Senior Manager - Indirect Contracting

Caterpillar Caterpillar · Industrial · Peoria, IL

This role leads a global team responsible for indirect contracting, focusing on operational excellence, process improvement, and the implementation of AI-enabled solutions to enhance efficiency and user experience in the contracting process.

What you'd actually do

  1. Lead a global Contracting Center of Excellence responsible for contract creation, negotiation, maintenance, and approval processes.
  2. Manage and improve team performance against established service levels, KPIs, and business objectives.
  3. Partner with Legal, Indirect Procurement, and business stakeholders to ensure efficient and compliant contracting practices.
  4. Drive innovation, standardization, and continuous improvement initiatives across the contracting organization.
  5. Lead the implementation and adoption of AI-enabled solutions that improve efficiency, scalability, and user experience throughout the contracting process.

Skills

Required

  • Leadership experience within procurement, contracting, legal operations, or related business functions
  • Experience leading organizations through change
  • Ability to lead and influence teams across multiple regions and stakeholder groups
  • Collaborate with Procurement, Legal, and business leaders
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Build relationships and drive alignment across multiple functions
  • Managing service delivery, operational metrics, and performance objectives
  • Analytical and problem-solving skills
  • Leverage data to drive continuous improvement
  • Manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment
  • Centralized service ownership with accountability for setting and achieving global performance metrics
  • Leadership experience

Nice to have

  • Experience leading a Contracting Center of Excellence or centralized contracting organization
  • Experience managing global teams with regional leadership structures
  • Strong knowledge of procurement contracting processes and legal document workflows
  • Experience negotiating commercial and legal terms with suppliers
  • Lean, Continuous Improvement, Six Sigma, or similar operational excellence experience
  • Experience leading technology transformation initiatives, including AI-enabled process improvements
  • Proven ability to use data and analytics to improve performance, service delivery, and stakeholder experience

What the JD emphasized

  • AI-enabled solutions