Full-Time

Operations Management Trainee

Deadline 6/24/27
American Foods Group

American Foods Group

501-1,000 employees

Beef processing, packaging, distribution, private-label

No salary listed

Gibbon, NE, USA

In Person

Training and permanent locations may vary based on business needs. Relocation is required upon program completion.

Bachelor's

Category
Operations & Logistics (1)
Required Skills
Microsoft Office
Inventory Management
Word/Pages/Docs
Excel/Numbers/Sheets
PowerPoint/Keynote/Slides

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Requirements
  • A Bachelor's Degree in operations, management, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and 5–7 or more years of leadership experience.
  • Willingness and ability to relocate upon completion of the program.
  • Ability to effectively read, write, and speak English.
  • Proven problem-solving and critical-thinking ability.
  • Completion of the assessment before consideration.
  • Ability to work across multiple functions and with all levels of employees and leadership.
  • Ability to work as part of a team or independently.
  • Ability to work with a sense of urgency in a fast-paced organization and handle multiple projects to meet deadlines.
  • Versatility, flexibility, and willingness to work with changing priorities.
  • Ability to quickly become proficient in software relevant to the job.
Responsibilities
  • Work in different departments alongside supervisors and employees to learn, understand, and positively impact production operations.
  • Partner with other managers to plan and direct organizational work.
  • Analyze company reports related to efficiencies, profit, and inventory activity.
  • Manage daily production, yields, and downtime in assigned areas.
  • Identify trends and recommend proactive or remedial actions for operational situations.
  • Understand governmental laws, regulations, and company policies, procedures, and guidelines.
  • Work with management to develop and implement actions, policies, or procedures that protect company assets and profitability.
  • Develop management skills while leading and motivating others.
  • Interpret, apply, and enforce company policies, programs, rules, regulations, and safety requirements in support of departmental and corporate goals.
  • Engage in employee safety programs and activities to ensure workplace safety.
  • Foster an environment conducive to continuous improvement.
  • Build strong teams and interact at all levels of the plant, including with frontline employees.
  • Attend or lead presentations, meetings, classes, or training; create projects or presentations; and take applicable tests.
  • Interact with vendors, suppliers, customers, and other stakeholders as needed.
Desired Qualifications
  • Prior demonstrated leadership experience in the protein industry.
  • Prior internship or experience with the company.
  • Proficiency in using computers and Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

American Foods Group is a vertically integrated meat processor and distributor based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It manages cattle procurement, processing, and distribution of beef and other products for retail, foodservice, and international markets, using its own carrier, America’s Service Line. The company offers a broad range of products, including fresh beef, ground beef, case-ready items, sausages, steaks, and Halal-certified products, with private labeling for retailers and foodservice customers. Its end-to-end control of the supply chain and multiple brands help it serve major accounts, while producing raw materials for other companies to use in finished products to avoid direct competition.

Company Size

501-1,000

Company Stage

Grant

Total Funding

$10M

Headquarters

Green Bay, Wisconsin

Founded

1997

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Wright City's 2,400-head daily plant expands capacity after years of construction.
  • USDA granted $10 million in 2024, validating AFG's Missouri expansion.
  • AFG can shift Skylark volumes to Gibbon and other sites by August 25, 2026.

What critics are saying

  • AFG closes Skylark Meats Omaha on August 25, 2026, cutting 218 jobs.
  • The $4 million wage-fixing settlement leaves reputational damage and follow-on claims through October 2026.
  • If cattle supplies stay tight, AFG's new Missouri plant faces underutilization risk.

What makes American Foods Group unique

  • AFG controls cattle procurement, slaughter, processing, trucking, and distribution through America’s Service Line.
  • America’s Heartland Packing opened April 10, 2025 as the world’s first LEED beef harvest facility.
  • AFG serves retail, foodservice, and export buyers with private-label and branded products.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Disability Insurance

Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account

Paid Vacation

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

-1%

1 year growth

0%

2 year growth

6%
Yahoo Finance
Jul 2nd, 2026
Skylark Meats closes Nebraska beef plant, 218 workers lose jobs

Skylark Meats, part of American Foods Group, is permanently closing its Omaha, Nebraska plant, resulting in 218 job losses. The shutdown is scheduled for 25 August 2026. The closure affects a wide range of positions, with general labour roles comprising the largest group at 72 workers. Other affected positions include cutters, forklift operators, production leads, Multivac operators, maintenance mechanics and quality assurance technicians. American Foods Group, a privately held beef processor with over 4,500 employees nationwide, describes Skylark as the country's leading liver producer. The affected workers are not unionised and lack job bumping rights. The company is encouraging employees to apply for positions at affiliated facilities. The closure represents another example of labour-market pressure impacting food manufacturing facilities across the United States.

