Senior Manager Manufacturing Strategy

Career Area:

Strategy

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.

Role Definition:

Leads a team of project management & engineering professionals while overseeing the operational functions and strategies of complex manufacturing processes and workflows, with a focus on identifying and eliminating waste across quality processes, internal logistics, labor, and other areas – setting the strategy for modern manufacturing initiatives within the facility.

What You Will Do:

 

Oversee the hiring, development and management of all project teams within the program, including both internal staff and external contractors. Also, directs day-to-day work assignments while coaching, mentoring and setting priorities.

 

• Manufacturing Process Design: Designs and optimizes complex manufacturing processes to improve throughput, reduce variability, and ensure scalable, cost-effective production.
• Quality Assurance & Control: Supports & advises quality leadership to ensure compliance, reduce defects, and drive continuous improvement across all manufacturing operations.
• Lean Manufacturing: Leads the deployment of lean principles to eliminate waste, streamline workflows, and enhance productivity and flow across the value stream.
• Problem Solving: Uses structured problem-solving methodologies (e.g., A3, DMAIC, 8D) to identify root causes, implement corrective actions, and prevent recurrence.
• Project Management: Manages complex, cross functional projects by defining scope, timelines, and resources while ensuring on time delivery and alignment with strategic goals.
• Transformation / Industry 4.0: Drives digital transformation by implementing smart manufacturing technologies, data driven decision tools, and automation to accelerate operational maturity.
• Leadership: Develops and leads high performing teams through coaching, clear expectations, and continuous capability building across engineering and operations.

 

Degree Requirement:

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering – mechanical, industrial, or manufacturing preferred.

What Skills You Have:

 

Extensive experience in high volume, high complexity manufacturing functioning in engineering and operations leadership.

Planning: Tactical, Strategic: Knowledge of effective planning techniques and ability to contribute to operational (short term), tactical (1-2 years) and strategic (3-5 years) planning in support of the overall business plan.
Extensive Experience:

• Develops, refines, and communicates tactical plans for own responsibilities.
• Provides the right level of detail as input for strategic plan development.
• Demonstrates the value and necessity of linking tactical plans to overall strategic plan.
• Ensures attention to the detail and dependencies of existing departmental-level plans.
• Plans for allocation of resources in line with unit goals, technical and business objectives.
• Ensures the planning process is integrated with the overall business plan.

Consulting: Knowledge of techniques, roles, and responsibilities in providing technical or business guidance to clients, both internal and external; ability to apply consulting knowledge appropriately.
Working Knowledge:

• Explains the requirements, deliverables, costs, and criticalities of the assignment.
• Participates in developing consulting opportunities or assignments.
• Uses formal and informal means to keep client informed on progress and issues.
• Carries out the agreed-upon consulting assignment in a professional manner.
• Documents client's objectives and project scope.

Effective Communications: Understanding of effective communication concepts, tools and techniques; ability to effectively transmit, receive, and accurately interpret ideas, information, and needs through the application of appropriate communication behaviors.
Extensive Experience:

• Reviews others' writing or presentations and provides feedback and coaching.
• Adapts documents and presentations for the intended audience.
• Demonstrates both empathy and assertiveness when communicating a need or defending a position.
• Communicates well downward, upward, and outward.
• Employs appropriate methods of persuasion when soliciting agreement.
• Maintains focus on the topic at hand.

 

Strategic Thinking: Knowledge of the importance of "big picture" thinking and planning; ability to apply organizational acumen and competitiveness to identify and maintain focus on key success factors for the organization.
Working Knowledge:

• Implements the group's go-to-market strategy.
• Raises awareness of potential strategic alliances and partnerships.
• Explains elements of the strategy to others and encourages questions.
• Monitors marketplace trends, opportunities, and vulnerabilities; reports findings.
• Makes sound recommendations when faced with complex and contradictory alternatives.

 

Visioning: Understanding of the value of articulating an intended business outcome and ability to create and communicate a vision of the organization that motivates others to superior performance.
Working Knowledge:

• Reinforces and reiterates linkages between the team's work and the vision.
• Makes decisions grounded in relevant tenets of the vision.
• Eliminates from consideration those scenarios that are inconsistent with the vision.
• Inculcates new group members in the organizational vision and values.
• Surfaces constructive dissent.

 

Stakeholder Management: Knowledge of stakeholder management techniques; ability to systematically identify stakeholders, analyze their needs and expectations, and implement various tasks to engage with them.
Working Knowledge:

• Assesses the role of the board and its committees in promoting governance and accountability to stakeholders.
• Uses an appropriate range of technology mediums to communicate effectively with stakeholders in formal and informal situations.
• Provides assistance to colleagues promoting a culture of inclusion, collaboration, ethics and compliance.
• Applies empathy and cultural sensitivity with diverse stakeholders.
• Assesses the opportunities and risks of pursuing a corporate strategy in the context of ever-increasing complex stakeholder considerations.

 

Cross-Team Integration: Understanding of the importance of inter-team collaboration in breaking down silos

and achieving business results; ability to lead employees from various functions to communicate, coordinate work across divisions, and collaborate in solving problems as one team.

Extensive Experience:

• Involves key stakeholders in upfront planning efforts.
• Enlists formal and informal network contacts to improve collaboration among teams
• Generates "win-win" strategies to gain support for key initiatives from others across boundaries.
• Establishes ways to encourage teamwork across functions.
• Coaches others on best methods for performing teamwork across organizational boundaries.
• Recommends systems and technology to promote widespread collaboration.

 

Additional Information:

 

• This position requires the selected candidate to work on-site five days a week in the Pontiac, IL facility.
• Domestic relocation assistance is available.
• VISA sponsorship is not available for this position.
• Please ensure you frequently sign in to your Candidate Home for any updates or correspondence for positions that you have applied for: https://cat.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/CaterpillarCareers

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Summary Pay Range:

$147,760.00 - $221,640.00

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*

• Disability benefits

• Life Insurance

• Parental leave

• Adoption benefits

• Tuition Reimbursement

       

* These benefits also apply to part-time employees

 

 

This position requires working onsite five days a week.

 

 

Relocation is available for this position.

 

 

Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position.

 

 

Posting Dates:

November 12, 2026 - November 19, 2026

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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