Supply Chain Manager- Tooling

Career Area:

Supply Chain and Logistics

Job Description:

Your Work Shapes the World at Caterpillar Inc.

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Position Objective

The Tooling Supply Chain (SC) Manager is responsible for the sourcing, procurement, quality, cost, logistics and delivery execution of operations tooling and field tooling utilized by Solar’s facility operations in the US and Mexico and Solar’s Customer Services operations around the world. This position works closely with Solar’s Service Parts Organization who manages the Customer Services and external customer acquisitions of durable tooling. Durable tooling is a low volume highly engineered commodity with multiple supplier options. The position’s focus is on managing supplier metrics, to ensure goals in people, quality, cost, and velocity are met and taking strategic business actions when they are not.

The objectives of the position are to:

1) ensure suppliers utilized perform to metric expectations and are synchronized with Solar’s Manufacturing operations and Customer Services demand and

2) serve as the industry expert for the procurement of durable tooling while developing and executing a supplier sourcing strategy that supports Solar’s business growth and cost reduction targets while delivering year over year supplier performance improvements.

Dimensions

Cash/ Value Spend: $20 - 40 million

Active Tool Numbers: 3,000 - 5,000

Personnel Location: US & Mexico

Business Partner Impact: Companywide

Staff: 6 to 10

Market Difficulty: Moderately Complex

Nature and Scope

This position reports directly to Supply Chain Services Manager and is accountable for the development, communication and implementation of a worldwide sourcing strategy and the corresponding demand management strategy for durable tooling. The Tooling SC Manager collaborates with Business Unit Managers to create a competitive advantage for our customers and the enterprise by developing, optimizing, and integrating a world-class supply base.

This person will manage a high performing team of supply chain professionals who have developed a capable supply base. Reporting directly to this position are Sourcing Specialists, Supplier Technical Engineers, Buyers, and Supply Chain Coordinators.

The incumbent will be expected to have a strong knowledge of the supply value stream demand and response planning and quality performance management. The successful candidate will have a working knowledge of 6 Sigma and Lean methodologies. This position also requires the development of relationships with internal customers (Turbotec, Desoto, Mabank, Broken Arrow, PSO, TMO, CS) and external suppliers at a senior to executive level.

This position requires an understanding of governmental, environmental, political, and geographic factors that influence a supply base. Knowledge and experience in global sourcing, demand management, procurement principles, quality management, cost modeling, and continuous improvement methodologies are required. Knowledge and experience with manufacturing processes are preferred. At a minimum, this position requires an undergraduate degree from a college or university or equivalent directly related experience.

Professional certification in Purchasing and/or Inventory Management; e.g., Certified Purchasing Manager (C.P.M.), Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) and Certified in Integration Resource Management (CIRM).

Demonstrated success developing, mentoring, training and successfully leading teams, including excellent communication, organizational planning, and interpersonal skills. Previous 6 Sigma Green Belt, Black Belt or Sponsor experience required.

This position may require frequent business travel.

Principal Accountabilities

The Supply Chain Manager is responsible for the quality, delivery, cost, and velocity of purchased material to the internal customers. The role will encompass managing suppliers delivering into Solar’s facilities. It will require a strong communicator capable of keeping the customer fully informed of progress and working closely with the customer to ensure requirements are met.

The incumbent will provide leadership through the development, mentoring and training of personnel capable of delivering a supplier strategy for the assigned value stream category. Identify performance gaps within the supply base and develop improvement plans for the identified gaps. Maintain and promote the highest level of professionalism and business ethics. Guide, direct, and coach both departmental resources and supporting resources outside of the department to create effective value streams.

Develop, communicate, and implement a worldwide sourcing strategy and corresponding demand management strategy for assigned value stream category (with Sourcing Specialist). Collaborate with Business Unit Managers to develop, optimize, and integrate a world-class supply base – adding and expanding as needed based on an understanding of customer demand/requirements (input from Mfg Master Scheduler and Customer Services) and the capability & capacity of the value stream supply base. Identify performance gaps within the supply base and develop improvement plans for the identified gaps, establish raw material requirements for the value stream and ensure engaged suppliers have a complementary market/ business strategy.

Create capacity within the supply base. Deploy lean procurement strategy within supply base. Ensure that key suppliers adopt Lean Six Sigma and structure their operations to support pull deployment processes. Develop and maintain accurate value stream maps of suppliers’ processes. Establish supermarket requirements with internal customers (Mfg, Service Parts) and meet or exceed on-time delivery/supermarket availability performance targets established with

the customer. Develop, measure, and drive corrective action based on lean metrics to create total value stream transformations.

Provide leadership and guidance to supplier development plans. Drive relationships with a focus on quality and metrics and evaluate the level of supplier process improvement initiatives through a cost benefit analysis. Conduct capacity planning and participate in long – range strategic planning. Act on opportunities for joint Solar and supplier technology development and evaluate and resolve IP issues. Ensure ongoing improvement plans are in effect with key suppliers through sponsorship/ leadership of 6 Sigma/ Lean initiatives/ Kaizen events within supply stream and authorize onsite support of suppliers as needed (Solar employee and/ or contractor.) Ensure supplier community embodies Caterpillar’s Environmental Health and Safety standards. Drive complex relationships including the development of strategic suppliers.

Provide leadership for internal process improvement through sponsorship and leadership of continuous improvement projects. Develop both current and future state value stream maps and drive towards the future state using Multi-Generational Project Plans. Meet delivery, response time, lead-time, quality, and Manufacturing Cycle Time targets.

Establish budget for value stream supplier travel, tooling, Production Part Approval activities, supplier development activities, sourcing activities, etc.

Minimum Requirements

Preferred Requirements

Summary Pay Range:

$125,925.00 - $188,887.00

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

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:

July 23, 2025 - August 6, 2025

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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