Corporate Sanitation Manager

Position Overview The Corporate Sanitation Manager will lead the company’s sanitation strategy across all facilities, ensuring the highest standards of hygienic design, extended shelf-life processing, and regulatory compliance. This role is responsible for developing, implementing, and monitoring sanitation programs that safeguard product integrity, protect consumer health, and maintain operational excellence in dairy manufacturing.

This position operates under a hybrid work model, requiring onsite presence Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, with Wednesday and Friday designated as remote workdays. While this schedule is typical, team or business needs may require additional onsite days.

Travel Requirements:
Up to 50% as needed

Responsibilities

Sanitation Program Leadership Develop and oversee corporate sanitation policies, procedures, and best practices across all facilities.

Ensure adherence to FDA, USDA, and other regulatory requirements, as well as industry standards for dairy manufacturing.

Develop and deliver sanitation training programs for plant personnel, fostering a culture of cleanliness and accountability.

Lead sanitation response efforts during contamination events or other food safety incidents.

CIP & SIP System Oversight Lead CIP & SIP validation protocols to ensure cleaning efficacy across diverse equipment and product lines.

Provide company wide guidance on industry best practices for steam and chemical SIP.Implement verification procedures (ATP testing, microbial swabbing, chemical concentration monitoring) and routine CIP chart reviews (Carlson Charting).Optimize CIP cycles to reduce water, energy, and chemical usage while maintaining sanitary integrity and meeting Regulatory Compliance (including PMO).Partner with sanitation chemical suppliers to optimize the utilization of cleaning chemicals.

Work with equipment OEMs (e.g. Dairy Membrane System Partners) on cleaning best practices.

Master Sanitation Schedule (MSS)
Develop and maintain corporate-level MSS covering all equipment, infrastructure, and facility zones.

Monitor execution of MSS activities across facilities, ensuring timely completion and documentation.

Drive continuous improvement in MSS effectiveness, frequency, and resource allocation.

Standardize MSS reporting and analytics to identify trends and areas for improvement.

Phage Monitoring & Control Partner with R&D, Quality and Microbiology teams to implement preventive measures.

Support facilities in responding to phage-related incidents, ensuring rapid containment and corrective actions.

Environmental Testing Collaborate with R&D on environmental monitoring programs for pathogens, spoilage organisms, and allergens.

Support consistent sampling, testing, and reporting across facilities.

Analyze environmental data to identify risk patterns and drive proactive interventions.

Cross-Functional Collaboration Partner with plant leadership to ensure consistent execution of sanitation programs, including extended shelf-life processing and hygienic design standards.

Conduct regular facility reviews, risk assessments, and verification activities to ensure compliance and identify opportunities for improvement.

Work closely with Quality Assurance, Engineering, and Operations teams to integrate sanitation, CIP, MSS, and environmental monitoring into all aspects of production and facility design.

This role may require additional responsibilities as needed to support team and business objectives.

Qualifications

Education and Experience:

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Engineering, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
10+ years of experience in sanitation leadership roles within food manufacturing, with multi-site responsibility preferred.

Strong knowledge of dairy processing, CIP systems, MSS management, phage monitoring, environmental testing, and dairy industry standards.

Skills and

Competencies:

Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams, influence at all organizational levels, and drive cultural change.

Knowledge of food industry regulations, safety standards, and quality control processes.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to train, mentor, and…