Senior Product Procurement Engineer

Caterpillar Caterpillar · Industrial · Thiruvallur, Tamil Nadu

Senior Product Procurement Engineer at Caterpillar responsible for managing part sourcing, development, and quality performance across NPI, CPI, and NSI activities. The role involves hands-on collaboration with engineering, procurement, and suppliers to ensure parts meet quality, cost, and timing targets, and translating category strategy into practical outcomes. Key responsibilities include leading part development, driving VA/VE initiatives, owning quality feedback loops, and representing the Category at NPI and APQP gateways.

What you'd actually do

  1. Lead part development from concept to production, owning APQP and PPAP activities to ensure quality, cost, delivery, and capacity targets are achieved.
  2. Translate category strategy into action, collaborating with engineering, quality, supply chain, and procurement teams to implement global supply solutions.
  3. Develop and track category KPIs, clearly communicating performance, risks, and improvement opportunities to Category and Program Leadership.
  4. Drive VA/VE initiatives, using cost modelling, DFM/DFA principles, and supplier capability to improve value without compromising quality.
  5. Own quality feedback loops, ensuring lessons learned from defects and issues are captured and consistently applied across suppliers.

Skills

Required

  • Strategic Sourcing
  • Supplier Management
  • Analytical Thinking
  • Effective Communication

Nice to have

  • Makes informed sourcing and supplier decisions by balancing cost, contractual terms, risk, and long-term value to protect quality, delivery, and commercial outcomes.
  • Applies cost–benefit analysis to sourcing, part development, and VA/VE decisions, evaluating options to achieve optimal cost, quality, and delivery. Uses quantified outcomes to inform category decisions and align supplier strategies with program goals.
  • Anticipates and incorporates governmental, environmental, political, and geographic factors into sourcing decisions to strengthen supply resilience and mitigate risk.