Hygiene Manager

Bell Recruitment; Newry; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A food industry company in Newry is seeking a proactive Hygiene Manager to lead hygiene and facilities operations across all sites. The ideal candidate has a minimum of 2 years of experience in hygiene management within the food industry and strong leadership skills, ensuring compliance, safety, and operational excellence. Responsibilities include managing cleaning activities, overseeing service providers, and maintaining food safety standards. This role requires excellent organizational skills and a solid understanding of HACCP and GMP regulations.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years experience in hygiene management within the food industry.
• Strong leadership and team management capabilities.
• Excellent knowledge of health and safety regulations relevant to hygiene.
• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills for staff training and reporting.
• Experience in managing complex facility development and capital projects.
• Budget management and contractor coordination experience.
• Strong understanding of HACCP, GMP, and food safety standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead, develop, and manage the hygiene team to maintain consistent standards.
• Plan, oversee, and verify cleaning activities across production areas.
• Maintain hygiene records and cleaning schedules for audit readiness.
• Coordinate hygiene activities and manage chemical stock levels.
• Ensure hygiene staff are trained and competent.
• Conduct facilities checks and manage key contracts.
• Report issues compromising food safety to the Technical Manager.
• Monitor hygiene KPIs and ensure compliance with legislation.

Skills

Leadership

Hygiene management

Health and safety regulations

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Project management

Budget management

Food safety standards knowledge

Job description

Job Title: Hygiene Manager
Reports To: Technical Manager / Operations Leadership

Role Overview

We are seeking a proactive Hygiene Manager to lead hygiene and facilities operations across all sites. The Hygiene Manager will ensure compliance, safety, and operational excellence, playing a critical role in maintaining food safety, audit readiness, and operational efficiency. You will oversee cleaning activities, manage service providers, and ensure all equipment and environments are safe, compliant, and hazard-free. Collaboration with departmental managers and leadership of the hygiene team are key to success.

Key Responsibilities

Hygiene Operations:

• Lead, develop, and manage the hygiene team to maintain consistent, high-quality standards.

• Plan, oversee, and verify cleaning activities across production areas, equipment, and facilities.

• Maintain hygiene records, SOPs, and cleaning schedules to ensure audit readiness.

• Coordinate scheduled and unscheduled hygiene activities.

• Manage chemical stock levels and usage to ensure compliance and availability.

• Support the Listeria Management Plan and drive continuous improvement initiatives.

• Investigate post-clean micro failures and implement long-term corrective actions.

• Ensure hygiene staff are trained, refreshed, and competent in their roles.

• Collaborate with internal departments to meet hygiene and operational requirements.

• Promote a culture of continuous improvement to challenge and enhance performance.

Facilities Management:

• Conduct daily, weekly, and monthly facilities checks across departments and equipment.

• Manage key contracts, including chemical supply, laundry, consumables, and PPE.

• Arrange and oversee external contractors for facility upgrades and maintenance.

• Lead capital expenditure projects, ensuring planning, resourcing, and ROI delivery.

• Model and promote safe working practices through personal leadership.

Compliance & Reporting:

• Report any issues that may compromise food safety or quality to the Technical Manager.

• Monitor hygiene KPIs and implement improvements to optimize processes and labor efficiency.

• Ensure cleaning activities are fully documented and traceable.

• Address health and safety findings from audits.

• Maintain compliance with HACCP, GMP, and food safety legislation.

Required Skills and Competencies:

• Minimum 2 years experience in hygiene management within the food industry.

• Strong leadership and team management capabilities.

• Excellent knowledge of health and safety regulations relevant to hygiene.

• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail.

• Effective verbal and written communication skills for staff training and reporting.

• Experience in managing complex facility development and capital projects.

• Budget management and contractor coordination experience.

• Strong understanding of HACCP, GMP, and food safety standards.