Sanitation Manager (Protein)

Position Summary

The Sanitation Manager is responsible for developing, leading, and managing all sanitation activities within a USDA-regulated protein processing facility. This role ensures that all equipment, production areas, and support spaces meet or exceed company, regulatory, and customer standards for cleanliness and food safety.

The Sanitation Manager provides leadership to sanitation supervisors and crews, ensures compliance with all USDA/FSIS, HACCP, SSOP, and GMP requirements, and partners closely with Quality Assurance and Operations to maintain a safe, hygienic, and efficient production environment.

Key Responsibilities

Sanitation Program Management

• Plan, organize, and direct the daily and nightly sanitation operations across all production areas.

• Ensure compliance with Master Sanitation Schedule (MSS), SSOPs, and pre-operational inspection standards.

• Oversee cleaning and sanitizing of equipment, walls, floors, drains, and production lines to prevent microbial contamination.

• Verify and validate sanitation effectiveness through ATP testing, micro sampling, and visual inspections.

• Manage chemical usage and ensure appropriate concentrations, storage, and employee handling.

Regulatory & Food Safety Compliance

• Ensure full compliance with USDA/FSIS, HACCP, SSOP, GMP, and FDA (where applicable) standards.

• Prepare for and participate in USDA pre-op inspections and third-party or customer audits.

• Collaborate with QA to document sanitation verification and maintain audit-ready records.

• Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions for sanitation or food safety deviations.

Leadership & People Development

• Supervise and develop sanitation leads, supervisors, and sanitation crew members (typically across multiple shifts).

• Build a strong team culture focused on safety, accountability, and performance.

• Provide ongoing training in chemical safety, equipment operation, and cleaning procedures.

• Manage labor planning, attendance, and performance evaluations for sanitation staff.

Safety & Environmental Management

• Enforce OSHA, EPA, and company safety standards related to chemical handling and confined space entry.

• Ensure proper use and maintenance of PPE and sanitation equipment.

• Partner with Safety and Environmental teams to ensure proper waste disposal and chemical management practices.

• Drive continuous improvement in employee safety, ergonomics, and environmental stewardship.

Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence

• Identify and implement process improvements to reduce cleaning time, labor cost, and chemical usage while maintaining high sanitation standards.

• Collaborate with Maintenance and Operations to improve equipment design for easier cleaning.

• Analyze sanitation data and KPIs to drive efficiency and cost control.

• Support capital projects and plant expansion initiatives from a sanitation design and compliance standpoint.

Qualifications & Experience

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Operations Management, Chemistry, or related field preferred.

• Equivalent work experience accepted in lieu of degree.

Experience:

• Minimum 5-7 years of experience in sanitation management or supervision within a USDA-regulated protein processing facility (beef, pork, poultry, or seafood).

• Strong working knowledge of sanitation chemicals, CIP systems, and cleaning validation.

• Proven ability to manage large teams in a fast-paced, multi-shift production environment.

• Demonstrated success in passing USDA and third-party audits (e.g., BRC, SQF).

Technical Expertise:

• In-depth knowledge of HACCP, SSOP, GMP, and pathogen control principles.

• Familiarity with ATP bioluminescence testing, Listeria control programs, and environmental monitoring.

• Proficient in Microsoft Office and ERP-based sanitation recordkeeping systems.

• Understanding of sanitation equipment (foaming systems, CIP, COP tanks, high-pressure wash systems).