Supply Chain Planning Analyst

Caterpillar Caterpillar · Industrial · East Peoria, IL

This role supports supply chain planning, sourcing, cost analysis, and purchase order activity within a manufacturing environment. It involves partnering with internal teams and suppliers to improve processes, maintain application systems, and apply analytical thinking to solve operational problems.

What you'd actually do

  1. Working in association with Procurement and Product Groups to ensure sourcing is aligned with approved source strategy.
  2. Partner with master planners on outsourcing needs, including establishing blanket purchase orders and vendor managed inventory (VMI) strategies.
  3. Identify and lead initiatives that improve supply chain efficiency, process flow, and operational performance.
  4. Support customers and proposal efforts by providing pricing information and contributing to supplier selection decisions.
  5. Process requisition-related work and support supply chain, sourcing, cost, and price analysis activities tied to contracts and purchase orders.

Skills

Required

  • Analytical Thinking
  • Manufacturing Requirements Planning (MRP)
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Logistics Knowledge
  • Decision-Making and Critical Thinking
  • Process Improvement
  • Project Coordination
  • Communication and Collaboration

Nice to have

  • Experience managing supplier schedules, purchase orders, manufacturing build plans, or inventory targets in a production-driven environment.
  • APICS / CPIM certification or comparable supply chain certification.
  • Strong Excel, reporting, dashboarding, or Power BI capability to translate operational data into business insight.
  • Familiarity with supply chain application systems, data analysis, proposal support, and customer-facing coordination.
  • A continuous improvement mindset, strong initiative, and comfort working across functions in a fast-paced manufacturing or logistics environment.

What the JD emphasized

  • Analytical Thinking
  • Manufacturing Requirements Planning (MRP)
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Logistics Knowledge
  • Decision-Making and Critical Thinking
  • Process Improvement
  • Project Coordination
  • Communication and Collaboration