The Reader
Jun 27th, 2026
Omaha meat processing plant announces plans to close.

Omaha meat processing plant announces plans to close. Another Nebraska meat processing plant is closing its doors. American Foods Group announced Friday that it will be closing the Skylark Meats plant in Omaha by Aug. 25. According to a filing with the Nebraska Department of Larbor, the closure will mean the loss of more than 200 jobs at the plant, which makes a variety of beef and pork products. The company called the decision "difficult" in the letter, but it did not provide a reason why it is closing the plant at 4430 South 110th St. American Foods Group owns a number of other processing plants, including a slaughter and packing operation in Gibbon. It said in a letter to the Labor Department that it was encouraging affected employees to apply for open jobs at its other locations. The Skylark Foods announcement comes a few months after Tyson Foods closed its meat processing plant in Lexington, resulting in the loss of more than 3,000 jobs. It also will be the second major layoff at a food manufacturing business in Omaha this summer. WK Kellogg is laying off its staff of more than 450 workers in July and August.

Meat+Poultry
Feb 4th, 2026
New and returning board members take the helm of WMIN

New and returning board members take the helm of WMIN. ARLINGTON, VA. - The Women's Meat Industry Network (WMIN) announced its new board of directors on Feb. 3. "Our new board of directors includes returning leaders, continuing members and new members bringing different perspectives to WMIN's mission to make achieving the powerful benefits of gender diversity a shared goal in the meat and poultry industries," said Sharon Beals, executive director of WMIN. "We are already hard at work on programming and networking opportunities to empower women across the meat and poultry industry." Leading the board as chair is Natosha Walsh, president of retail sales at Hormel Foods. Also elected in leadership positions are Jennifer Dibbern, executive vice president of marketing and communication at American Foods Group, as vice chair; Angie Krieger, general counsel for Landus, as past chair; KatieRose McCullough, senior director of science and public health at the Meat Institute, as treasurer; and Kerri Boling McGee, senior attorney at Hormel Foods, as secretary. Natosha Walsh, president of retail sales at Hormel Foods, was elected chair of the Women's Meat Industry Network. | Source: Women's Meat Industry Network and Hormel Foods Corp. * Amanda Gipe McKeith, associate professor of animal science/meat, Fresno State. * Kaitlyn Cocks, regional sales manager, North East - Cargill Foodservice, Cargill. * Drea Starch, VP of retail sales, Niman Ranch. * Collette Kaster, chief executive officer, American Meat Science Association. * Sandra Sage, senior VP of sales, marketing and innovation, Clemens Food Group. * Kim Fleming, principal program lead of supplier quality, Chick-fil-A. * Sharon Birkett, VP of food safety and quality, OSI. * Drea Starch, senior director of sales, Niman Ranch. * Sammy Bredar, associate group editor, The National Provisioner. * Chelsie Romberger, VP food safety and quality, Bell & Evans. * Becky Faudree, VP of procurement, ButcherBox. * Jacque Matsen, owner, Relate Strategies. * Sybil Hika, marketing director, Teys. Additionally, those serving in ex-officio and board counsel positions include: * Cathy East, VP of national merchandising for meat and seafood, Albertsons Co. (ex-officio). * Jody Swaim, principal, Olsson Frank Weeda (board counsel). * Kyla Kaplan, attorney, Olsson Frank Weeda (board counsel). * Sharon Beals, executive director, WMIN. Since its formation in 2022, WMIN has grown into a network of 2,200 members representing a variety of roles and experiences across the meat and poultry industries. | Enhance your industry IQ Sign up for its free newsletters to stay informed on each day's news and trends | Subscribe |

Provisioner Online
Aug 4th, 2025
America's Heartland Packaging to open LEED-certified beef harvest facility

From early concept through design and construction, Gray partnered closely with AFG to bring this vision to life, aligning sustainability goals with the facility and market needs.

PR Newswire
Nov 27th, 2024
Valante Capital Acquires Stake in American Foods

Valante Capital, part of IDC Network with $2.2 billion in assets, has acquired a significant stake in American Foods, a U.S. consumer goods distributor. This strategic investment, through Ascend Fund II, aims to expand American Foods' reach across the U.S., Latin America, and the Caribbean. A partnership with Vitali Alimentos will enhance its brand presence in Central America and the Caribbean, marking a key milestone for Valante Capital's growth strategy in the consumer goods sector.