Robert Ditmar

About Robert Ditmar

At Saks Global, my focus is on steering the strategic sourcing of Supply Chain, Asset Protection, and Customer Service Centers, an endeavor that leverages my expertise in procurement and negotiations honed over 30 years. Most recently, I managed Corporate Services for the Neiman Marcus Group, now a part of Saks Global. Previously, I managed substantial annual spend for Magna International, overseeing direct materials suppliers and optimizing categories and commodities. These roles have sharpened my skills in manufacturing process improvement and strategic negotiations, critical in today\'s dynamic retail and manufacturing landscape.The drive to foster continuous improvement and cost efficiency underpins my professional mission. Contributing to the bottom line through strategic vendor development and contract negotiations, my approach is rooted in problem-solving and aligns with the long-term objectives of my organization. Partnering with stakeholders across multiple departments, I ensure that our procurement strategies not only drive efficiency to reduce costs but also enhance the overall value delivered to our customers.

Experience

1. Strategic Sourcing Lead - Supply Chain, Asset Protection, Service Centers

   Saks Global

   Dec 2024 — Present · Grand Rapids, MI, US

   Manage strategic sourcing of Corporate Services at Saks Global, which includes Saks Fifth Avenue, Saks Off 5th, Saks.com, Neiman Marcus, and Bergdorf Goodman. Lead all strategic sourcing procurement for Supply Chain, Asset Protection and Customer Service Centers for Saks Global. This includes vendor services development, sourcing strategy, contract development, review and negotiations, and cost analysis/savings in support all impacted stakeholders.

Education

• Cornerstone University

  Master of Science (MS), Management, Business

  2012 — 2013

• Western Michigan University

  BS, Public Business Administration and Business Contract Law

  1987 — 1992

Skills

• Cross-Functional Team Leadership
• Supply Management
• Indirect Spend
• Kanban
• Contract Negotiation
• Manufacturing
• Capital Equipment Purchasing
• Team Building
• Management
• Logistics
• Purchasing
• Critical Thinking
• Value Stream Mapping
• Process Improvement
• Lease Negotiations
• Writing
• Procurement
• Sustainability
• Vendor Management
• Toyota Production System
• Product Development
• Strategic Communications
• Leadership
• Engineering
• Supplier Development
• International Relations
• Strategic Planning
• Requirement Specifications
• Stamping
• Kaizen
• Forecasting
• Contract Management
• Continuous Improvement
• Internet Strategy
• Project Management
• Supply Chain Management
• Strategic Sourcing
• Software Project Management
• Problem Solving
• Internal Controls