Production Resource Specialist - Nursery/Finishing (Central Iowa Territory)

Iowa Ag; Algona (IA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation package

Job summary

Smithfield Foods in Algona, IA is seeking a Production Manager to oversee the daily operations of multiple swine units onsite. You will be responsible for financial and production performance, personnel development, and ensuring compliance with biosecurity and animal welfare standards.

This role requires leadership, ability to train staff, and strong problem-solving skills to optimize farm performance, coordinate with contract growers, and meet safety, environmental, and company policy

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science or related field with 2+ years of relevant experience or equivalent
• Experience leading and mentoring staff or managing a process/project
• Valid state driver’s license with acceptable driving record
• Prod Spec 1 program or 2 years swine experience preferred
• Ability to work about 45 hours per week with varying days
• Weekend, evening and holiday work as needed
• On-call to handle emergencies such as outages or shortages
• On-call readiness for alarms, weather events, and environmental emergencies
• Ability to use math to assess production and financial performance and make data-driven decisions
• Strong verbal and written communication for presenting to groups

Responsibilities

• Learn, understand, and implement all policies and procedures related to Biosecurity.
• Follow the safety requirements of the SIPS program and EMS processes.
• Follow animal welfare policies and provide proper environment, water, feed, humane care, treatment, and euthanasia guidelines.
• Evaluate farm performance and outline improvement plans with timelines.
• Inspect animals for disease and/or injury and prescribe medications as needed.
• Monitor and manage the schedule of animal movements between farms.
• Oversee market sales at target weights and analyze losses/variance.
• Submit closeout information after sales.
• Develop farm managers and employees into improved production and compliance.
• Ensure EMS compliance and environmental law adherence; report issues to supervisor.
• Train employees/growers on management systems.
• Read and understand the site’s emergency notification process.
• Other tasks as assigned.

Skills

Leadership / Training

Math / Analytics

Communication

On-call Availability

Flexibility

Compliance / Biosecurity

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science

Prod Spec 1 / Swine experience

Job description

Onsite

Algona, IA

Full time

Posted Today

R-2026-14387

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.

Your Opportunity

Manages and coordinates production of all assigned swine units. Responsible for the financial performance, production performance (including contract growers), property management, and personnel management of all assigned locations.

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

Core Responsibilities

• Learn, understand, and implement all policies and procedures that relate to Biosecurity.
• Follow the safety requirement of the Smithfield Injury Prevention System (SIPS) and take an active role in the processes of the management system.
• Follow the Company’s animal welfare policies and procedures including: providing a physical environment that meets the animal’s needs, providing access to adequate water and high quality feed, providing humane treatment of the animals, providing identification and appropriate treatment of animals in need of health care and following the guidelines for euthanasia.
• Evaluate farms’ performance and outline plans and timelines for improvement.
• Inspects animals for disease and/or injury and prescribes medication as necessary.
• Monitors and maintains the schedule of animal movements into and out of the farms.
• Responsible for Market sales at target market weights, sort loss and standard deviation from company finishers.
• Check and turn in closeout information after sale.
• Develop farm managers and company employees into improved production and procedural compliance as needed
• Responsible for participation in the EMS and being in compliance with and enforcing all environmental laws and procedures.
• Report all environmental issues immediately to their supervisor.
• Takes an active role in the development of, training of employees/growers to, and the implementation of all management systems as appropriate.
• Read and understand the company’s emergency notification process and how it applies to their specific worksite.
• Other tasks as assigned.
• Takes an active role in the development of, training of employees/growers to, and the implementation of all management systems as appropriate.
• Read and understand the company’s emergency notification process and how it applies to their specific worksite.
• Other tasks as assigned.

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.

Qualifications

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 in Animal Science or related field and 2+ years of relevant experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience, required.
• Experience acting as a lead by providing training, coaching or mentoring to less experienced staff or through managing a process or project
• Must have valid state driver’s license with acceptable driving record per company policy.
• Completion of Prod Spec 1 program or 2 years swine experience preferred
• Must be able to work an average 45 hour week with an average 9 hour workday, which can vary frequently.
• Weekend, evening, and holiday work required as needed.
• Must be on call to work in emergency situations to include but not limited to, power outages or personnel shortages.
• Be on call to work in emergency situations such as alarm calls, inclement weather, power outages, personnel shortages, and environmental emergencies.
• Ability to utilize math to calculate performance for production and financial performance and to make decisions based on those calculations.
• Verbal and written communication skills to included making presentations to groups of various size.

Supervisory Responsibilities

May supervise Farm Managers on multiple company sites as needed.

Work Environment & Physical Demands

The work environment characteristics & physical demands described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Must be able to frequently climb over, under, and around penning.
• Must be able to walk and stand on concrete for 9 to 12 hours per day, walking down narrow alleys and in and out of narrow penning and inside pens with animals.
• Must be able to walk an average of 2 4 miles per day, occasionally up to 5 or 6.
• Must be able to lift up to 100 lbs on a limited basis.
• Must be able to occasionally work in situations two feet above the floor in a leaned-over or squatted position.
• Must be able to operate a high-pressure washing system.
• Must be able to tolerate blood, animal dander, manure, dust, odors, and frequently noisy conditions.

IndSPR-Hog

Relocation Package AvailableYes

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.