Sanitation Manager

About the role

The Sanitation Compliance Manager is a plant management role responsible for the strategic direction, execution, and continuous improvement of all sanitation and hygienic design programs within the Tulare manufacturing facility. This role ensures compliance with PMO (Grade “A”), CDFA, FDA, USDA, OSHA, GMPs, and HACCP requirements while driving a proactive sanitation and food safety culture.

Responsibilities

• Leads plant-wide sanitation strategy for a 24/7 dairy operation
  Direct ownership of sanitation team (Sanitation supervisor and QA Sanitation operations team of six)
  Influences cross-functional teams including Operations, Maintenance, Engineering and Quality
  Accountable for environmental pathogen control and sanitation-driven KPIs
  Manages sanitation budget, chemical optimization, and vendor performance
  Key contributor to ensure site readiness for regulatory inspections and customer audits

• Strategic Sanitation Leadership
  Collaborate with site Sr. QA Manager, local leaders, and corporate partners to define/execute the facility’s sanitation strategy in alignment with plant and organization food safety objectives.
  Establish, sustain, and continuously improve sanitation SOPs, SSOPs, and hygienic design standards.
  Drive a preventive, risk-based sanitation culture focused on eliminating contamination risks
  Collaborate with operational teams on sanitation SOP’s, environmental monitoring, MSS, and food safety program support.
  Lead sanitation performance through KPIs, data analytics, and continuous improvement initiatives

• Food Safety & Risk Management
  Become site SME on environmental monitoring program (EMP) including trending, risk zoning, and pathogen control (e.g., Listeria and Salmonella)
  Lead root cause investigations and CAPA for microbiological, chemical and physical hazards to ensure food safety compliance.
  Ensure integration of sanitation programs with HACCP and food safety Preventive Controls

• CIP Systems & Hygienic Design
  Provide technical leadership for CIP validation, verification, and optimization
  Ensure effective cleaning of complex dairy systems (tanks, HTST systems, evaporators, spray dryers, pipelines)
  Collaborate with corporate Sanitation and other cross-functional teams on equipment design, installation, and sanitary improvements
  Optimize chemical usage, water consumption, and cycle times while maintaining efficiency

• Team Leadership & Development
  Develop and integrate a Food Safety Sanitation and Quality culture through collaboration with site leadership
  Coach team members while developing a multi-skilled team capable of supporting plant needs
  Drive engagement, accountability, and a strong safety culture sitewide
  Ensure effective onboarding and ongoing training in sanitation, GMPs, and chemical safety

• Vendor & Resource Management
  Provide oversight of third-party vendors, including chemical suppliers, pest control, and sanitation service providers
  Thorough review of service reports and timely execution of corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) for all identified findings
  Evaluate vendor performance and leverage their technical expertise to achieve plant sanitation goals
  Manage sanitation budget while identifying cost-savings initiatives and driving Sanitation/Food Safety performance

• Compliance & Audit Leadership
  Lead plant readiness and response for regulatory inspections (FDA, USDA, CDFA) and customer audits
  Ensure sanitation documentation, validation records, and various training logs are within compliance standards
  Conduct internal audits and drive corrective actions to closure
  Act as backup to Quality leadership as needed

Requirements

• Required Education & Experience: Bachelor’s degree preferred in Food Science, Engineering, Chemistry or related field with 5+ years of sanitation experience in a 24/7 food/dairy manufacturing processing plant experience OR High School Diploma with 9+ years of sanitation experience in a 24/7 food/dairy manufacturing processing plant experience.
• Experience managing direct reports
  Strong experience in dairy processing (fluid milk, butter, milk powder, UF and other dairy products)
  Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures
  CIP systems and validation
  Environmental monitoring and pathogen control
  Dairy microbiology (SPC, coliforms, pathogens)
  Sanitation chemistry (alkaline, acid, sanitizers)

Preferred Experience

• PMO (Grade “A” dairy requirements)
  Sanitary and hygienic design principles

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic thinking with strong execution capability
  Proven ability to lead teams in a 24/7 manufacturing environment
  Strong decision-making and problem-solving skills under pressure
  Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
  Data-driven mindset with focus on continuous improvement

Work Environment

24/7 dairy manufacturing facility requiring on-call support
Exposure to wet, cold, and variable processing environments
Flexibility required for off-hours, weekends, and emergency response

Pay

Salary Range: $93,360 - $140,400

Schedule

Primarily 1st shift – This role may require off shift hours along with an on-call rotation, weekends and Holidays as needed.

Benefits

Most full-time roles include medical, dental, vision, PTO, life & disability insurance, education assistance, a 401k and a variety of well-being resources.
Most part-time employees are eligible for prorated PTO, holiday pay, employee development programs, prorated education assistance, and a 401(k).

About Land O'Lakes, Inc.

Join us and be part of a Fortune 250, farmer- and member-owned cooperative that is reimagining the business of food. We have been named a Top Workplace by Indeed and LinkedIn, and to the TIME 100 Most Influential Companies list.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Land O'Lakes, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) M/F/Vets/Disabled. The company maintains a drug-free workforce, including post-employment substance abuse testing pursuant to a Drug and Alcohol Policy.