Director, IT Plant Systems

Smithfield Foods, Inc.; Springdale (OH); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation package

Job summary

Smithfield Foods, Inc. is seeking a Director of IT Plant Systems to lead Plant IT Systems Managers across manufacturing and warehousing.

You will champion standardization, continuous improvement, and operational excellence by guiding teams to deliver scalable, high‑quality solutions that boost productivity and align with strategic initiatives. This role requires strong leadership, deep process manufacturing knowledge, and the ability to build trusted partnerships across Operations and IT while

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 10+ years of relevant experience.
• 5+ years in team management and development.
• Hands-on experience with manufacturing systems (MES, SCADA, automation, quality control, labeling, compliance).
• Proven ability to lead teams that support factory IT and equipment.
• Strong problem-solving, analytical and communication skills.
• Willingness to travel up to 30% for plant support.

Responsibilities

• Plant Operations Partnership: be the strategic IT partner to Manufacturing leadership.
• Plant IT Leadership: lead, coach, and develop Plant IT Systems Managers with clear accountability.
• Plant-Floor Engagement: maintain an IT presence in plants with regular visits and reviews.
• Operational Reliability: ensure plant IT availability, resilience, and root-cause problem solving.
• Technology Delivery & Site Readiness: lead initiatives from planning to deployment and transition to support.
• Portfolio & Priority Management: prioritize plant technology demand with cross-functional stakeholders.
• Standardization & Simplification: establish common Plant IT processes, standards, and escalation practices.

Skills

Plant IT systems

MES/SCADA/automation

Manufacturing technology

Quality control/compliance systems

Industrial PCs, labelers, scales, RF

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

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:

The position summary states the general nature and purpose of the job. Overall accountabilities are defined in this section.

As the Director of IT Plant Systems, you will lead the Plant IT Systems Managers and their teams responsible for delivering and supporting technology solutions across Smithfield’s manufacturing and warehousing operations. You will champion standardization, continuous improvement, and operational excellence by guiding your team to implement scalable, high-quality solutions that enhance productivity and support the company’s strategic initiatives. This role requires strong leadership, deep understanding of process manufacturing, and the ability to build trusted partnerships across Operations and IT, while establishing one consistent Plant IT operating model across the manufacturing network.

WHAT YOU'LL DO:

• Plant Operations Partnership: Serve as the strategic IT partner to Manufacturing leadership. Ensure Plant IT Systems Managers build strong relationships with Plant Managers and leadership.
• Plant IT Leadership: Lead, coach, and develop Plant IT Systems Managers. Establish clear accountability for site coverage, escalation, performance, talent development, and service delivery.
• Plant-Floor Engagement: Build a strong IT presence in the plants through regular plant visits, operational reviews, and frontline engagement. Ensure IT teams understand production processes.
• Operational Reliability: Establish accountability for the availability and resilience of plant IT. Partner across IT to eliminate recurring issues, address root causes, and minimize disruption.
• Technology Delivery & Site Readiness: Provide Plant IT leadership for initiatives from planning and readiness through deployment, stabilization, adoption, and transition to support.
• Portfolio & Priority Management: Partner with Manufacturing and IT leaders to identify, prioritize, and govern plant technology demand. Balance safety, business continuity, and operational risk, regulatory requirements, business value, capacity, dependencies, and strategic alignment.
• Standardization & Simplification: Establish common Plant IT processes, standards, documentation, escalation practices, support models, and deployment.
• Cross-Functional Coordination: Act as an integration point among Plant Operations, Infrastructure, Cybersecurity, Manufacturing Technology, and Supply Chain.
• Lifecycle, Governance & Risk: Maintain visibility to plant technology assets, application dependencies, lifecycle risks, obsolescence, supportability, and cybersecurity exposure. Establish governance and escalation for risks that could affect production or business continuity.
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation: Identify opportunities to improve plant performance through better use of existing technology, process simplification, digital capabilities, and data.
• Service Management: Establish consistent expectations for incident, problem, change. Use service metrics, production-impact analysis, and recurring issue trends to improve Plant IT performance.
• Executive Communication: Provide concise, outcome-oriented visibility to Manufacturing and IT leadership regarding technology performance, major incidents, investment priorities, and value.
• People & Culture: Build a high-performing, collaborative Plant IT organization through clear expectations, coaching, career development, succession planning, accountability.

WHAT WE'RE SEEKING:

• Education & Experience: Bachelor's Degree from an accredited four-year college or university and 10+ years of relevant experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience, required.
• Leadership Experience: 5+ years of experience in team management/development required.
• Manufacturing Expertise: Hands-on experience with manufacturing systems is required, including MES, SCADA, automation, quality control, labeling, or compliance systems.
• Technical Knowledge: Proven experience leading teams that support and troubleshoot industrial PCs, labelers, scales, and RF scanning equipment.
• Problem-Solving & Analysis: Strong critical thinking, decision-making, and analytical problem-solving skills; self-directed and proactive in identifying solutions.
• Collaboration & Communication: Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with a proven ability to work across all levels of the organization and cross-functional teams.
• Work Environment & Travel: Must be able to travel up to 30%, depending on project and plant support needs.
• Organizational Skills: Strong organizational abilities with a track record of managing complex initiatives effectively.
• Work Style & Values: Respectful, approachable, and team-oriented, with a focus on fostering a positive work environment and strong working relationships.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• The majority of the time is spent in an office setting outside of the production plant. 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.
• Frequently required to sit; stand; reach with hands and arms; use hands to handle or feel; and talk or hear.
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision and ability to adjust focus.
• Regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds; Occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Relocation Package Available Yes

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.