Sanitation Manager

Farmer Focus•Harrisonburg, VA

14h•Onsite

About The Position

The Plant Sanitation Manager is responsible for leading and guiding sanitation execution throughout the facility. This role serves as a sanitation subject matter expert and partners cross-functionally with Operations, Food Safety & Quality, Safety, Maintenance, and plant leadership to implement effective sanitation practices, verify program effectiveness, and support compliance with food safety, quality, and workplace safety standards. The Plant Sanitation Manager develops, validates, and supports sanitation practices, including cleaning methods, chemical selection and use, training materials, corrective actions, and continuous improvement initiatives that help protect team members, customers, farmers, products, and the Farmer Focus brand.

Requirements

High school diploma, GED, or equivalent required
Four or more years of relevant sanitation, food manufacturing, quality, production, or related experience required, or an equivalent combination of knowledge, skills, and abilities to succeed in the role.
One or more years of leadership experience, or demonstrated ability to lead, coach, support, and hold a team accountable in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
Good understanding of sanitation processes, cleaning procedures, sanitation best practices, wet and dry sanitation practices, chemical use, and sustainable sanitation programs in a food manufacturing environment.
Working knowledge of OSHA regulations and applicable safety requirements related to sanitation, chemicals, PPE, equipment, and manufacturing environments.
Strong problem-solving skills, including root cause analysis, risk assessment, corrective action planning, preventive action follow-up, and data-driven decision-making.
Ability to communicate effectively, appropriately, and respectfully with team members, supervisors, managers, senior leaders, and cross-functional partners.
Strong organization, time-management, delegation, prioritization, and critical-thinking skills with the ability to work effectively under pressure and meet deadlines.
Proficiency with computer applications, including mainframe, network, and PC-based business software; ability to interpret, apply, and train others on standard practices, policies, and procedures.
Flexibility to work weekends, overtime, holidays, and varied hours as business needs require.
Must be able to perform the essential functions of the role with or without reasonable accommodation.
New team members must be able to pass a drug, alcohol and background screening post-offer and prior to the start of their employment.
Must be authorized to work in the United States.
The Immigration Reform and Control Act requires that verification of employment eligibility be documented for all new employees by the end of their third day of work.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in a related field preferred.
Experience with GMP, HACCP, environmental sanitation programs, USDA or FDA regulated food manufacturing environments, HACCP certification, and Internal Auditor certification preferred.
Bilingual English/Spanish skills preferred.

Responsibilities

Supervise the day-to-day activities of sanitation team members, providing guidance, coaching, scheduling support, training, performance feedback, and accountability to ensure tasks are completed safely, effectively, and on time.
Implement and promote chemical safety, sanitation safety programs, and safe work practices through active participation in safety meetings, training, and routine observation of work practices.
Ensure sanitation team members understand applicable safety rules, regulations, procedures, and PPE requirements and perform work in accordance with company standards and regulatory expectations.
Monitor, evaluate, and adjust cleaning systems, sanitation procedures, and cleaning methods to support optimal cleanliness across production, processing, and support areas.
Partner with plant management and cross-functional teams to troubleshoot sanitation issues, recommend process improvements, and strengthen policies, procedures, and program effectiveness.
Conduct routine assessments, inspections, audits, KPI reviews, and sanitation verification activities to evaluate program effectiveness and identify continuous improvement opportunities.
Ensure appropriate sanitation oversight, staffing, tools, chemicals, and resources are available to fully support operations and the Master Sanitation Schedule.
Evaluate data and trends related to cleaning verification, validation, environmental sanitation, and quality findings; initiate corrective and preventive actions as needed to support food safety and quality requirements.
Conduct regular meetings with plant leadership to review sanitation findings, progress against goals, risks, and major issues requiring escalation.
Communicate sanitation opportunities in production areas and help train production team members on sanitation expectations, food safety practices, and related procedures.
Collaborate with facility departments to define sanitation activities and resources to complete the Master Sanitation Schedule; audit completion and support root cause and corrective action activities for identified gaps.
Support development and oversight of the sanitation department operating budget, ensuring proper procedures are followed and expenses remain within approved guidelines.
Serve as a liaison between sanitation and other plant functions to support overall company goals, operational readiness, regulatory compliance, safety, quality, and continuous improvement.
Ensure all documentation, records, and reports are completed accurately, maintained appropriately, and submitted in compliance with corporate and USDA regulatory requirements.
Perform other duties as assigned.