Associate Hog Buyer

Smithfield Foods•Monmouth, IL

31d•Onsite

About The Position

The Associate 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; or equivalent combination of education and experience, required.
USDA bondable.
Ability to work well with others in fast paced, dynamic environment.
Must be able to travel 10% or more of the time.

Nice To Haves

Transport Quality Assurance-Advisor and/or Pork Quality Assurance-Certification 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 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 schedules the targeted number of high-quality market pigs for each designated facility using pricing tools and parameters set by the procurement team.
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.
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.
Communicates and promotes plant-specific and regulatory compliance requirements to suppliers and truckers.
Accurately reports all purchase information to ensure compliance and transparency.
Tracks and communicates competitor insights, market trends, and emerging issues in a timely manner.
Stays current, knowledgeable, and proactive in completing required training.
Represents the Company Brand in all interactions with management, producers, and strategic industry partners.