Manager Product Support

Caterpillar Inc.; Decatur (IL); On-site; USD 148,000 - 222,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

PTO

401(k)

HSA

FSAs

Career development

Incentive bonus

Job summary

Caterpillar Inc. in Decatur, Illinois, is seeking a Manager of Product Support for Off-Highway Trucks to lead a high-performing team delivering world-class quality, reliability, and customer success across Caterpillar's OHT portfolio.

You will work with manufacturing, engineering, NPI/NSI, APU, and regional organizations to drive CPI initiatives, defect reduction, and continuous product improvement, ensuring exceptional customer experiences from factory to mine site.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related technical discipline.
• Experience with heavy equipment, industrial machinery, or mining gear.
• Knowledge of warranty analytics, quality systems, and field service.
• Familiarity with Lean, Six Sigma, and CI methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Decatur Off-Highway Truck Product Support team with technical leadership.
• Drive quality and reliability initiatives through CPI programs.
• Lead root cause investigations and cross-functional corrective actions.
• Improve DPU at MIS checkpoints and reduce defects.
• Represent Product Support in NPI/NSI/APU reviews and ensure actions.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, engineering, supply chain, and value chain teams.
• Diagnose field issues with regional teams to improve machine performance.
• Accelerate product improvements to increase availability and uptime.
• Establish performance standards and accountability for continuous improvement.
• Coach a team of technical professionals and foster collaboration.

Skills

Customer Focus

Service Excellence

Consulting

Problem Solving

Relationship Management

Technical Excellence

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

Data visualization tools

Job description

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.

As the Manager of Product Support for Off-Highway Trucks (OHT), you will lead a high-performing team based in Decatur, Illinois, focused on delivering world-class product quality, reliability, and customer support across Caterpillar's Off-Highway Truck portfolio. Reporting to the Senior Manager of Product Support, this role provides technical leadership throughout the product lifecycle, driving quality improvement, defect reduction, and continuous product improvement (CPI) initiatives that ensure customers receive defect-free machines that maximize reliability, availability, and uptime.

In this highly visible leadership position, you will collaborate closely with manufacturing, engineering, New Product Introduction (NPI), New Source Introduction (NSI), and Advanced Product Quality/Production (APU) teams, while partnering with regional product support organizations, Caterpillar dealers, and customers across North America and Europe. You will lead complex technical problem-solving and root cause investigations, champion corrective and preventive actions, and drive initiatives that improve build quality, manufacturing execution, and product performance. The impact of this role extends from the factory floor to customer operations, reducing defects before machines reach customers, accelerating product improvements, lowering warranty and repair costs, and strengthening Caterpillar's commitment to delivering an exceptional customer experience.

Career Area

Product Support

Additional Information

• Primary location: Decatur, Illinois
• Travel: 25-50% (week at a time to customer and testing facilities)
• Relocation assistance: Yes
• Visa sponsorship: No
• Applications accepted: through September 15, 2026

What You’ll Do

• Lead the Decatur Off-Highway Truck Product Support team in delivering technical leadership and product support throughout the product lifecycle, ensuring world-class quality, reliability, and customer satisfaction.
• Drive product quality and reliability initiatives for Decatur-built machines through data-driven defect reduction strategies and continuous product improvement (CPI) programs.
• Lead complex technical problem-solving efforts, root cause investigations, and cross-functional corrective action implementation to resolve product and manufacturing issues.
• Develop and execute initiatives that improve DPU (Defects Per Unit) performance at 0, 2, and 12 MIS checkpoints, supporting Caterpillar's goal of delivering defect-free machines to customers.
• Represent Product Support in New Product Introduction (NPI), New Source Introduction (NSI), and Advanced Product Quality/Production (APU) reviews, ensuring quality requirements, action items, and product improvements are effectively executed.
• Partner with manufacturing, engineering, supply chain, and value chain teams to identify opportunities to enhance build quality, improve manufacturing execution, and drive operational excellence.
• Collaborate with regional product support teams, Caterpillar dealers, and customers across North America and Europe to diagnose field issues, improve machine performance, and enhance customer outcomes.
• Accelerate the implementation of product improvements and preventive actions that increase machine availability, reliability, and uptime while reducing warranty and repair costs.
• Establish performance standards, quality metrics, and accountability processes that support continuous improvement and a culture focused on delivering a defect-free customer experience.
• Coach and develop a team of technical professionals, fostering collaboration, innovation, customer focus, and continuous learning across the organization.

What Makes This Role Exciting

• This role offers a unique opportunity to influence both factory quality and customer success on a global scale. You will lead initiatives that improve product quality, reliability, and uptime while partnering with teams across engineering, manufacturing, dealers, and customers to solve complex technical challenges. Your work will directly impact machine performance, accelerate product improvements, reduce customer downtime, and help shape Caterpillar's commitment to delivering a defect-free customer experience from the factory floor to the mine site.

What Skills You Will Have

Customer Focus: Builds strong customer relationships by understanding customer needs, aligning solutions to expectations, and continuously improving satisfaction through feedback and engagement.

Service Excellence: Delivers responsive, high-quality service by addressing customer needs, resolving issues efficiently, and exceeding expectations.

Consulting: Provides professional business or technical guidance by defining client objectives, managing project scope, and delivering value-driven solutions.

Problem Solving: Identifies, analyzes, and resolves complex challenges by evaluating information, considering stakeholder perspectives, and recommending effective solutions.

Relationship Management: Establishes and maintains productive, long-term partnerships with clients, vendors, and colleagues to achieve shared business objectives.

Technical Excellence: Applies deep technical expertise to solve complex challenges, develop effective solutions, and mentor others to enhance organizational capability.

Top Candidates Will Also Have

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Engineering Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related technical discipline.
• Experience supporting heavy equipment, industrial machinery, engines, power systems, mining equipment, construction equipment, or related products.
• Experience with warranty analytics, quality systems, and field service operations.
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and Continuous Improvement methodologies.
• Experience leading cross-functional technical teams.
• Knowledge of aftermarket support operations and dealer networks.
• Project management experience.
• Experience using data visualization and analytics tools.

Summary Pay Range

$147,760.00 - $221,640.00

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.

Benefits

• 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

Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen.

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