Production Associate V - Warehouse Operations Lead Operator

Warehouse Operations Lead

When you join Smithfield, you become part of something special a company that's sustainably feeding people around the world, producing good food the right way with respect for our people, animals, communities and planet. With opportunities across locations and functions, a culture grounded in our Core Four values - gratitude, communication, respect and accountability - and a strong commitment to learning, collaboration, and innovation, Smithfield offers challenging and rewarding careers where you can grow, contribute and make a real impact.

The Warehouse Operations Lead is an advanced hourly role responsible for supporting day-to-day operations within the production warehouse, including packaging and manufacturing materials. This position works alongside other hourly associates and provides task coordination to ensure materials are accurately received, stored, issued, and transacted to support production. The role supports inventory accuracy, audit readiness, and compliance and maintains a dotted-line working relationship with the Corporate Buyer for purchasing, inventory, and supplier-related activities.

Our team members receive industry-leading wages and are eligible for great benefits packages:

• Hourly Competitive Starting Pay $23.85/hour
• Comprehensive Health Insurance, Retirement Benefits and More.

In addition, we offer opportunities for career growth and professional development.

The Warehouse Operations Lead supports daily production warehouse operations by coordinating tasks related to packaging and manufacturing materials ensuring production lines are supplied accurately and on time. This includes staging, issuing, returning, and organizing materials in alignment with production schedules. This position performs and verifies SAP transactions, including purchase order receipts, inventory movements, material issues, reversals, and adjustments for both manufacturing and packaging materials. Accuracy and timeliness of system transactions are critical expectations of this role. The role maintains oversight of ingredients and inventory of packaging materials, ensuring FIFO, lot control, and proper storage practices are followed. This includes monitoring material flow from receiving through production usage and return.

The Warehouse Operations Lead uses Microsoft Excel and approved tracking tools to maintain inventory logs, shortage trackers, audit documentation, and daily warehouse activity reports. Discrepancies are identified, researched, and escalated to the management team for resolution. The position conducts routine production warehouse audits, including inventory accuracy, location accuracy, FIFO compliance, lot traceability, housekeeping, and documentation reviews for both packaging and manufacturing material areas. Audit findings are documented and followed through to closure.

The Warehouse Operations Lead supports receiving operations by verifying incoming manufacturing and packaging materials against purchase orders, coordinating inspection or QA requirements, ensuring correct labeling and storage, and completing accurate PO receipts in SAP. This role maintains a dotted line working relationship with the Corporate Buyer, supporting purchasing activities, inventory visibility, supplier coordination, and resolution of receiving or material discrepancies. Safety, quality, and compliance are core expectations. The Warehouse Operations Lead models safe behaviors, reinforces PPE and equipment standards, and supports continuous audit readiness for internal, customer, and regulatory inspections.

Production warehouse experience in a manufacturing environment

• Working knowledge of SAP inventory transactions and PO 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

Experience in food manufacturing or a regulated environment

• Familiarity with audit, traceability, and recall readiness requirements.
• Forklift / PIT certification or ability to obtain.

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.

This is an advanced hourly role within the production warehouse. The Warehouse Operations Lead is expected to demonstrate a high level of system accuracy, material control, and compliance while supporting packaging and manufacturing materials operations and collaborating with plant leadership and Corporate Buyer.

The plant environment will include wet or humid conditions (non-weather related), extreme cold and heat (non-weather related), working near moving mechanical parts, exposure to fumes or airborne particles, and chemicals.

Noise level in the work environment is usually loud when in the production area.

Must be able to work in cramped spaces and in poor lighting and ventilation.

Occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance, vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.

Frequently required to stand, walk, sit, and use hands.

Smithfield is an equal opportunity employer committed to workplace diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, gender identity, protected veterans status, status as a disabled individual or any other protected group status or non-job characteristic as directed by law.