Solar Turbines

Procurement Specialist

San Diego, CA

Full-time

About This Job

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.

Job Description

This position is responsible for the procurement and management of assigned commodities within the Indirect Purchasing Department. Responsibilities may include, but not limited to: purchase order placement; issue resolution; preparing contracts; acting as the lead negotiator providing solutions to a wide range of issues; developing commercial strategies for product and/or service contracts; managing supplier relationships and performance metrics; communicating and mitigating risk that could impact Solar’s ability to meet the business plan.

Area of Focus

Internal clients include, but not limited to, the following: Manufacturing/Operations, New Product Introduction & Design Engineering, Project Management, Global Supply Chain, Finance, Accounts Payable, Legal, Business Management.

This role will likely be responsible for the procurement and management of assigned commodities in support of Engineering Services, which may include Contingent Labor in support of Engineering departments, University Research Agreements, and Product Certification. A strong candidates will have: extensive experience using various contract types (Master Agreements, Schedules, Statements of Work, Terms and Conditions, Non-Disclosure Agreements); a strong understanding of legal and commercial terms such as Confidentiality, Intellectual Property, Indemnification, Limit of Liability, Warranty; the ability to assist Engineering with Request For Proposal and SOW specifications; strong organizational skills to manage various internal customer demands; familiarity with government contracting; familiarity with supplier risk mitigation; foundational experience with purchasing execution tasks such as issuing Purchase Orders and Invoice grief resolution.

Nature and Scope

This position acts with a sense of urgency and is diligent in providing timely support to internal clients and external customers. This individual operates in compliance with corporate and Supply Chain policies and procedures. A Procurement Specialist may manage relationships of some non-strategic suppliers, but will predominately oversee strategic or complex suppliers. There is an expectation to not only participate on but lead projects from conception to maturity that directly support organizational objectives.

The primary functions of the job include but are not limited to:

Supply Chain Management –

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Applies advanced Supply Chain knowledge to manage processes, establish policies, and develop value-adding strategies.

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Develops and maintains relationships with internal clients and lower-level supplier executives functioning as the Supply Chain and Solar ambassador.

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Monitors and manages ownership of risk from financial, business continuation, and compliance perspectives. Ensures procurement processes meet audit, regulatory, and legal standards.

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Leads teams, provides direction, and coaches less experienced staff members.

Contract Management –

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Leads agreements on complex, high value contracts, and resolves issues. Develops and implements solutions to improve contract compliance. Proactively identifies issues during and after contract completion and manages resolution.

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Develops standard written agreements for development requirements.

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Works closely with users defining supplier performance measurements and reporting frameworks.

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Manages the transition process when changing contracted suppliers.

Negotiation –

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Creates negotiation strategies based on thorough knowledge of business requirements.

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Communicates negotiation strategies and parameters to negotiating team and defines roles.

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Re-evaluates critical data and strategies if conditions change during the negotiation process.

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Able to ethically execute negotiation strategy for high criticality/complexity items displaying varied negotiation techniques to achieve best results.

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Coaches and leads multi-disciplinary negotiating teams employing appropriate techniques.

Supplier Management –

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Integral part of supplier selection process and managing the relationships of existing suppliers.

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Manages relationship of moderate to high complex suppliers.

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Provides mentorship in establishing continuous improvement plans to achieve mutual benefits.

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Coaches and leads Supply Chain personnel in building the appropriate relationships with suppliers.

Cost Management –

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Applies business strategies to daily activities, identifies market opportunities, gaps and trends.

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Understands, applies, and coaches others in building and analyzing Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) models.

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Anticipates market opportunities, competitive responses, and develops counterstrategies & contingency plans.

Purchasing Execution –

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Resolves high complexity purchasing related grief issues with minimal assistance.

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Develops, recommends, and provides training & mentorship around purchasing processes, process changes, and tools.

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Executes risk mitigation strategies to avoid Supply Chain disruption.

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Validates data integrity, identifies data gaps, and updates & corrects system data.

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Provides training, mentorship, and communicates best practices across the Enterprise.

Additional Information –

The primary location for this position is San Diego, CA.

Relocation assistance is not available for this position.

This position follows a five-days-in-the-office work model (Monday through Friday).

Required Qualifications –

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Master's degree with 5-7 years purchasing experience, or Bachelor's degree with 7-9 years purchasing experience

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Experience in managing complex and long-term contractual agreements

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Fluent in Business English in written and oral form.

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Advanced personal computer skills (i.e., Microsoft Office)

Preferred Qualifications –

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COUPA Procure to Pay system knowledge

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Experience in the development of long-term supplier relationships

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Experience interpreting and negotiating contractual cost elements

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Sound analytical skills, problem solving with the ability to coach others on these skills

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Work independently on complex assignments; anticipate problems and provide solutions in a professional, logical and expedited manner

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Solid communication skills, high initiative, assertiveness, and organizational skills

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Strong knowledge of generally accepted purchasing practices, policies, and contracts

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Ability to function well in a team environment

Summary Pay Range:

$108,834.00 - $163,252.00

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

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Disability benefits

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Life Insurance

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Parental leave

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Adoption benefits

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Tuition Reimbursement

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These benefits also apply to part-time employees

Posting Dates:

May 7, 2025 - May 14, 2025

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

EEO/AA Employer. All qualified individuals - Including minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities - are encouraged to apply.

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