Cleaning & Sanitization Manager

The Cleaning & Sanitization Manager leads the company’s Sanitization and Janitorial teams and serves as the subject matter expert (SME) on contamination prevention within a regulated personal care and OTC manufacturing environment. This role carries primary accountability for the safety of personnel, ensures facilities, equipment, and processes are in full compliance with cGMP, ISO 22716, FDA, OSHA, and applicable federal and state regulations to prevent contamination and ensure product safety, quality, and compliance.

In addition to driving product quality and process safety, the Cleaning & Sanitization Manager is responsible for optimizing processes, implementing cost-effective solutions, and leading continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen the company’s quality system and operational performance.

Leadership and Team Management

• Carry out responsibilities in compliance with company policies, work procedures, and federal, state and local laws. Comply with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), and health and safety rules and regulations.
• Provide strong, hands‑on leadership to Sanitization and Janitorial team members, fostering a culture of safety‑first behavior, quality ownership, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Build department capability and capacity to meet both current and future business needs through talent acquisition, structured employee training and development, succession planning, and performance management.
• Set clear safety, quality, and productivity goals; monitor performance against targets; and provide timely, constructive feedback and coaching to team members.
• Develop and deliver comprehensive training programs covering cGMP, ISO 22716, sanitation, chemical handling, equipment operation, and personal protective equipment (PPE) use.
• Verify that all team members are qualified and re‑qualified on the specific equipment, products, and procedures they execute, and maintain auditable training records for each employee.
• Contribute to an environment in which all team members are respected regardless of their individual differences.

Safety of People, Process, and Product

• Champion a zero‑incident safety culture across cleaning and sanitization operations; lead by example in observing every safety rule, lockout/tagout procedure, and PPE requirement.
• Ensure safe handling, weighing, transfer, and storage of all chemicals in accordance with Safety Data Sheets (SDS), GHS labeling, and OSHA Hazard Communication standards.
• Verify that the wash areas are equipped with, and that operators are trained on, emergency eyewashes, safety showers, spill containment, fire suppression, ventilation, and proper grounding/bonding for flammable materials.
• Lead daily safety walks, behavior‑based safety observations, and pre‑shift toolbox talks; immediately address unsafe conditions or behaviors and drive permanent corrective action.
• Investigate all safety incidents, near misses, and ergonomic issues in the compounding area; perform thorough root cause analysis (RCA) and implement effective corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
• Maintain readiness for emergency response, including chemical spills, fires, and product or material reactions; ensure team members know evacuation routes, SDS locations, and reporting protocols.

Sanitation, Contamination Control, and Hygiene

• Develop, implement, and enforce robust sanitation and hygiene programs for manufacturing, production, laboratory, warehouse, and support areas to prevent cross‑contamination, microbial contamination, and product carryover between jobs.
• Verify cleaning effectiveness through visual inspection, swab testing, rinse sample analysis, and ATP monitoring as defined in cleaning validation protocols; ensure changeover cleaning meets validated acceptance criteria before the next product is introduced.
• Enforce gowning, hand hygiene, jewelry, and personal hygiene standards consistent with cGMP and ISO 22716 expectations; control access to washroom areas and ensure visitor and contractor compliance.
• Oversee management of the water system used in compounding (purified water, deionized water, or USP water as…