Career Foundation Program Associate – Business – Business Management, Supply Planning

Job Description

Career Foundation Program (CFP) – Business | Smithfield Foods

The Tone:
This is an entry-level training program for recent college graduates at Smithfield Foods, a company dedicated to sustainably feeding people worldwide by producing quality food responsibly. The role offers a foundational opportunity to explore career paths within business management and supply planning. Associates will gain hands-on experience, contribute to sales growth, and ensure products meet customer demand, directly impacting the company’s success.

The TL;DR
• Role: Career Foundation Program Associate
• Type: Full-time
• Location: Multiple locations (Relocation available)
• Pay: $21.63–$31.25 hourly
• Team: Collaborates with cross-functional business and supply chain teams.
• Mission: Gain hands-on experience in business management and supply planning to drive sales growth and ensure products meet customer demand.
• Tech Stack: Word, PowerPoint, Excel, SAP

What You’ll Actually Do
• Business Management: Manage the profitability and profit/loss for an assigned product category or brand.
• Business Management: Execute the annual business plan, including developing and maintaining documentation for retail pricing and promotions.
• Business Management: Act as a liaison between operations, sales, and marketing functions, and lead forecasting efforts.
• Supply Planning: Create finished goods plans to support customer orders, forecasted demand, and inventory requirements.
• Supply Planning: Collaborate with manufacturing operations and plant schedulers to manage stock levels and address material shortages.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university in Business, Agribusiness, or a related field; or currently enrolled with anticipated graduation prior to start date.
• Experience: Currently authorized to work in the U.S.; ability to travel up to 10% of the time, with periodic overnight travel required.
• Skills: Strong leadership and decision-making skills; excellent written and oral communication; proficiency in Word, PowerPoint, and Excel; high standards of accuracy; ability to work well with others.
• Bonus: Work experience in a team-based environment within manufacturing or supply chain; experience with SAP and its related supply chain applications; strong self-motivation, organization, interpersonal, and technical skills; presentation skills.