Career Foundation Program (CFP) Associate - Finance Track

Smithfield Foods, Inc.; Smithfield, Northern (VA, KY); Hybrid; USD 30,000 - 43,000; Full time

Job summary

Smithfield Foods, Inc. is seeking a Career Foundation Program (CFP) Associate in Corporate Finance. You will analyze business results, track financial targets, and support forecasting and reporting.

Rotation across departments provides exposure to different areas of Smithfield’s operations and opportunities to take on leadership roles. The program targets recent graduates or current students in accounting/finance, with strong communication, professional judgment, and the ability to work remotely

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance or related field; or current student with anticipated graduation
• Knowledge of financial and business principles
• High level of professionalism, discretion and self-management from remote locations
• Strong leadership and decision-making skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Proficient in Word, PowerPoint, and Excel
• Travel up to 15–25% of the time
• Overnight travel may be required
• Authorized to work in the U.S.

Responsibilities

• Provide daily direction to business line managers and channel management; analyze sales performance and KPIs
• Support financial reporting and data requests; prepare weekly/monthly/quarterly/annual forecasts
• Create and use BI dashboards to monitor daily sales vs targets and cost trends
• Design concise reports presenting actual vs budget data for management decisions
• Contribute to rotation-based CFP tracks with project ownership and leadership opportunities
• Participate in special projects and presentations as needed; rotate across departments

Skills

Financial analysis

Business principles

Leadership

Communication

Excel

PowerPoint

Word

SAP

Remote work

Travel

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance

Currently enrolled student with anticipated graduation

Tools

SAP

Excel

PowerPoint

Word

Job description

If you are currently employed at Smithfield, please log into Workday and submit your application through the Jobs Hub. Have a seat at our table. 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 VALUE YOU’LL BRING:

As a Career Foundation Program (CFP) Associate – Corporate Finance, you will play a key role in analyzing business results and tracking key financial targets. As you move through the program, you’ll have the opportunity to learn our business, question company performance, and help to identify threats and opportunities. Your work will contribute to the team’s goal of acting as the analytical engine of the Company to provide insights and support channel and produce management in making optimal business decisions.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

Provide daily direction to the business line managers and channel management: As a valued Finance partner, your input will be used to in establishing strategy and running daily operations to include: evaluation of financial and business related data to provide valuable, accurate and timely information on sales performance; analysis of key performance indicators, highlighting trends and analyzing causes of unexpected variances; performing competitor and industry analysis; and reviewing RFP’s to ensure revenue rates and cost assumptions are valid and projected margins are within business goals. Support the Company’s financial reporting and analytical data requests: To include weekly and monthly financial reporting as well as ad-hoc reporting and analysis. Utilize a business intelligence tool and implement dashboard reporting to monitor daily sales against targets, update cost trend reports and analyze results to ensure they are in line with the business forecast. Prepare weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual financial forecasts. Improve and streamline the Organization’s planning process, taking pride in the quality of information provided. Design reports that present both actual and budget data in a concise manner for use by management in decision making. Perform special requests and participate with projects/presentations: This will be on an as‑needed basis and is expected to increase as the CFP Associate is trained. This position is part of Smithfield’s Career Foundation Program (CFP) which is a training program designed to provide an opportunity for recent college graduates to explore career options through a function‑specific rotation. The program is divided into tracks, each of which is oriented towards a different part of the Company’s operations. The program provides the CFP Associate with an opportunity to learn about an aspect of the Company’s business while simultaneously seeking a new position to launch a career with Smithfield. Company senior leaders, along with an assigned manager, mentor and program manager, will be available to provide guidance, training, and partnership throughout the CFP Associate’s assigned rotations. Rotations can last anywhere from 18‑months to 24‑months depending on the rotational track the Associate enters. Our CFP Associates are expected to contribute to the goals of each department to which they are assigned. They will assist in problem‑solving, assume leadership roles for certain projects, help the department achieve both short and long‑term objectives, and in general deliver high‑level results that exceed expectations. The Career Foundation Program is designed for high potential college/university graduates who can quickly adapt to new environments, show initiative, and take on increasingly complex project responsibilities. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. May perform other duties as assigned.

WHAT WE’RE SEEKING:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four‑year college or university in Accounting, Finance or related field;
• or currently enrolled college student with an anticipated graduation by end of current semester
• Knowledge of financial and business principles
• Must possess a high level of professionalism, discretion and ability to self‑manage his/her time from remote locations
• Strong leadership and decision‑making skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Proficient in Word, PowerPoint, and Excel
• High standards of accuracy
• Travel up to 15‑25% of the time.
• Periodic overnight travel required.
• Currently authorized to work in the U.S.
• Ability to work well with others in a fast paced, dynamic environment.

OTHER SKILLS THAT MAKE YOU STAND OUT:

• High level of organizational planning, teamwork, analytical reasoning skills.
• Business Warehouse experience
• Product costing experience
• Experienced in the use of SAP
• Strong presentation skills
• Strong self‑motivation and organization skills
• May be required to work long hours and weekends
• Ability to be respectful, approachable and team oriented while building strong working relationships and a positive work environment.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The physical demands described here are representative of those an employee should possess to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 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 moderate but can be loud when in the production area. Occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision and the ability to adjust focus. Frequently required to stand; walk; use hands to handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and talk or hear The expected pay range for this position is $21.63 - $31.25 per hour EEO/AA Information 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. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment selection process, please call us at 757-357-1595 The expected pay range for this position is $21.63 - $31.25 per hour.

Smithfield Foods provides pay ranges that reflect its good faith estimate of the salary or hourly wage the company reasonably expects to pay for a position at the time of hire. Individual compensation will be determined based on several factors, including but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the role, location of the position, the candidate’s qualifications and experience, internal equity, external market pay for comparable positions and budget considerations. At Smithfield Foods, base pay represents only one aspect of the comprehensive total rewards package. Learn more about our benefits package here.

EEO Information 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. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment selection process, please call us at 757-357-1595.

At Smithfield, good food starts with good people. \"Good food. Responsibly.®\" is more than just our tagline; it's what we do. We provide good jobs. We take good care of our animals. We are good stewards of the environment. We do good in our local communities. 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.

Headquartered in Smithfield, Virginia, since 1936, Smithfield Foods, Inc. is an American food company with a leading position in packaged meats and fresh pork products. With a diverse brand portfolio and strong relationships with U.S. farmers and customers, we responsibly meet demand for quality protein around the world. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com. We believe in the power of protein to end food insecurity and have donated hundreds of millions of food servings to our communities. Smithfield boasts a portfolio of high-quality iconic brands, such as Smithfield®, Eckrich® and Nathan's Famous®, among many others. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com and connect with us on Facebook, X, formerly known as Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.