Corporate Purchasing Manager

Smithfield Foods • Smithfield, VA

2d

About The Position

The position summary states the general nature and purpose of the job. Overall accountabilities are defined in this section. As a Corporate Purchasing Manager at Smithfield Foods, you will be responsible for managing the procurement of packaging, ingredients, and other direct and indirect materials. In this role, you will oversee supplier relationships, ensure purchasing at the lowest total cost, and maintain high standards for quality, accuracy, and inventory control. You will monitor market trends, evaluate pricing, and implement checks and balances to reduce errors and support cost efficiency. With a focus on on-time delivery and supplier performance, you will play a key role in maintaining a reliable and competitive supply base that supports Smithfield’s operational and strategic goals.

Requirements

• Education & Experience: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university and 5+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Leadership: Minimum 2+ years of experience in team management, staff development, or project leadership with demonstrated success driving results.
• Analytical Skills: Ability to synthesize data from multiple resources to develop actionable insights and recommendations that support cost savings and supply chain improvements.
• Problem-Solving & Resilience: Strong critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, with the capacity to work effectively under pressure and manage competing priorities.
• Negotiation Skills: Proven negotiation experience to achieve favorable outcomes in pricing, contracts, and vendor relationships.
• Technical Proficiency: Demonstrated experience with SAP and Microsoft Office Suite, specifically advanced Excel skills for data analysis and reporting.
• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present information clearly to peers, leadership, and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Collaboration: Team-oriented approach with the ability to build strong working relationships, foster collaboration, and contribute to a positive work environment.
• Travel Requirement: Willingness and ability to travel up to 10% of the time.

Nice To Haves

• CPM (Certified Purchasing Manager) certified or APICS certification, preferred.

Responsibilities

• RFQ & RFP Management: Collect, analyze, and manage data for Requests for Quotation (RFQ) and Requests for Proposal (RFP) to ensure competitive sourcing and cost-effective vendor selection.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Direct and influence multi-functional departments to align on cost savings projects and support the tactical implementation of sourcing awards.
• Inventory Oversight: Recommend and manage vendor-controlled inventory levels while assessing aging and obsolete materials for review, disposition, and cost recovery.
• Vendor & Material Evaluation: Evaluate and approve vendors and materials to support new product innovation, ensuring compliance with quality, performance, and business requirements.
• Performance Management: Monitor and report on key performance indicators (KPIs), driving accountability and continuous improvement within the supply base.
• Value & Supply Chain Improvement: Identify and present value-driven and supply chain improvement initiatives, including cost savings, efficiency gains, and revenue enhancement opportunities.
• System & Item Management: Oversee new item setup and system management to ensure accurate data, proper integration, and smooth procurement processes.
• Pricing & Contract Administration: Manage pricing and contracts in coordination with Strategic Sourcing, ensuring compliance with negotiated terms and company policies.
• Policy & Procedure Compliance: Implement and enforce Purchasing Policies and Procedures, ensuring standardization, governance, and adherence to best practices across procurement operations.
• Leadership: Drives a positive employee experience through leadership by way of employee development and coaching.

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. Through LinkedIn Learning, employees can access on‑demand courses, professional certificates, and skill‑based training to build capabilities aligned with career and business needs.
• Our partnership with GUILD supports your continuing education with tuition assistance covering English language learning, high school completion, and degree programs, while our leadership development initiatives nurture high‑potential talent.
• 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: Manager
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees