Sanitation Lead

Location: All Company Facilities. Onsite, Hackettstown, NJ. Daily facility assignments and duties may change

Schedule: Monday - Friday, weekends required as well as flexible working schedule to train a multi-shift team, 40 hours per week minimum requirement. Exact schedule will be assigned by direct supervisor/manager, and may change based on departmental needs.
Position Summary

The Sanitation Lead is responsible for leading and managing all sanitation operations within the facility to ensure compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), FDA regulations, SQF standards, HACCP requirements, OSHA safety standards, and company food safety policies.

This role oversees sanitation staff across assigned shifts and ensures all cleaning and sanitation procedures are executed effectively to prevent contamination, minimize food safety risk, and support operational efficiency.

The Sanitation Lead is accountable for sanitation performance, regulatory compliance, team leadership, labor efficiency, and maintaining a strong food safety culture within the facility.
Reports To: Facilities Supervisor
Key Responsibilities
1. Sanitation Operations Leadership

• Supervise and coordinate daily sanitation activities for production areas, warehouses, common areas, and facility infrastructure.
• Ensure proper cleaning and sanitizing of processing equipment, utensils, and facility structures in accordance with SSOPs.
• Verify completion and effectiveness of the Master Sanitation Schedule (MSS).
• Conduct and document pre-operational inspections prior to production startup.
• Monitor and verify changeover cleaning procedures.
• Ensure proper chemical usage, dilution, titration testing, storage, and labeling.
• Manage and maintain wastewater programs and vendor relationships.
• Investigate sanitation deviations and implement corrective actions.

2. Regulatory & Food Safety Compliance

Ensure full compliance with:

• GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices)
• SQF / HACCP requirements
• FDA regulations
• OSHA safety standards
• All Company Policies and Procedures

Responsibilities include:

• Maintaining accurate sanitation records and documentation.
• Supporting internal, customer, regulatory, and third-party audits.
• Ensuring Environmental Monitoring Program (EMP) execution and follow-up.
• Supporting allergen control validation and verification procedures.
• Participating in root cause analysis (RCA) for sanitation-related deviations.
• Reporting food safety or quality concerns in writing to management immediately.

3. Team Leadership & Development

• Responsible for ensuring adequate staffing coverage across all sanitation shifts and ensure assigned shift leadership is informed of expectations, assignments, changes..
• Schedule staff to ensure sanitation coverage while maintaining labor efficiency.
• Conduct performance evaluations and implement corrective actions when necessary.
• Ensure fairness, accountability, and consistent policy enforcement.
• Maintain complete documentation of performance discussions and disciplinary actions.

Training Responsibilities:

Ensure annual and ongoing training in:

• Cleaning procedures and SSOPs
• Chemical handling, titration testing, and dilution
• PPE requirements
• Lockout/Tagout procedures
• Safety protocols
• Documentation standards
• SQF and food safety requirements
• Maintain all training records and documentation.

4. Safety & Chemical Management

• Maintain approved chemical list and conduct annual review.
• Ensure proper PPE usage and chemical storage practices.
• Maintain SDS documentation and chemical inventory.
• Coordinate with chemical suppliers for training and compliance.
• Investigate and document sanitation-related safety incidents.

5. Continuous Improvement

• Identify and implement improvements to sanitation efficiency and effectiveness.
• Collaborate with Production and Maintenance to improve equipment cleanability.
• Reduce re-clean rates and sanitation-related downtime.
• Support labor optimization initiatives while maintaining compliance standards.

Required Skills & Competencies

• Strong knowledge of GMP, SQF, HACCP, and FDA requirements
• Working knowledge of OSHA safety standards
• Ability to prepare reports and maintain documentation
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English required. Bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply. Willingness to learn Spanish is a plus.
• Data collection and analysis capabilities
• Root cause analysis and problem-solving skills
• Attention to detail and quality-focused decision-making
• Leadership and team development skills
• Ability to work independently and cross-functionally

Accountability & Ownership

The Sanitation Lead is responsible for ensuring that they and their team fully understand and comply with all company policies, food safety standards, and regulatory requirements. This role must lead by example, following and enforcing policies consistently, and take ownership of sanitation performance, including accountability for team execution and compliance outcomes