Career Area:

Strategy

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
Leads, manages, and supports materials and inventory projects related to process and product improvements using Lean, Six Sigma and project management methodologies to achieve business goals. Leads, manages and supports establishing agreed-upon inventory levels to optimize flow of raw materials and components from supply chain to manufacturing facilities. Leads, manages and supports instituting strategic inventory solutions within the organization.

Role Definition
Leads, manages, and supports materials and inventory projects related to process and product improvements using Lean, Six Sigma and project management methodologies to achieve business goals. Leads, manages and supports establishing agreed-upon inventory levels to optimize flow of raw materials and components from supply chain to manufacturing facilities. Leads, manages and supports instituting strategic inventory solutions within the organization.

Responsibilities
• Designing and developing APICS integrated training program, including supporting systems and tools, for quality and business process improvement.
• Leading and managing APICS oriented Six Sigma project portfolios to achieve measurable business process improvements.
• Providing technical training and guidance for Supply Chain and Materials Planning professionals on the planning, development and implementation of APICS, Lean or Six Sigma projects.
• Deploying APICS methodology into organizational operations to meet business goals and objectives.
• Coordinating with manufacturing and procurement to assure optimal inventory levels.
• Participating in planning inventory and defining optimal inventory levels and adjustment authority. Monitoring inventory levels.
• Ensuring compliance with established policies and procedures. Implementing loss prevention procedures and practices.
• Optimizing processes of Obsolescent and configuration management material flow
• Develop and manage planning and inventory strategies to drive process capability improvements to better meet inventory level and solution requirements
• Integration with transformational deployments

Degree Requirement
Bachelors or advanced degree in a supply chain, information technologies, manufacturing or engineering related discipline. Previous formal training in APICS, Six Sigma, and/or ERP System Ecosystem would be advantageous. Previously demonstrated skills in the dimensions of influencing, organizational management, interpersonal skills, process development, training, facilitation and change management are required.

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 Extensive Experience: 
• Seeks discrepancies and inconsistencies in available information; explains variances.
• Organizes and prioritizes the sequence of steps to be taken to remedy the situation.
• Identifies many possible causes for a problem based on prior experience and current research.
• Approaches a complex problem by breaking it down into its component parts.
• Chooses among a diverse set of analytical tools according to the nature of the situation.
• Quantifies the costs, benefits, risks, and chances for success before recommending a course of action.

Influencing: Knowledge of effective influencing tactics and strategies; ability to impact decisions within and outside own organization.
Level Extensive Experience: 
• Achieves influence and impact even when holding a position contrary to the majority.
• Discards examples of persuasive arguments lacking substance or impact.
• Leads and presents collaborative assessments that persuasively influence decision makers.
• Advises on techniques to build rapport and commitment to common purpose.
• Determines and leverages the decision-making style of the individual or group being influenced.
• Delivers well-received presentations of cost, benefits, risks, and other considerations.

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 Expert: 
• Coaches others in developing and maintaining cooperative and satisfying relationships.
• Intervenes with highly difficult people and situations.
• Creates initiatives that foster communication, directness and spirit of cooperation.
• Arbitrates difficult situations with high stakes.
• Sets the tone for interacting with other business functions or units.
• Encourages others to build partnerships with other functions or departments.

Problem Solving: Knowledge of approaches, tools, techniques for recognizing, anticipating, and resolving organizational, operational or process problems; ability to apply knowledge of problem solving appropriately to diverse situations.
Level Extensive Experience: 
• Ensures capture of lessons to be learned from a problem-solving effort.
• Organizes potential problem solvers and leads problem resolution efforts.
• Uses varying problem-solving approaches and techniques as appropriate.
• Contributes to standard practices for problem-solving approaches, tools, and processes.
• Analyzes and synthesizes information and devises alternative resolution strategies.
• Develops successful resolutions to critical or wide-impact problems.

