integrity, excellence, teamwork, commitment and sustainability come to life in the way we work. We make sure our employees feel continuously challenged while also supported. We provide professional growth opportunities, including leadership programs. We celebrate the diversity of our team, while also working together as one Caterpillar. Our culture, like everything at our company, is made possible by each employee’s contribution. Person by person, we create the environment we work in, and we are proud of the Caterpillar we’ve built.