Sanitation Manager

Job Summary:

The Food Sanitation Manager is a hands-on, working manager position responsible for leading and performing sanitation activities in a food processing facility. This role will ensure a safe, clean, and compliant production environment by executing and overseeing sanitation processes in accordance with FDA, USDA, and other regulatory standards. The manager will work alongside the sanitation team to complete cleaning tasks according to the Master Sanitation Schedule, troubleshoot sanitation-related issues, and drive a culture of food safety and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Working Leadership:

• Lead by example by participating directly in sanitation duties, including cleaning, sanitizing, and inspection of equipment and production areas.
• Supervise, coach, and motivate a team of sanitation workers, ensuring accountability, efficiency, and high performance.
• Manage staffing levels, schedule shifts, assign work areas, and provide ongoing training and development for sanitation personnel.
• Process Payroll according to policies and procedures

2. Sanitation Operations Execution:

• Perform and oversee cleaning and sanitization of production lines, processing equipment, utensils, floors, walls, ceilings, and storage areas according to SSOPs (Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures).
• Ensure all cleaning tasks are completed efficiently and in accordance with established timelines.
• Document all activities in Redzone software or designated forms.

3. Regulatory Compliance:

• Maintain full compliance with all food safety, sanitation, and hygiene regulations (FDA, USDA, HACCP, GMPs, SSOPs, etc.).
Proactively adjust procedures as regulations or internal standards evolve.

4. Inspections, Audits & Corrective Actions:

• Conduct routine sanitation inspections, pre-operational checks, and internal audits of facility cleanliness and sanitation effectiveness.
• Identify gaps and deficiencies, take immediate corrective actions, and implement long-term solutions to prevent recurrence.
Oversee ATP swabbing at the end of sanitation activities

5. Chemical & Supply Management:

• Oversee proper handling, usage, and storage of cleaning chemicals and sanitizers, ensuring compliance with safety data sheets (SDS) and company policies.
• Train staff on chemical safety and proper dilution procedures.
• Ensure proper PPE is being utilized as necessary
• Maintain an organized inventory of cleaning supplies, chemicals, and equipment, and process order requests in a timely manner.

6. Equipment Maintenance & Coordination:

• Ensure sanitation equipment (e.g., pressure washers, foaming systems, CIP systems) is properly maintained, cleaned, and calibrated.
Partner with the maintenance department to promptly address malfunctions, preventative maintenance, or repairs of sanitation-related equipment.

7. Documentation & Reporting:

• Maintain thorough and accurate documentation including sanitation logs, inspection reports, chemical usage records, cleaning schedules, and corrective action reports.
• Prepare and present sanitation reports to senior management and during regulatory inspections.
• Maintain proper employee records for HR purposes

8. Cross-Department Collaboration:

• Work closely with production, quality assurance, and maintenance teams to coordinate sanitation efforts with production schedules and operational priorities.
Support continuous improvement initiatives across departments related to food safety and sanitation.

9. Emergency & Issue Response:

• Lead response to sanitation-related emergencies (e.g., chemical spills, pest sightings, contamination risks, equipment failures).
Investigate root causes, document incidents, and implement corrective actions to prevent future occurrences.

10. Promote a Culture of Safety & Food Safety:

• Set the tone for safety and hygiene by actively reinforcing the use of PPE and sanitation best practices.

Drive food safety awareness across all departments and ensure adherence to sanitation policies by all employees

Required Skills and Attributes:

• Strong leadership with a lead-from-the-front approach.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong critical thinking and troubleshooting abilities.
• Ability to recognize and address sanitation risks quickly.
• Time management and organizational skills to balance hands-on work with team management.
• Ability to train, mentor, and coach staff to meet performance and compliance expectations.
• High attention to detail and quality standards.

Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in Food Science, Microbiology, or related field preferred.
• Minimum 2 years of sanitation leadership experience in a food manufacturing or processing environment.
• Strong working knowledge of sanitation programs, food safety regulations, and industry standards (HACCP, GMPs, SSOPs).
• Previous experience working with cleaning chemicals and sanitation equipment.
• Proficiency in documentation and reporting for audits and regulatory inspections.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) a plus, but not required.

Physical Demands:

• Must be able to regularly lift, push, pull, and move up to 15 pounds frequently, and up to 90 pounds occasionally with or without assistance.
• Requires frequent standing, walking, bending, stooping, squatting, and climbing.
• Ability to stand and work on your feet for the entirety of the shift.