What are the responsibilities and job description for the Sanitation Manager position at SustainableHR?
Sanitation Manager
Temp to Hire
Full Time
Position Overview
The Sanitation Manager – Operations Support is responsible for leading and sustaining sanitation operations within a food manufacturing environment to ensure food safety, regulatory compliance, and consistent production readiness. This role is focused on execution and stabilization of established sanitation programs, partnering closely with site leadership and cross-functional teams during periods of change, increased risk, or operational transition.
Core Responsibilities & Capabilities
• Operational Stability: Provide hands-on leadership to ensure sanitation programs and regulatory requirements are executed consistently, particularly during operational disruptions or transitions.
• People Leadership & Development: Lead, coach, and develop sanitation team members while delivering training that reinforces food safety, compliance, and continuous improvement standards.
• Compliance & Program Governance: Ensure adherence to food safety regulations and internal standards, including FDA, USDA, FSMA, HACCP, GMPs, and SSOPs, with a strong focus on documentation accuracy and accountability.
• Audit & Inspection Management: Lead internal inspections and audit readiness efforts, driving corrective and preventive actions aligned with regulatory and industry expectations.
• Sanitation Systems Oversight: Manage sanitation schedules, chemical programs, allergen controls, and equipment and facility cleaning processes, including support of environmental monitoring programs.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Quality, Maintenance, and Operations teams to resolve sanitation-related issues, improve processes, and support production readiness.
• Performance & Continuous Improvement: Analyze sanitation metrics, chemical usage, and cleaning effectiveness to identify efficiencies and cost-conscious improvements.
• Safety & Chemical Stewardship: Promote a strong safety culture through proper chemical handling, hazard awareness, and compliance with workplace safety standards.
• External Partner Coordination: Work with third-party sanitation providers and support regulatory or third-party audit activities as needed.
Education & Experience
• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience in food manufacturing sanitation will be considered.
• Five or more years of progressive sanitation leadership experience in a food manufacturing environment; dairy experience is a plus.
• Strong working knowledge of HACCP, FSMA, GMPs, SSOPs, allergen control, and environmental monitoring programs.
Required Skills & Attributes
• Demonstrated leadership, coaching, and sound decision-making skills.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to influence across departments.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and sanitation or compliance tracking systems.
Physical & Work Environment Requirements
• Regular on-site presence in production areas, including cold, wet, and industrial environments.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and stand for extended periods.
• Flexibility to support off-shifts or non-production hours as needed.