Associate Procurement Professional

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. As an Associate Procurement Professional , you will process requisitions and provide support for purchasing, supply chain, sourcing, cost and price analysis, and contract/purchase order generation. This position supports the U.S.-based Unformed Steel Procurement team by conducting data analysis, developing charts and presentations, presenting findings to leadership, leading cost reduction and assurance of supply initiatives, and supporting daily procurement activities such as supplier issue resolution and price management. The role will also contribute to a variety of procurement and strategic sourcing projects as needed. What You Will Do: • Developing improvement plans to support buyers & professionals related to Response Time, Lean Targets Quality, Cost, Logistics, Development, and Management (QCLDM) to enable optimal and efficient operations. • Performing analysis and maintenance of assigned processes that produce output excellence, builds expertise for the assign 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. Education Requirement: Degree or equivalent experience desired What Skills You Will Have: Data-driven Decision Making: • Apply an assigned technique for data-driven thinking in a Decision-Making process. • Discern between "signal" and "noise" when interpreting data. • Identify, obtain, and organize relevant data and ideas. • Participate in the process of choosing KPIs and metrics to influence decisions. • Utilize the basic data collection and evaluation tools and techniques. Analytical Thinking: • Name specific tools or techniques that can be used to support the analytical thinking process. • Ability to describe specific software applications or products used for business analytics. • Provide examples of how analytical thinking has been used to resolve problems. • Help others research and learn more about business analytics tools and applications. Effective Communications: • Deliver helpful feedback that focuses on behaviors without offending the recipient. • Ability to listen to feedback without defensiveness and uses it for own communication effectiveness. • Make oral presentations and writes reports needed for own work. • Avoid technical jargon when inappropriate. • Look for and considers non-verbal cues from individuals and groups. Project Management: • Provide input for Gantt or PERT charts or their equivalent to track project progress and status. • Under guidance, plans and estimates simple projects. • Assist in detailed project plans including cost, schedule, and resource requirements. • Obtain information from stakeholders during the planning stage of a project. • Produce standard project status reports. Procurement: • Identify the major steps and critical paths in a purchasing cycle. • Explain the basic concepts and responsibilities of institutional purchasing. • Describe the major types of materials, products or services purchased by the organization. • Identify the basic tools used for maintaining procurement information and records. Knowledge of a Specific Procurement System: • Use the system to process routine purchase orders and payments. • Communicate with professionals to understand various procedures for a specific procurement system within the organization. • Troubleshoot common applications or data problems for a specific procurement system. • Use software to monitor the status and shipment of orders. • Maintain inspection records, photographs, and important documentation of procurement system. Purchasing Tasks and Activities: • Identify the basic tools used for maintaining procurement information. • Identify major types of products or services purchased by the organization. • Explain the basic concepts and responsibilities of purchasing tasks and activities. • Describe established procurement processes and standards. Logistics Management: • Use tools, with guidance, to forecast delivery times, determine costs and assess performance. • Work with logistics in a domestic environment. • Maintain records of all shipments and invoices using an established system. • Assist in the development of process flows to track lead time by activity. • Participate in integrating logistics processes and developing effective networks. Additional Information: The location for this position is Mossville, IL. with a requirement to work on-site full-time at a Caterpillar facility. ​ No Travel Required. Domestic relocation assistance not available at this time. Sponsorship is not available. Posting Date: 8/6/2026 - 8/13/2026 Summary Pay Range: $81,370.00 - $122,060.00 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. Benefits: Subject to plan eligibility, terms, and guidelines. This is a summary list of 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 This position requires working onsite five days a week. Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position. 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. Not ready to apply? Join our Talent Community .