Lead Product Owner

Career Area:
Technology, Digital and Data
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.
Your Work Shapes the World at Caterpillar Inc.
Cat Digital is the digital and technology arm of Caterpillar Inc., leveraging the latest technologies to build industry leading digital solutions for our customers and dealers. With over 1.5 million connected assets worldwide, our teams use data, technology, advanced analytics, telematics, and AI capabilities to help our customers build a better, more sustainable world.
Job Summary:
Are you an experienced, highly organized Product Owner who thrives on connecting complex data to transform eCommerce experiences? Join our team and help us tackle the challenge of turning inventory logic into seamless customer journeys.
We are looking for an experienced Product Owner to join our Inventory Management team. In this role, you will be the bridge between technical design and business impact. You will help shape our eCommerce and lead-generation platforms, using your influencing skills to align cross-functional teams around a unified vision.
What You Will Do:
The Product Owner serves as the day-to-day contact for the engineering team, providing clarity to tasks and refining the backlog. They help coordinate efforts with engineering partners to streamline work and manage dependencies across our inventory platforms. Working closely with the Product Manager, they help prioritize and sequence work to ensure development efforts align with business goals and customer needs.

• Manage, prioritize and refine the inventory management product backlog to ensure alignment with our product strategy, technical dependencies, and sprint capacity.
• Act as the primary technical point of contact between the engineering team and the product manager, ensuring clear understanding of goals, scope and priorities.
• Refine product requirements with needs from our business partners and other internal teams to finalize detailed user stores and acceptance criteria.
• Partner with engineering leads to plan sprint objectives, clarify requirements, and ensure deliverables align with product roadmap.
• Collaborate with engineering leads to size and refine stories, address technical questions, and validate feasibility before implementation.
• Validate deliverables meet acceptance criteria from our business partners and user expectations before release.
• Contribute to sprint retrospectives and improvements to optimize the team processes, communication and product delivery.

What You Will Have:
Business Analysis: Knowledge of business analysis and the set of tasks, techniques and tools required to identify business needs; ability to recommend solutions that deliver value to stakeholders.
Decision Making and Critical Thinking: Knowledge of the decision-making process and associated tools and techniques; ability to accurately analyze situations and reach productive decisions based on informed judgment.
Software Change Request Management: Knowledge of software change request management; ability to manage software product change requests from customers, prospective customers, vendors, and internal staff..
Software Problem Management: Knowledge of strategies, practices and tools for resolving software problems; ability to manage software problems in installed software products.
Software Product Business Knowledge: Knowledge of and experience with the business aspects and operation of a software product; ability to manage install base, current uses, future plans, and product vision.
User Acceptance Testing (UAT): Knowledge of UAT activities, tasks, tools and techniques; ability to design, implement and evaluate acceptance tests for end-users.
Considerations For Top Candidates:

• Proven experience as Product Owner responsible for an eCommerce or digital marketing website and/or mobile app.
• Comfortable working in complex, matrixed organization where leading and influencing without formal authority was necessary.
• Technical acumen and understanding of centralized databases, APIs and content management systems enabling them to navigate complex technical integrations with ease.
• Lead conversations among diverse stakeholders to build consensus with the ability to keep cross-functional teams focused and aligned on key objectives.
• Experience analyzing complex inventory challenges to reach productive decisions that are data-drive and based on informed judgment.
• Ability differentiating between assumptions, diverse stakeholder perspectives, and historical frameworks, to ensure every platform enhancement is backed by logic and strategic clarity.
• Understanding of effective communication and demonstrates both empathy and assertiveness to defend strategic positions while across organization levels upwards and downwards.

Ideal Candidates Will Also Have...

• Experience working alongside UX and design for customer-facing digital experiences in industries such as heavy equipment, automotive or other industries with complicated equipment configurations.
• Experience working in a fast-paced Agile environment while simultaneously managing multiple priorities.
• Experience working across the Caterpillar matrix and dealer network or experience working for a company with a similar distribution model.
• Experience working in an Agile environment while simultaneously managing multiple priorities.

Other Details

• This role can be performed at Cat Digital Hubs, including Chicago, IL | Peoria, IL | Cary, NC |
• Ability to travel up to 25% of working time may be required as part of the role

What You Will Get:
Working with a Fortune 100 leader, you can build your career on a global scale and take advantage of development opportunities with emerging technologies. We've created an inclusive environment for you to explore your passions, make an impact and do the work that really matters. Join Us.
About Caterpillar
Caterpillar Inc. is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. For nearly 100 years, we've been helping customers build a better, more sustainable world and are committed to and contributing to a reduced-carbon future. Our innovative products and services, backed by our global dealer network, provide exceptional value that helps customers succeed.
Summary Pay Range:
$128,470.00 - $208,770.00
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
Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position.
Posting Dates:
April 2, 2026 - April 10, 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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