Senior Manager Sanitation Excellence

Maker's Pride Talent Acquisition Team • Downers Grove, IL

3d • $124,818 - $171,624 • Remote

About The Position

The Senior Manager Sanitation Excellence drives sanitation best practices, standardization, and continuous improvement across all Maker’s Pride facilities. The role aims to reduce microbiological, chemical, and foreign material risks while improving efficiency, consistency, and compliance. As a sanitation subject matter expert, the Senior Manager partners with plant leadership and cross-functional teams to strengthen sanitation systems and ensure compliance with USDA, FDA, and customer requirements. The position combines strategic direction with hands-on support, emphasizing continuous improvement methodologies and standardized processes.

The role leads enterprise-wide sanitation improvements, supports facilities with audits and regulatory preparation, and develops sanitation capabilities through training and mentorship. It works closely with Quality, Operations, Maintenance, and Safety, and oversees sanitation-related vendor performance. This is a full-time, salaried position eligible for a discretionary annual incentive. The stated annual base pay range is $124,818–$171,624, depending on work location and factors such as experience, job-related skills, and education or training. Comprehensive benefits, including health, dental, 401(k), and wellness benefits, begin on the first day of employment.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience; the degree is preferred.
• At least 7 years of progressive experience in food manufacturing sanitation, with leadership or management responsibility.
• Demonstrated experience in USDA-regulated environments.
• Proven track record of driving continuous improvement initiatives within sanitation, food safety, or operations.
• Strong knowledge of sanitation programs, including SSOPs, Master Sanitation Schedules, HACCP, allergen control, and environmental monitoring.
• Working knowledge of USDA and FDA sanitation and food safety requirements.
• Familiarity with GFSI standards, including BRC and SQF, and audit expectations.
• Understanding of microbiological and chemical validation and verification methods.
• Knowledge of sanitary equipment design and wet and dry sanitation processes.
• Experience with sanitation chemicals, pest control programs, and vendor management.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, and data tracking and reporting tools.
• Continuous improvement mindset and ability to identify gaps and implement sustainable solutions.
• Analytical, data-driven problem-solving capabilities.
• Strong communication and influencing skills across organizational levels.
• Ability to lead change and drive adoption of standardized sanitation practices.
• Strong coaching, training, and team development skills.
• Effective cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder management.
• Ability to operate in a fast-paced, multi-site environment and make sound business decisions.

Nice To Haves

• Experience supporting multi-site or regional sanitation programs.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development, standardization, and deployment of sanitation best practices across all facilities to ensure consistent execution and compliance.
• Drive sanitation continuous improvement initiatives using tools such as Kaizen, standard work, and root cause analysis.
• Partner with plant teams to redesign sanitation processes to reduce downtime, improve outcomes, and optimize labor and chemical usage without compromising food safety.
• Establish and refine enterprise sanitation standards, including SSOPs, Master Sanitation Schedules, and sanitation KPIs.
• Analyze sanitation performance data and trends to identify risks, gaps, and improvement opportunities across locations.
• Lead and participate in continuous improvement events as the sanitation subject matter expert.
• Conduct sanitation audits to assess program effectiveness, identify gaps, and verify adherence to USDA, FDA, GFSI, and internal standards.
• Provide actionable recommendations and follow up to ensure corrective actions are sustainable.
• Support facilities preparing for USDA inspections, third-party BRC and SQF audits, and customer reviews.
• Partner with Quality, Operations, Maintenance, and Safety teams to integrate sanitation into broader operational excellence initiatives.
• Develop and deliver training for sanitation teams and plant leadership on best practices, continuous improvement tools, and regulatory requirements.
• Support environmental monitoring, allergen control, and HACCP programs through improved sanitation practices.
• Oversee sanitation-related vendor performance, including chemicals and pest control, and escalate issues affecting performance or compliance.
• Mentor and support plant sanitation leadership to build capability and ownership of standardized practices.
• Communicate sanitation risks, deviations, and improvement plans to leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.

Benefits

• Health benefits beginning on the first day of employment.
• Dental benefits beginning on the first day of employment.
• 401(k) beginning on the first day of employment.
• Wellness benefits beginning on the first day of employment.
• Eligible for a discretionary annual incentive based on company and individual performance.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior