Sanitation Manager

Overview


The Sanitation Manager is a hands-on leader responsible for the development, execution, and continuous improvement of the plant's sanitation programs within a food manufacturing environment. This role ensures the facility maintains the highest standards of food safety, regulatory compliance, employee safety, and operational efficiency.


Reporting to the Plant Manager, the Sanitation Manager leads a team of approximately 25-35 associates and works cross-functionally with Production, Quality, Maintenance, Engineering, Human Resources, and external partners. This position plays a critical role in supporting a 24/7 operation, with accountability across all shifts and direct or indirect oversight of off-shift sanitation activities.


This position is primarily 3rd shift, Monday to Friday 11:00PM to 08:00AM, in 24-hour/7 day week manufacturing plant environment. The role requires flexibility to support off-shift operations, nights, weekends, and critical business needs as necessary. This Sanitation Manager serves as the primary leadership presence and contact at the site during 3rd shift operations and will have responsibility for the overall plant during this timeframe. Production may be occurring during that time.


Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, audit, and continuously improve the plant sanitation program to ensure compliance with company standards and regulatory requirements.

• Write, review, verify, and validate Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs).

• Own and manage the Master Sanitation Schedule (MSS), ensuring execution, effectiveness, and compliance.

• Lead plant sanitation efforts in alignment with FDA, USDA, OSHA, GMP, HACCP, and other applicable food safety and regulatory requirements.

• Serve as an active leader in the site's Food Safety Plan, HACCP, allergen, and food safety programs.

• Monitor, support, and maintain CIP systems and sanitation equipment to ensure proper operation and required documentation.

• Partner with Quality and Food Safety teams to support environmental monitoring programs, including corrective actions, trend analysis, and continuous improvement initiatives.

• Lead sanitation validation and verification activities to ensure effectiveness of cleaning processes.

• Oversee sanitation documentation and records to ensure accuracy, completeness, and audit readiness.

• Oversee chemical safety programs, including proper use, storage, labeling, SDS compliance, and PPE training.

• Partner with pest control providers, chemical suppliers, and third-party sanitation providers, where applicable.

• Lead internal and external audit readiness activities for the sanitation department, including SQF, regulatory, and customer audits.

• Conduct root cause analysis and implement corrective and preventive actions related to sanitation, hygiene, or contamination issues.

• Supervise, coach, train, and develop sanitation team members while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

• Manage staffing, scheduling, labor utilization, and performance management activities for sanitation team members.

• Monitor sanitation KPIs and develop action plans to improve operational performance, labor efficiency, chemical usage, water usage, and cleaning effectiveness.

• Collaborate cross-functionally with Production, Maintenance, Engineering, and Quality teams to ensure sanitation activities support operational goals and production startup readiness.

• Support plant investigations and incident response activities as needed.

• Maintain compliance with all federal, state, local, and company safety and employment policies.

• Promote positive employee relations and maintain effective working relationships with team members, leadership, vendors, contractors, and union representatives, where applicable.

• Regular attendance is required in accordance with company attendance policies and procedures.

• Perform additional duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

• Required Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, Industrial Management, or a related field preferred; equivalent combination of education and experience considered.
  • 3-5 years of experience in food manufacturing or other regulated manufacturing environments, with direct experience in sanitation, food safety, or quality systems.
  • Prior leadership or supervisory experience in a manufacturing environment.
  • Strong knowledge of GMPs, HACCP, sanitation practices, food safety systems, and regulatory requirements.
  • Working knowledge of microbiology, environmental monitoring programs, and sanitation verification methods.
  • Experience managing sanitation processes within a production environment.
  • Ability to lead teams in a fast-paced, multi-shift manufacturing environment.
  • Strong communication, organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and SharePoint.
  Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience working in a union manufacturing environment.
  • Certifications such as PCQI, HACCP, or Certified Sanitarian.
  • Experience with SQF, BRC, or other GFSI-benchmarked food safety standards.
  • Knowledge of cleaning validation methods, including ATP, allergen validation, and microbiological verification.
  • Experience with Lean, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement methodologies.
  • Prior experience working with third-party sanitation providers.
  • Familiarity with sanitary equipment design and hygienic zoning principles.
  • Experience with SAP, Power BI, training software, or data trending systems.

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Working Conditions/Environment

• Works in both office and manufacturing environments where the employee is regularly required to speak, hear, see, read, sit, stand, walk, bend, reach, and move throughout the facility.

• May occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

• Frequently exposed to wet, humid, hot, cold, noisy, and slippery manufacturing environments.

• Occasionally exposed to fumes, odors, dust, chemicals, moving equipment, and varying temperatures.

• Hairnets, beardnets (if applicable), safety glasses, hearing protection, and slip-resistant or steel-toed footwear are required in accordance with GMP and safety standards.

• Occasional travel may be required.