Sanitation Manager

Position Overview:

Responsible for managing and coordinating sanitation activities to ensure the facility, equipment, and production environment are maintained in a clean, sanitary, safe, and audit-ready condition while supporting efficient operations and full compliance with regulatory, GMP, SQF, food safety, and company requirements.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead, direct, and coordinate all sanitation activities to ensure the facility, production equipment, and surrounding areas are cleaned, sanitized, and maintained in compliance with regulatory requirements, GMPs, SQF standards, food safety programs, and company policies.
• Manage and supervise Sanitation and Production associates engaged in sanitation activities, ensuring work is performed safely, efficiently, and in accordance with established sanitation procedures and operational requirements.
• Develop, implement, maintain, and continuously improve Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs), ensuring procedures remain current, effective, and compliant with regulatory, customer, and third-party audit requirements.
• Create, manage, and update the Master Sanitation Schedule (MSS) and develop MSS completion KPI to ensure all routine, periodic, and deep-cleaning activities are completed as required and properly documented.
• Ensure all sanitation records, CIP charts logs, pre-operational inspection forms, corrective action reports, and related documentation are completed accurately, maintained in an audit-ready condition, and retained in accordance with company and regulatory requirements.
• Plan, organize, prioritize, and assign daily sanitation activities to maximize labor efficiency, minimize production downtime, and ensure sanitation objectives are achieved.
• Monitor and verify the effectiveness of cleaning and sanitation processes through inspections, environmental monitoring, pre-operational reviews, and corrective action follow-up.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, local, OSHA, FDA, SQF, and company food safety, sanitation, environmental, and workplace safety requirements.
• Lead, coach, train, and develop Sanitation and Production associates, ensuring employees are properly trained on SSOPs, chemical handling, equipment cleaning procedures, GMPs, food safety requirements, lockout/tagout procedures, and PPE usage.
• Promote a culture of food safety, accountability, continuous improvement, teamwork, and operational excellence through consistent leadership, communication, and employee engagement.
• Coordinate closely with Production, Maintenance, Quality Assurance, Warehouse, and other departments to ensure sanitation requirements are effectively integrated into daily operations.
• Manage the safe disassembly, cleaning, sanitizing, inspection, and reassembly of production equipment to ensure equipment is properly prepared for production startup.
• Evaluate sanitation performance metrics, identify trends, investigate deficiencies, and implement corrective and preventive actions to drive continuous improvement and ensure compliance goals are met.
• Conduct routine sanitation audits and inspections to verify adherence to established standards and promptly address any deficiencies or non-conformances.
• Serve as a key contact during internal, customer, regulatory, and third-party audits, supporting audit preparation, documentation review, corrective actions, and compliance initiatives.
• Manage departmental labor, chemical, supply, and sanitation-related budgets to ensure cost-effective operations while maintaining food safety and sanitation standards.
• Communicate daily priorities, sanitation status, operational concerns, and shift-to-shift updates to ensure continuity, alignment, and effective execution of departmental goals.
• Investigate and resolve employee relations, performance, attendance, and operational issues in a fair, consistent, and timely manner while ensuring compliance with company policies and procedures.
• Identify, recommend, and implement process, equipment, and procedural improvements that enhance sanitation effectiveness, food safety compliance, employee safety, and operational efficiency.
• Safeguard company assets, equipment, facilities, sanitation tools, chemicals, and PPE, ensuring proper use, maintenance, storage, and inventory control.
• Maintain all sanitation areas, chemical storage locations, equipment, and facility grounds in a clean, organized, and audit-ready condition at all times.
• Stay current with industry best practices, regulatory updates, and food safety requirements through ongoing training, professional development, and participation in company-sponsored programs.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned in support of departmental and organizational objectives.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the manager.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Minimum 310 years of sanitation leadership (supervisor or manager role) experience in FDA and/or USDA regulated food manufacturing environment, including responsibility for sanitation compliance, food safety programs, employee development, and audit readiness.
• Strong working knowledge of food safety, sanitation practices and systems, including GMPs, HACCP, SQF requirements, SSOPs, Master Sanitation Schedules (MSS), environmental monitoring, allergen controls, sanitation chemistry, and regulatory compliance.
• Demonstrated experience developing, implementing, and maintaining sanitation programs, including SSOPs, MSS, sanitation records, corrective action programs, and sanitation-related documentation.
• Proven ability to lead, coach, train, and hold employees accountable while building a culture of food safety, teamwork, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
• Demonstrated strong sense of urgency with the ability to respond effectively to sanitation, food safety, operational, and compliance issues in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Independent and critical thinker with strong analytical, decision-making, and problem-solving skills, capable of identifying root causes, evaluating alternatives, and implementing sustainable solutions with minimal supervision.
• Ability to effectively train employees on food safety, food quality, GMPs, sanitation procedures, workplace safety, chemical handling, PPE requirements, and regulatory compliance standards.
• Experience supporting internal, customer, regulatory, and third-party audits, including preparation, documentation review, corrective action implementation, and continuous compliance improvement.
• Strong organizational and planning skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities, adjust schedules as needed, and ensure sanitation objectives are completed on time and in compliance with established standards.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook) and sanitation, quality, or manufacturing data management systems.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively across all levels of the organization.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with Production, Quality Assurance, Maintenance, Warehouse, and other departments to achieve food safety and operational goals.
• Must be willing and able to work weekends, holidays, and off-shift hours as required to support operational needs, sanitation activities, audits, and special projects.
• Must possess a strong work ethic, professional presence, and commitment to employee safety, food safety, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement.
• High school diploma or equivalent required; Associate's. Bachelor's degree in a related field preferred.
• Bilingual English/Spanish communication skills are preferred.
• HACCP and PCQI certifications are preferred.

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands and work environment described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential function of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands:

While performing the duties of this job, Requires the employee to stand for long periods of time, walk, frequent lifting of material up to 50 pounds and frequent twisting, turning, reaching, pushing and pulling use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs, balance; stoop, kneel or crouch; talk and hear.

Work Environment:

Work is normally performed in a warehouse/production environment As part of the job requirements employee may be exposed to work in a production setting and cold temperature (-20 degrees) at times. Must be flexible with work schedule that supports a 24 hour production facility. Schedule may include weekends.

Disclaimer:

This position description indicates the general nature and level of work expected. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required. Employee may be asked to perform other duties as required.

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