Talent Acquisition Specialist

Smithfield Foods is seeking a Talent Acquisition Specialist to strengthen its recruitment strategy and help attract top talent in a fast-paced environment. This onsite role in Princeton, MO works closely with HR and Hiring Managers to build effective pipelines and deliver a recruiting experience candidates can trust.

You will oversee full-cycle recruiting across multiple functional areas and locations, partner with department leaders on strategy, and use data and sourcing insights to improve hiring outcomes. The position also supports continuous process refinement through ATS reporting, candidate communications, and accurate recordkeeping aligned with regulatory expectations.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the entire recruitment lifecycle for all functional areas across multiple locations simultaneously to support efficient and effective hiring outcomes.
• Support a strong candidate experience through timely communication, clear feedback, and consistent professionalism.
• Collaborate with department leaders and HR teams by providing recruitment strategy guidance, consultation, and high-quality support throughout the hiring process.
• Use a range of sourcing strategies to identify and attract top talent.
• Proactively build and maintain a pipeline of qualified candidates for current and future roles.
• Research labor market trends to align sourcing strategy with current industry conditions.
• Develop understanding of roles, including manufacturing-based positions, through job shadowing to improve hiring fit and reduce turnover.
• Continuously evaluate and refine recruitment processes to improve efficiency, reduce time-to-hire, and enhance the candidate experience while aligning with business goals and best practices.
• Use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to manage candidates and provide regular recruitment updates and metrics to leadership.
• Maintain accurate, up-to-date recruitment records to meet regulatory standards.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university and 2+ years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Proficiency in computer applications including Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Excel.
• Demonstrated urgency, attention to detail, initiative, and sound judgment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to leverage emotional intelligence to build and foster relationships internally and externally.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment while maintaining a respectful, approachable, team-oriented demeanor and a positive collaborative presence.
• Strong multi-tasking and organizational skills.
• High level of professionalism, discretion, and the ability to handle sensitive information.
• Willingness to travel 25% of the time to support collaboration with other locations; travel may be on short notice and could involve overnight stays. During travel, ability to self-manage time and daily tasks.

Technologies

• Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Excel
• Applicant tracking systems (ATS)
• Workday

Additional Skills That Make You Stand Out

• Experience recruiting across all levels and functional areas.
• Experience with passive candidate recruiting and creative sourcing strategies to attract high-quality talent.
• Strong knowledge of Federal, State, and employment regulations and policies.
• Experience using a server-based applicant tracking system (Workday preferred).
• Track record working under recruiting KPIs and meeting or exceeding performance targets.
• Experience handling administrative duties related to recruitment and compliance.
• Experience recruiting for government contractors, including familiarity with relevant regulations and requirements.
• Project management skills to plan and manage multiple recruitment initiatives and deadlines at the same time.