Hygiene Manager

Zest Recruitment; Lancashire; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Zest Recruitment is seeking an experienced Hygiene Manager for a leading food manufacturer in Lancashire. You will lead the hygiene function, ensuring top food safety standards and compliance across the site.

Role involves managing a team, driving continuous improvement, and delivering hygiene projects while aligning with customer requirements and regulatory standards.

Qualifications

• Hygiene leadership experience in food manufacturing.
• Experience with audits (internal and external).
• Ability to develop and maintain hygiene SOPs and documentation.
• Strong understanding of customer food safety requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead, manage and develop the site hygiene team.
• Drive food safety and hygiene standards across the factory.
• Ensure standards meet legislative and customer requirements.
• Lead audits and ensure site compliance.
• Develop and maintain hygiene SOPs and documentation.
• Drive continuous improvement projects and monitor performance.
• Manage the hygiene budget and resources.
• Collaborate with technical, production and operations teams.

Skills

Team leadership

Hygiene & food safety knowledge

Audits & compliance

SOP development

Continuous improvement

Budget & resource management

Customer food safety knowledge

Hands-on approach

Education

Food Safety & HACCP qualifications

Job description

Role - Hygiene Manager

Salary - £55,000 - £65,000

We're working with a longstanding client of ours, a successful food manufacturer, who are looking to appoint an experienced Hygiene Manager to lead and develop the hygiene function across their site.

This is a key role within the technical team, with responsibility for ensuring the highest standards of hygiene, food safety and compliance are consistently maintained across the factory. You'll have the opportunity to make a real impact, leading a team, driving continuous improvement and managing key hygiene projects across site.

The Role

As Hygiene Manager, you will take ownership of the site hygiene function, ensuring standards consistently meet both legislative and customer requirements.

Responsibilities

• Leading, managing and developing the site hygiene team, ensuring colleagues are fully trained and operating to the highest standards.
• Driving food safety and hygiene standards across the factory.
• Ensuring hygiene and food safety standards align with customer requirements and expectations.
• Managing and delivering hygiene improvement projects across site.
• Leading internal and external hygiene audits, ensuring the site is fully prepared and compliant.
• Developing, updating and maintaining hygiene SOPs and associated documentation.
• Identifying opportunities for continuous improvement across hygiene and food safety.
• Monitoring hygiene performance and implementing corrective actions where required.
• Managing the hygiene budget and ensuring resources are used effectively.
• Working closely with the wider technical, production and operational teams to maintain and improve site standards.
• Supporting a strong culture of food safety, hygiene and continuous improvement across the business.

We're looking for an experienced Hygiene Manager who can demonstrate a strong track record within a food manufacturing environment.

Essential requirements

• Previous experience in a Hygiene Manager or similar senior hygiene role within food manufacturing.
• Proven ability to lead, manage and develop a team.
• Strong technical knowledge of hygiene and food safety within a manufacturing environment.
• Food Safety and HACCP qualifications.
• Experience managing and leading hygiene audits, including internal and external audits.
• Experience developing and maintaining SOPs and hygiene procedures.
• Strong understanding of customer food safety and hygiene requirements.
• Experience delivering continuous improvement and hygiene projects.
• Ability to manage budgets and resources effectively.
• A proactive, hands‑on approach with the ability to influence and drive standards across site.