Sanitation Manager

Job Summary

The Sanitation Manager is responsible for the overall hygiene and cleanliness of the poultry processing facility. This role directs and manages the nightly sanitation operations to ensure the plant is cleaned and sanitized to meet all USDA (FSIS), FDA, and company quality standards before the start of the next production day. The Manager leads a team of supervisors and sanitation technicians, manages chemical inventories, ensures compliance with safety protocols (OSHA), and serves as the primary point of contact for pre-operational inspections.

Key Responsibilities

1. Sanitation Operations & Compliance

• Master Sanitation Schedule (MSS): Develop, maintain, and execute the Master Sanitation Schedule to ensure all areas of the plant (receiving, evisceration, cut-up, deboning, packaging, and welfare areas) are cleaned at required frequencies.
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure all sanitation procedures strictly adhere to USDA-FSIS regulations, HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) plans, SSOPs (Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures), and GMPs (Good Manufacturing Practices).
• Pre-Operational Inspection: Lead the team through nightly cleaning to ensure the facility passes pre-op inspections by QA and USDA inspectors with zero non-compliance records (NRs).
• Chemical Management: Oversee the proper selection, dilution, titration, and application of cleaning chemicals and sanitizers. Maintain relationships with chemical vendors and manage inventory/costs.

2. Team Leadership & Safety

• Staff Management: Hire, train, schedule, and evaluate a team of Sanitation Supervisors and hourly crew members.
• Safety Enforcement: Strictly enforce OSHA standards, specifically regarding Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), Confined Space Entry, and the proper use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
• Training: Conduct regular training on chemical safety (HazCom), equipment disassembly/reassembly, and proper cleaning techniques (dry pick-up, rinse, wash, sanitize).

3. Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Maintenance Partnership: Coordinate with the Maintenance Department to prevent water damage to electrical components and to schedule deep cleaning during downtime or preventative maintenance windows.
• Quality Assurance: Work closely with the QA Manager to troubleshoot swabbing failures (ATP/APC/Listeria) and implement root cause analysis and corrective actions for any sanitation deficiencies.
• Budgeting: Manage the sanitation budget, including labor (overtime control), chemical usage, and cleaning supply costs.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Experience: Minimum of 3–5 years of leadership experience in sanitation, ideally within a poultry or meat processing environment.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, or related field preferred; equivalent industry experience will be considered.
• Certifications: HACCP and/or SQF/BRC certification is highly preferred.
• Technical Knowledge:
• Deep understanding of USDA/FSIS poultry inspection regulations.
• Knowledge of chemical functionality (alkaline cleaners, acid sanitizers, quaternary ammonium).
• Familiarity with microbiological swabbing and environmental monitoring programs.
• Skills: Strong root-cause problem-solving skills, ability to manage a large team under tight time constraints, and proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Outlook).

Physical Demands & Work Environment

• Environment: Must be able to work in a wet, damp, and cold environment (often 40°F - 50°F) for extended periods. Exposure to high-pressure water, industrial chemicals, and raw poultry products.
• Schedule: This is primarily a night shift position. Candidates must be willing to work weekends and holidays as production schedules demand.
• Physical: Ability to walk the plant floor for 8 hours, climb stairs/ladders, inspect hard-to-reach equipment areas, and occasionally lift up to 50 lbs.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Pass rate of daily USDA/QA pre-operational inspections.
• Reduction in bacterial counts (SPC/APC) and absence of pathogens (Salmonella/Campylobacter/Listeria).
• Adherence to chemical and labor budgets.
• Safety record (TRIR) of the sanitation team.