Director, Federal and State Government Affairs

Smithfield Foods • Smithfield, VA

16d

About The Position

At Smithfield Foods, we produce good food the right way. As a member of our Corporate Affairs group, you’ll be part of a team that engages the company’s most important stakeholders, including our employees and communities, media, policymakers, customers, consumers, investors, business partners, and others. The Director of Federal and State Government Affairs leads the company’s public policy strategy and government engagement across the United States. This role is responsible for shaping, advocating, and communicating the company’s positions on legislative and regulatory matters that affect the food manufacturing industry, including agriculture, food safety, trade, environmental policy, labor, transportation, and tax. The director serves as a primary liaison between the company and elected officials, industry associations, and other stakeholders. This role can be located in Smithfield, VA, Richmond, VA, or the Washington, DC Metro Area.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university in public policy, law, political science or related discipline.
• 10+ years of progressively responsible government affairs, legislative affairs, regulatory policy, or related experience.
• 5+ years of demonstrated experience in team management/development.
• Direct experience working with Congress, federal agencies, and state legislatures within government, corporate, or trade association environments; experience in food, agriculture, or CPG sectors strongly preferred.

Nice To Haves

• Strong understanding of federal and state legislative and regulatory processes.
• Excellent communication, advocacy and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to translate complex policy matters into clear business impacts.
• Proven strategic planning capability and sound political judgment.
• Ability to work independently while coordinating across multiple internal stakeholders.
• High level of professionalism, discretion and ethical conduct.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute comprehensive federal and state government affairs strategies aligned with corporate priorities to advance Smithfield’s business interests.
• Monitor and analyze legislative, regulatory, and political developments; proactively assess impacts and recommend strategic actions to mitigate risks or capture opportunities.
• Advise executive leadership on policy risks, emerging trends, and advocacy needs, communicating implications to ensure informed decision-making.
• Manage priority policy issue portfolios and lead advocacy campaigns to successful outcomes, including working with external consultants to build targeted relationships.
• Coordinate closely with internal operational teams to align government affairs initiatives with business objectives and ensure cohesive execution.
• Ensure government affairs activities comply with lobbying, ethics, and disclosure regulations, supporting internal processes that drive transparency and accountability.
• Manage HAMPAC and oversee political contribution strategies; collaborate with community development partners to highlight Smithfield’s investments to policymakers at the federal, state, and local levels.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees