Job Description:Sanitation ManagerThe Sanitation Manager is responsible for developing, implementing, and continuously improving the sanitation, environmental monitoring (EMP), and pest control strategy for the Nom Nom Nashville facility. This role serves as the site subject matter expert for sanitation and hygienic design, ensuring sanitation systems effectively support food safety, regulatory compliance, and operational performance in a fresh food manufacturing environment.
The position leads the development of a sanitation-centric culture while partnering cross-functionally with Operations, Quality & Food Safety, Maintenance, and external service providers to establish sustainable programs that drive compliance, risk reduction, and continuous improvement.
What are we looking for?- Minimum of a bachelor's degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, or a related technical field.
- Minimum 5 years of food manufacturing experience with 3 years of leadership experience managing sanitation, food safety, quality systems and manufacturing teams.
- Strong understanding of FDA, FSMA, HACCP, GFSI/FSSC 22000, GMPs, environmental monitoring, and sanitation systems.
- Experience leading food safety investigations, CAPA programs, and root cause analysis initiatives.
- Demonstrated ability to build programs, systems, standards, and performance metrics in a manufacturing environment.
- Preferred experiences in Ready-to-Eat (RTE), refrigerated foods, fresh food, pet food, or high-risk food manufacturing; PCQI and HACCP certification; leading environmental monitoring programs and microbiological risk reduction initiatives, implementing sanitation and food safety software platforms, managing third-party sanitation providers and pest control programs.
Key ResponsibilitiesFood Safety, Sanitation & Regulatory Compliance- Own and drive execution of site sanitation, environmental monitoring (EMP), and pest control programs.
- Ensure compliance with FDA, FSMA, HACCP, FSSC 22000, Mars Quality Management Program (QMP), and internal food safety requirements.
- Maintain manufacturing environments free of microbiological contamination and pest infestation.
- Lead site sanitation inspections, food safety assessments, GMP audits, and pre-operational verification activities.
- Serve as site sanitation lead during internal audits, external audits, customer visits, and regulatory inspections.
Program Development & Strategy- Develop and execute long-term sanitation roadmap aligned to Nom Nom's growing food safety and environmental monitoring requirements.
- Design, implement, and continuously improve SSOPs, Master Sanitation Schedules (MSS), environmental monitoring programs, sanitation validation processes, and pest control programs.
- Establish sanitation standards, governance processes, performance metrics, and accountability systems.
- Identify and implement new technologies, practices, and process improvements that advance sanitation effectiveness and food safety performance.
- Champion development of a proactive hygienic design and sanitary operations culture,
EMP & Food Safety Systems Leadership- Own environmental monitoring programs, including ATP, microbiological, and pre-operational verification systems.
- Monitor, trend, analyze, and communicate sanitation and EMP performance metrics.
- Utilize food safety and environmental monitoring data to identify risk areas and prioritize improvement opportunities.
- Maintain oversight of sanitation and food safety data platforms and reporting systems.
- Develop risk assessments and define intervention strategies supporting sanitation and food safety objectives.
Incident Management & Root Cause Analysis- Lead EMP spike investigations and sanitation-related food safety investigations.
- Conduct structured root cause analysis and implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
- Partner with Operations, Maintenance, and Q&FS teams to investigate food safety incidents, environmental excursions, and sanitation failures.
- Support management of non-conforming product events and food safety-related customer complaints.
- Establish response protocols and escalation processes for sanitation and environmental monitoring events.
Team Leadership & Capability Building- Lead, coach, and develop site sanitation associates and third-party sanitation providers.
- Build organizational capability in sanitation, environmental monitoring, GMPs, food safety, and hygienic practices.
- Develop training systems and competency programs to improve sanitation execution and associate ownership.
- Establish a high-performing team culture focused on accountability, continuous improvement, and food safety excellence.
Cross-Functional Partnership- Serve as primary liaison between Operations, Quality & Food Safety, Maintenance, Engineering, sanitation vendors, chemical suppliers, and pest control providers.
- Partner with production leadership to ensure sanitation enables safe, efficient, and reliable manufacturing operations.
- Collaborate with maintenance teams on equipment cleaning strategies, preventive maintenance activities, and sanitary design improvements.
- Share and implement best practices across Nom Nom, Royal Canin, and Mars manufacturing networks.
Culture, Safety & Standards- Drive food safety culture initiatives that elevate sanitation ownership at all levels of the organization.
- Promote compliance with all safety programs and environmental health requirements.
- Reinforce standards, accountability, and disciplined execution of sanitation and food safety programs.
- Lead sanitation-related continuous improvement initiatives that reduce risk and improve operational performance.
