Senior Supply Chain Manager in Peterlee

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. Together, we are building a better world, so we can all enjoy living in it.

Location: Peterlee, County Durham

Salary: £99,310 - £124,138

Hours: Full Time, Permanent, 36.5 hours per week

Relocation: Domestic relocation is offered for this position

Travel: 10%

Benefits:

• 25 days annual leave
• Up to 31% annual bonus
• Contributory pension scheme - Caterpillar will double the employee's contribution up to 10%
• Stock Options
• Monthly Car Cash Allowance
• Contributory share scheme - Caterpillar will match 50% of the employee's contribution.
• Optional flexible benefits including access to family health and dental care plans, EV car lease purchase.

About Caterpillar Peterlee: Caterpillar Peterlee is the worldwide source of Cat® Articulated Trucks, currently producing an 8-model range used in many industries including mining, construction and aggregates. The facility's manufacturing activities use the latest computer analysis techniques, robotic technology and automated dump body paint plant. Machines from the site are shipped to customers around the world.

Opportunity: Manage and lead all facility supply chain activities including strategic direction and transformation, supply chain planning, material requirements management, inventory management, facility supply management, supply chain performance and logistics operations. Ensures linkage between process planning and execution, and collaborate with wider Caterpillar stakeholders to develop and optimize our wider value chain. Direct responsibility for an organisation of c.250 employees.

Job Duties/Responsibilities:

• Contribute to business unit goals and strategy as part of the Business Unit Leadership Team.
• Develop the supply chain organizational design and long‑term strategy.
• Lead and sustain category strategies through deep category knowledge.
• Support facility Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process and ensure process compliance.
• Ensure alignment of supply chain and sourcing strategies with global sourcing plans.
• Achieve PQVC targets and key enterprise supply chain metrics (e.g., inventory turns, committed ship date performance).

• Develop and drive supplier resilience and implement ongoing supplier improvement plans that ensure support for our operational activities at all points in our business cycle.
• Support cost modeling (geographic and component-based) to support supply chain decisions.
• Ensure production schedules meet product availability needs while managing manufacturing constraints.
• Guarantee material, prime product, and service parts availability at point of use.
• Manage the full order‑to‑delivery supply chain to meet global machine and service parts demand.
• Drive supply chain performance improvements, including supplier performance and supplier S&OP.
• Assign resources to supply chain performance improvement initiatives.

• Manage department resources, providing direction, motivation, and support.
• Coach, develop, and mentor team members.
• Handle all personnel issues, performance evaluations, capability development, and succession planning.
• Improve internal communication and align logistics and manufacturing activities.

• Build and maintain effective relationships with key suppliers at senior levels.
• Collaborate closely with internal customers: department employees, operations teams, and resource managers.
• Maintain external relationships with customers and vendors across global business units and markets.

• Accountable for metrics covering supplier delivery performance, logistics operational performance, inventory and outbound delivery to customers.

• Degree or equivalent experience desired.

• Decision Making and Critical Thinking: Level Extensive Knowledge.
• Analytical Thinking: Level Extensive Knowledge.
• Forecasting: Level Extensive Knowledge.
• Inventory Management – MFG: Level Extensive Knowledge.
• Logistics Management: Level Extensive Knowledge.
• Manufacturing Requirements Planning (MRP): Level Extensive Knowledge.
• Strategic Thinking: Level Extensive Experience.
• Supplier Management – MFG: Level Extensive Knowledge.

Top candidates will have:

• Knowledge and experience with 6 Sigma and Lean
• APICS CPIM or CSCP National Certification desirable
• Possess strong analytical and problem‑solving skills
• Develop and deploy creative / original solutions to complex problems
• High level of business acumen, with the ability to lead large‑scale enterprise transformation activities for a business division
• Ability to translate strategic vision to actionable performance
• Ability to establish and monitor policies and guidelines
• Thorough understanding of best practice supply chain policies and procedures
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and leadership skills

• Extensive experience in Supply Chain or Operations environment
• Experience in inventory management and control, purchasing, parts distribution and/or supply chain/logistics is highly desired.
• Experience in information technology, modern supply chain & logistics concepts, global purchasing, operations and/or quality is desired.
• Evidence of delivering significant safety improvements in an operations environment

What You Will Get: We look forward to welcoming the successful candidate to our dynamic, diverse and friendly team. We have a culture of openness, autonomy, support, personal development as well as a continuous drive for improvement.

Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants of any age are encouraged to apply.