What are the responsibilities and job description for the Sanitation Manager position at RAMCO Enterprises?
Summary Description
The Sanitation Manager will provide the necessary leadership and management to ensure the Sanitation Department has the proper processes, controls, and resources to effectively meet its goals. This position is an integral part of the operation and is responsible for managing the sanitation department in unison with Operations, QA, Receiving, Warehousing and Maintenance in a cost-effective and safe manner. This position establishes proper sanitation of the processing areas, equipment, overhead, processing floors, employee facilities, and outside grounds and ensures all areas meet or exceed pertinent regulatory standards.
Essential Job Duties/Responsibilities
- Lead, train, and supervise the sanitation crew to ensure proper cleaning and sanitizing of processing equipment, tools, and facility.
- Develop and manage work schedules to meet production and sanitation timelines.
- Foster a safety-first culture and promote adherence to company policies and food safety practices.
- Complete and review sanitation records (SSOPs, MCS logs)
- Collaborate with QA to support the Environmental Monitoring Program (EMP)
- Investigate microbial issues related to sanitation
- Ensure compliance with cleaning validation procedures
- Evaluate cleaning effectiveness using swabbing, ATP, and microbial testing
- Work closely with Maintenance, QA, and Production to troubleshoot sanitation-related issues
Food Safety & Compliance
- Ensure sanitation practices meet FDA, USDA, FSMA, GMP, HACCP, and third-party audit standards. Lead sanitation audits and inspections (internal, third-party, regulatory)
- Respond to audit findings and develop corrective actions
- Maintain detailed sanitation records, including SSOPs (Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures), Master Sanitation Schedules, and pre-op inspection reports.
- Support plant audits and customer visits by demonstrating effective sanitation systems and documentation.
Process Optimization & Continuous Improvement
- Identify and implement improvements in sanitation methods, chemical usage, and efficiency.
- Partner with Quality Assurance, Maintenance, and Production teams to resolve sanitation-related issues that impact product quality or downtime.
- Monitor pest control program in collaboration with third-party providers
Chemical & Equipment Management
- Ensure correct usage and storage of cleaning chemicals and maintain accurate chemical inventories.
- Recommend and manage sanitation equipment upgrades or replacements as needed.
- Work with chemical suppliers to optimize sanitation effectiveness and chemical usage
- Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce downtime, and save on chemical costs
Qualifications:
- 5 years of sanitation management experience in a food processing environment (fresh fruit/produce experience is a plus).
- Hands-on experience operating Clean-in-Place (CIP) systems, including knowledge of flow rates, chemical concentrations, contact times, and temperature requirements for effective cleaning of fluid and/or puree product lines.
- Working knowledge of HACCP, GMPs, SSOPs, and food safety regulations.
- Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
- Ability to work flexible hours and adjust schedule to meet production demands (including nights/weekends as needed).
- Bilingual (English/Spanish) a plus.
Physical Requirements:
- Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs and work on feet for extended periods.
- Comfortable climbing ladders, working around processing equipment, and using PPE.