Career Foundation Program (CFP) - Business Track (2025 & 2026 Graduates)

Smithfield Foods•Smithfield, VA

12d

About The Position

If you are currently employed at Smithfield, please log into Workday and submit your application through the Jobs Hub. A great job-and a great future-awaits you at Smithfield Foods. We are an American food company with a leading position in packaged meats and fresh pork products. We’re looking for motivated people who want to join our team and grow lasting and meaningful careers with us. Apply Now! THE VALUE YOU ’LL BRING As a Career Foundation Program Associate – Business, you will gain hands-on experience in both business management and supply planning. This is your chance to work with diverse teams, drive sales growth, and ensure our products meet customer demand. Your contributions will directly impact the success of our company, and you'll love the dynamic, collaborative environment we offer. WHAT YOU’LL DO Business Management: Assist in managing the profitability of a specific category, such as bacon, ham, or fresh pork Execute the annual business plan, including managing the profit/loss for an assigned product group/brand Act as a liaison between operations, sales, and marketing functions Lead forecasting efforts with demand and supply planning teams Develop and maintain documentation for retail pricing and promotion for product groups Manage trade spending targets and day-to-day P&L and volume plans Participate in field trade planning meetings and provide brand training to the sales team Collaborate with Marketing and R&D on new products and cost savings initiatives Monitor the marketplace for pricing opportunities Supply Planning: Create finished goods plans to support customer orders, forecasted demand, and inventory requirements Establish critical inventory parameters, such as Target & Safety Stock settings Collaborate with manufacturing operations and plant schedulers to manage stock levels Interact with demand management, manufacturing, quality, warehousing, and transportation teams Measure, analyze, and report key process metrics and monitor adherence to KPIs Identify and address material shortages, develop action items, and follow up on issues Manage long-term capacity status, weekly category KPI updates, product shortage reporting, and ad-hoc daily information flow PROGRAM DETAILS This position is part of Smithfield’s Career Foundation Program (CFP), a training program designed to provide recent college graduates with an opportunity to explore career options through function-specific rotations. The program is divided into tracks, each oriented towards a different part of the Company’s operations. It provides CFP Associates with an opportunity to learn about an aspect of the Company’s business while seeking a new position to launch a career with Smithfield. Company senior leaders, along with an assigned manager, mentor, and program manager, will provide guidance, training, and partnership throughout the CFP Associate’s assigned rotations. The program is 18 to 24 months , depending on the rotational track the Associate enters. CFP Associates are expected to contribute to the goals of each department to which they are assigned. They will assist in problem-solving, assume leadership roles for certain projects, help the department achieve both short and long-term objectives , and deliver high-level results that exceed expectations. The Career Foundation Program is designed for high-potential college/university graduates who can quickly adapt to new environments, show initiative, and take on increasingly complex project responsibilities. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. May perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university in Business, Agribusiness or related field; or currently enrolled college student with an anticipated graduation prior to the start date
H igh level of professionalism
Strong leadership and decision-making skills
Excellent written and oral communication skills
Proficient in Word, PowerPoint, and Excel
High standards of accuracy
Travel up to 1 0 % of the time , with p eriodic overnight travel
Currently authorized to work in the U.S.
Ability to work well with others in a fast paced, dynamic environment.

Nice To Haves

Work experience in a team-based environment within manufacturing or supply chain .
Experience with SAP and its related supply chain applications.
Strong self-motivation and organization schools
Strong interpersonal and technical skills ; presentation skills preferred.

Responsibilities

Assist in managing the profitability of a specific category, such as bacon, ham, or fresh pork
Execute the annual business plan, including managing the profit/loss for an assigned product group/brand
Act as a liaison between operations, sales, and marketing functions
Lead forecasting efforts with demand and supply planning teams
Develop and maintain documentation for retail pricing and promotion for product groups
Manage trade spending targets and day-to-day P&L and volume plans
Participate in field trade planning meetings and provide brand training to the sales team
Collaborate with Marketing and R&D on new products and cost savings initiatives
Monitor the marketplace for pricing opportunities
Create finished goods plans to support customer orders, forecasted demand, and inventory requirements
Establish critical inventory parameters, such as Target & Safety Stock settings
Collaborate with manufacturing operations and plant schedulers to manage stock levels
Interact with demand management, manufacturing, quality, warehousing, and transportation teams
Measure, analyze, and report key process metrics and monitor adherence to KPIs
Identify and address material shortages, develop action items, and follow up on issues
Manage long-term capacity status, weekly category KPI updates, product shortage reporting, and ad-hoc daily information flow