Production Associate V - Warehouse Operations Lead Operator

Smithfield Foods•Junction City, KS

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Warehouse Operations Lead is an advanced hourly role supporting day-to-day production warehouse operations for packaging and manufacturing materials. The position coordinates tasks with hourly associates to ensure materials are accurately received, stored, issued, returned, and transacted in support of production schedules. It supports inventory accuracy, audit readiness, and compliance, and maintains a dotted-line working relationship with the Corporate Buyer on purchasing, inventory, and supplier-related activities. The role performs and verifies SAP transactions, maintains inventory logs and reports using Excel and approved tracking tools, researches and escalates discrepancies, and conducts routine warehouse audits. It also supports receiving by verifying materials against purchase orders, coordinating inspection or QA requirements, ensuring correct labeling and storage, and completing SAP purchase order receipts. Safety, quality, and compliance are core expectations, including reinforcing PPE and equipment standards and supporting readiness for internal, customer, and regulatory inspections. The role requires performing warehouse functions such as lifting, standing, walking, and operating PIT equipment. Work may take place in refrigerated, frozen, or ambient environments and may require flexibility to support production schedules, including weekends or overtime. The plant environment may include wet or humid conditions, extreme cold or heat, moving mechanical parts, fumes or airborne particles, chemicals, loud noise, cramped spaces, and poor lighting or ventilation. The position may occasionally require lifting or moving up to 50 pounds.

Requirements

Production warehouse experience in a manufacturing environment.
Working knowledge of SAP inventory transactions and purchase order receipts.
Strong Excel skills for tracking, auditing, and reporting.
Knowledge of ingredient and packaging material control, FIFO, and lot traceability.
Strong attention to detail and documentation accuracy.
Effective communication and issue escalation skills.
Ability to perform essential warehouse functions, including lifting, standing, walking, and PIT operation.
Ability to work in refrigerated, frozen, or ambient environments as required.
Flexibility to support production schedules, including weekends or overtime.
Ability to occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

Nice To Haves

Experience in food manufacturing or a regulated environment.
Familiarity with audit, traceability, and recall readiness requirements.
Forklift/PIT certification or ability to obtain.

Responsibilities

Coordinate daily warehouse tasks involving packaging and manufacturing materials to supply production lines accurately and on time.
Stage, issue, return, and organize materials in alignment with production schedules.
Perform and verify SAP transactions, including purchase order receipts, inventory movements, material issues, reversals, and adjustments.
Maintain oversight of ingredients and packaging inventory, including FIFO, lot control, and proper storage practices.
Monitor material flow from receiving through production usage and return.
Use Microsoft Excel and approved tracking tools to maintain inventory logs, shortage trackers, audit documentation, and daily warehouse activity reports.
Identify and research discrepancies and escalate them to the management team for resolution.
Conduct routine warehouse audits of inventory and location accuracy, FIFO compliance, lot traceability, housekeeping, and documentation; record findings and follow through to closure.
Verify incoming manufacturing and packaging materials against purchase orders, coordinate inspection or QA requirements, ensure correct labeling and storage, and complete accurate SAP purchase order receipts.
Support purchasing activities, inventory visibility, supplier coordination, and resolution of receiving or material discrepancies in collaboration with the Corporate Buyer.
Model safe behaviors, reinforce PPE and equipment standards, and support readiness for internal, customer, and regulatory inspections.
Collaborate with plant leadership and the Corporate Buyer while supporting packaging and manufacturing materials operations.