Sanitation Manager

About the role

SunOpta delivers customized supply chain solutions and innovation for top brands, retailers, and foodservice providers across a broad portfolio of beverages, broths, and better-for-you snacks. With over 50 years of expertise, SunOpta fuels customers' growth with high-quality, sustainability-forward solutions distributed through retail, club, foodservice, and e-commerce channels across North America.

Responsibilities

• Ensure the effectiveness of the cleaning and sanitation program to maintain an appropriate environment for the manufacture of safe products at our Omak facility.
• Coordinate team activities and ensure teams have the tools, equipment and materials so that cleaning, sanitization, and pest control processes at the plant are done well the first time.
• Own sanitation standard operating procedures (SSOP’s) to ensure the safety and quality of our products while complying with and maintaining the safety, health and environmental requirements applicable to this position.
• Responsible for the overall direction, coordination, and evaluation of the sanitation and janitorial program.
• Ensure that all equipment and environmental surfaces are cleaned per SSOP, according to the cleaning record schedule, and using approved chemicals.
• Lead and train all levels of employees on pre-operational inspections of equipment.
• Direct sanitation employee activities and establish priorities for cleaning in keeping with effective operation and cleaning schedule.
• Ensure safe handling of chemicals and use of approved chemicals, including obtaining Safety Data Sheets.
• Own, review, and create action plans when nonconformances associated with cleaning activities.
• Identify challenges and concerns in order to communicate/take corrective actions.
• Prepare and maintain all requisite documentation for successful implementation of SQF as it pertains to sanitation and related activities, including HACCP, SSOP’s, and GMP’s.
• Deploy all sanitation department assets in an efficient and safe manner to ensure that audit ready for sanitation-related audits.
• Prepare, implement, and audit the Master sanitation schedule to effectively address all equipment and facility cleanliness and suitability to food preparation and manufacture activities.
• Responsible for the selection and usage of appropriate chemicals, dispensing devices and allied equipment, including managing cost benefits aspects.
• Works with third party service providers (such as chemical providers and sanitation consultants) to troubleshoot sanitation issues and drive cost savings.
• Calibrate and clean equipment to ensure results are correct.
• Lead facility validations according to schedule.
• Absorb and audit investigations, troubleshooting, and program review related to incident management.
• Ensure effective safety procedures, tools and record keeping are managed through site leadership.
• Adhere to company GMP’s (good manufacturing practices), safety procedures, and all other quality processes.
• Wear and govern use of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) when required.
• All other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Manage up to 19 sanitation employees and is responsible for the overall direction, coordination, and evaluation of sanitation team.
• Provide employee coaching and development for team members.

Minimum Qualifications

• 5+ years of work experience in a Sanitation Leadership role, three years as a HACCP Certified Sanitation Manager for a food processing facility preferred.
• QA related experience in a high-speed automated Consumer Goods manufacturing environment preferred (e.g. production of food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, and/or household goods).
• B.S. in Chemical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Food Science, Microbiology or related field or equivalent related experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) Certification
• SQF Certification
• Preventive Control Qualified Individual (PCQI) Certification

Knowledge and Skills

• Understanding of Manual Cleaning and Clean in Place systems
• Knowledge in Food Industry Quality Control Systems as well as FDA Criteria and Good Manufacturing Practices
• Knowledge in microbiology, microbial elimination systems, and sanitization of food plants
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing practices is beneficial
• Great verbal, written, multi-tasking and presentation skills
• Ability to create momentum and foster organizational change
• Bilingual in Spanish is beneficial
• Must have a working knowledge of MS Word and PowerPoint and be proficient with MS Excel software.

Featured Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Paid Family leave
• Paid maternity leave
• 401(k) with Match
• Tuition assistance
• Short-term and Long-term Disability insurance