Process Improvement: Understanding and insight into evaluating current product quality and production methods and ability to maintains focus on the continuous improvement of processes, products and services.
Level Extensive Experience: 
• Streamlines the critical workflow for executing key processes.
• Sets priorities for addressing process problems that limit performance.
• Develops methods for improving and establishing controls for critical processes.
• Monitors external sources for applicable new methods and controls.
• Analyzes findings from improvement cycles to ensure success of interventions.
• Coaches others to develop the skills to improve processes.

Project Management: Knowledge of effective project management strategies and tactics; ability to plan, organize, monitor, and control projects, ensuring efficient utilization of technical and administrative resources to achieve project objectives.
Level Extensive Experience: 
• Utilizes preferred tools, techniques and methods for estimating project cost and time.
• Plans, estimates, staffs, organizes and monitors significant projects.
• Identifies risks and vulnerabilities; creates contingency plans.
• Conducts regular and ad-hoc project reviews with project team, sponsors, and clients.
• Maintains open communication among project participants and interested parties.
• Communicates reporting requirements; creates monitoring and control mechanisms.

Lean Manufacturing: Knowledge of the philosophy, principles and implementation approaches of lean manufacturing; ability to integrate and implement lean manufacturing philosophy into existing production and management processes.
Level Expert: 
• Defines and executes a strategic lean implementation plan.
• Mentors others on the organizational and cultural transformation needed for effective lean implementation.
• Creates training programs for the approaches to developing and executing a lean supplier strategy.
• Leads discussions on the history and evolution of lean manufacturing; cites successes and failures.
• Establishes and monitors benchmarks for measuring effectiveness of lean.
• Oversees the implementation of mechanisms for sustaining a culture for lean.

Six Sigma Methodology: Knowledge of the concepts of six sigma DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control ) methodology; ability to use the methodology to improve the manufacturing processes and control the improvements by eliminating root causes.
Level Extensive Experience: 
• Determines critical metrics of business or process performance.
• Guides on the choice and use of appropriate tools to measure existing performance.
• Estimates the root cause of quality or service related problems.
• Resolves various obstacles and problems in performance improvement.
• Facilitates changes to improve performance in relation to costs or quality of products and services.
• Oversees all major functions of the maintenance process.

Material Requirements Planning (MRP): Knowledge of the process, issues and considerations for systematically managing distribution of inventory for multiple plants or warehouses; ability to apply related knowledge and experience in real practice.
Level Working Knowledge: 
• Works with real-time inventory software, moving supplies to where needed, when needed.
• Interprets the impact of bottlenecks and delays on operating costs.
• Follows processes and applies technologies for items and inventory management.
• Assists in solving issues related to distribution to meet orders or inventory replenishment requirements.
• Works with basic material requirements planning (MRP) processes and operations.

Inventory Management - MFG: Knowledge of processes and methods of inventory management; ability to effectively manage local or distributed inventories of raw materials, work-in-progress and finished goods.
Level Extensive Knowledge: 
• Ensures that the inventory is at an appropriate level and meets both internal and external requirements.
• Devises standard inventory management benchmarks to improve the processes.
• Provides guidance on inventory management for a specific product group or location.
• Applies systems and processes to identify and coordinate inventory requirements; resolves conflicts.
• Coordinates daily work of inventory management for different locations within a facility or a supply network.
• Reviews reports used for inventory management to find out related problems.

Matrix Management: Understanding of the importance of being able to leverage external resources when required and ability to build and use effective working relationships within own department and across department, functional, and geographic reporting lines.
Level Working Knowledge: 
• Communicates effectively up, down, and across the organization.
• Balances requirements and deliverables from various functional areas.
• Describes basic viewpoint of own functional specialty.
• Under guidance, identifies and resolves potentially conflicting requirements.
• Keeps relevant functional and line associates involved on key project or tactical issues.

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:

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. This employer is not currently hiring foreign national applicants that require or will require sponsorship tied to a specific employer, such as, H, L, TN, F, J, E, O. As a global company, Caterpillar offers many job opportunities outside of the U.S which can be found through our employment website at www.caterpillar.com/careers.

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.

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