Director, Talent Acquisition

Smithfield Foods, Inc.; Smithfield, Northern (VA, KY); Hybrid; USD 160,000 - 203,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation package available

Job summary

Smithfield Foods, Inc. is seeking a strategic Director of Talent Acquisition to lead a high-performing recruiting team across locations. You will drive full-cycle recruitment, align strategies with business goals, and champion an outstanding candidate experience.

You will partner with executives, develop diverse pipelines, and optimize processes with an emphasis on compliance and employer branding. Travel up to 25% is expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher with 10+ years of experience in talent acquisition/leadership.
• 5+ years of demonstrated team management experience.
• Knowledge of multi-state and Federal hiring laws and compliance.
• Experience partnering with senior leadership and executive-level stakeholders.
• Ability to travel up to 25% or more as needed.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of talent acquisition professionals across locations.
• Oversee full-cycle recruitment and implement scalable strategies.
• Ensure a professional candidate experience with timely, respectful communication.
• Partner with hiring managers to understand workforce needs and provide solutions.
• Develop sourcing strategies to build diverse, high-quality pipelines.
• Monitor labor market trends and align hiring plans with business goals.
• Continuously improve recruitment processes for efficiency and compliance.
• Use data/ATS analytics to drive improvements and reporting.
• Support employer branding and recruitment marketing aligned with values.
• Build external relationships with universities and professional networks.
• Manage multiple recruiting projects with timely delivery and stakeholder alignment.

Skills

Leadership & Team Development

Talent Acquisition Strategy

Candidate Experience

Hiring Manager Support

Sourcing Strategy & Pipeline

Labor Market Awareness

Process Improvement

Data & Reporting

Employer Brand Support

External Relationships

Project Management

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA preferred

Tools

ATS

HR analytics software

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. Are you a recruiting leader who thrives on driving change and building high-impact talent strategies? Smithfield Foods is seeking a results-oriented and strategic Director of Talent Acquisition to lead and evolve our recruiting function. In this role, you will provide leadership to a team of recruiting professionals, driving the full recruitment lifecycle with a focus on operational excellence, technology integration, and alignment with industry best practices—particularly within the consumer packaged goods sector. You’ll serve as a key partner to senior leadership, contributing to workforce planning and talent strategy while promoting targeted initiatives such as veterans hiring programs. By strengthening partnerships with universities, schools, and professional networks, you will expand our talent pipeline and enhance Smithfield’s reputation as an employer of choice. Your role will also include ensuring compliance with employment regulations, utilizing data and key hiring metrics to measure performance, and implementing innovative recruitment tools and platforms to streamline hiring processes, reduce time-to-fill, and improve the overall candidate experience.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

The below 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.

• Leadership & Team Development: Lead and support a team of talent acquisition managers and professionals, providing coaching, development opportunities, and performance management to ensure effective execution and continued growth. Collaborate with cross-functional TA leaders to align recruiting efforts with business needs and priorities.
• Talent Acquisition Strategy & Execution: Oversee full-cycle recruitment across multiple departments and locations, ensuring efficient, compliant, and consistent hiring practices. Implement scalable recruitment strategies to improve talent quality, reduce time-to-fill, and meet evolving business demands.
• Candidate Experience: Ensure a consistent and professional candidate experience by driving timely communication, transparency, and respect throughout the hiring process. Identify opportunities to improve candidate engagement and overall satisfaction.
• Hiring Manager Support: Partner with hiring managers and department leaders to understand workforce needs and deliver practical, tailored recruiting solutions. Share market insights, hiring trends, and process guidance to help leaders make informed hiring decisions.
• Sourcing Strategy & Pipeline Development: Lead the development and execution of targeted sourcing strategies to build strong, diverse pipelines for current and future roles. Monitor sourcing effectiveness and adjust tactics based on performance data and hiring needs.
• Labor Market Awareness: Stay up to date on labor market trends, competitive activity, and talent availability. Share relevant insights with business stakeholders to guide hiring plans and support location and compensation strategies.
• Process Improvement & Optimization: Evaluate and improve recruiting processes to enhance efficiency, consistency, and candidate quality. Implement best practices and tools that support operational excellence and meet compliance standards.
• Data & Reporting: Monitor and report on key hiring metrics using ATS and analytics tools. Use data to identify trends, measure team performance, and support continuous improvement of talent acquisition practices.
• Employer Brand Support: Collaborate with internal partners to support employer branding efforts. Ensure recruitment marketing and messaging are aligned with the company’s values and resonate with target talent segments.
• External Relationships & Talent Partnerships: Build and maintain strategic relationships with universities, professional associations, and other external partners to support talent attraction and outreach efforts.
• Project Management: Lead and manage recruiting-related projects that align with broader business goals, ensuring timely delivery and stakeholder alignment. Oversee multiple initiatives simultaneously with attention to timelines, scope, and resource allocation.

WHAT WE’RE SEEKING:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions.

• 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.
• 5+ years of demonstrated experience in team management/development.
• Management and development of a large staffing function or department to include talent acquisition strategies that meet company goals and objectives, knowledge of multi-state and Federal laws pertaining to hiring of employees to ensure compliance.
• Demonstrated experience working with all management levels up through the executive level resulting in exceptional customer service and client relationships.
• High energy style, flexible and adaptive, with the ability to work well at all levels in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Energized by travel up to 25% of the time.

OTHER SKILLS THAT MAKE YOU STAND OUT:

• Masters or MBA, preferred
• Ability to work well with others in fast paced, dynamic environment.
• Ability to be respectful, approachable and team-oriented while building strong working relationships and a positive work environment.

The expected pay range for this position is $160,000 - $202,500 annually. 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.

Relocation Package Available Yes

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 inSmithfield, 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.