Area Hog Buyer

Smithfield Foods • Denison, IA

31d

About The Position

The position summary states the general nature and purpose of the job. Overall accountabilities are defined in this section. The Area Hog Buyer sources top-quality livestock from trusted suppliers, coordinating seamless deliveries and schedules for the plant. They track and report purchases, while actively scouting new suppliers and building strong relationships with current producers and industry leaders. Their role drives efficiency and strengthens key partnerships.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited four-year college or university in animal science, agricultural business, agricultural economics, economics, business or related field and 2+ years’ of relevant experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience, required.
• USDA bondable.

Nice To Haves

• Truckers Quality Assurance-Advisor Training and Pork Quality Assurance-Certification or Advisor, preferred.
• Prior knowledge of the pork or food industry preferred.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Outlook, Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
• Economic and math skills, and the ability to analyze information and data.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and strong interpersonal skills.
• Strong business and negotiating skills.
• Independent decision-making abilities.
• Ability to work well with others in fast paced, dynamic environment.
• Ability to be respectful, approachable and team oriented while building strong working relationships and a positive work environment.
• Support the efforts of Management in training and mentoring new team members as needed.

Responsibilities

• Purchases and Scheduling: Purchases and schedules the targeted number of high-quality market pigs for each designated facility using pricing tools and parameters set by the procurement team.
• Market Analysis and Supplier Relations: Understands and interprets market conditions for procuring hogs from suppliers, leveraging technology to identify opportunities for producers to improve their operations. Maintains professional relationships with suppliers, providing feedback based on data gathered from plant databases. Cultivates long-term business relationships with current and prospective suppliers.
• Supplier Engagement: Meets with suppliers at their locations to understand their needs and identify potential changes. Supports databases with updated supplier information, production knowledge, and competitor analysis as necessary.
• Compliance and Reporting: Communicates and promotes plant-specific and regulatory compliance requirements to suppliers and truckers. Accurately reports all purchase information to ensure compliance and transparency.
• Market Trends and Competitor Insights: Tracks and communicates competitor insights, market trends, and emerging issues in a timely manner. Stays current, knowledgeable, and proactive in completing required training.
• Brand Representation: Represents the Company Brand in all interactions with management, producers, and strategic industry partners.

Benefits

• Smithfield is proud to offer robust, flexible and affordable benefit plans and programs to support our team members and their loved ones, and with out-of-pocket costs, on average, 20 percent less than plans offered by other employers.
• Beyond our medical plans, our Be Well programs offer tools and resources to enhance your quality of life, at no additional cost. These programs are uniquely tailored to our Smithfield team and provide support for elective surgeries, weight loss, mental health, cancer, kidney disease, diabetes, smoking cessation, asthma, maternity management and more.
• Our company invests in your future. We offer comprehensive training and professional development programs designed to help you reach your full potential.
• Our partnership with GUILD supports your continuing education with tuition assistance covering English language learning and various certificate programs, while our leadership development initiatives nurture high-potential talent.
• For those looking to build specialized skills, we offer apprenticeship programs that combine hands-on experience with focused learning.
• We also offer unique benefits like our Smithfield Scholarship Program for employees’ children.
• Smithfield’s Education Reimbursement Program provides financial reimbursement to team members who want to further their formal education by obtaining a GED/High School Equivalency (HSE) Diploma or by pursuing an academic degree at an accredited college or university that is not a Guild learning partner.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level