SANITATION MANAGER

Pilgrim's; Hickory (KY); On-site; USD 79,000 - 96,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vision, Medical, Dental coverage

Paid Time Off

401(k) company match

Job summary

Pilgrim’s is seeking a Sanitation Manager to lead all sanitation efforts in our poultry processing plant. You will direct sanitation supervisors, ensure compliance with USDA/OSHA and GMP standards, and drive continuous improvement.

Strong leadership, attention to detail, and collaboration with production, quality, and maintenance are essential for safe, high‑quality production. The role requires a High School Diploma/GED with 5 years of sanitation or supervisory experience, SAP and MS Office

Qualifications

• Education: High School Diploma/GED; College Degree in related field required.
• Experience: 5 years Sanitation experience in a related field or 5 years supervisory/managerial experience preferred.
• Skills: Effective communication both orally and in writing, capable of independent decision making, strong organizational skills and acute attention to detail, SAP experience preferred, ability to communicate with internal and external partners, manage priorities, MS Office proficiency.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred.

Responsibilities

• Leads the daily operations of the sanitation department, ensuring a safe, efficient, and high-performing work environment.
• Upholds and enforces all company policies, food safety standards, and regulatory requirements with consistency and integrity.
• Supervises, trains, and develops sanitation employees, fostering a skilled and engaged team.
• Conducts regular housekeeping and sanitation audits to verify compliance and drive continuous improvement.
• Develops and maintains sanitation procedures aligned with GMP, USDA, and FDA regulations to ensure safe and effective cleaning practices.
• Provides ongoing safety training and reinforces best practices to meet OSHA requirements and company safety standards.
• Collaborates with production, quality, and maintenance teams to support plant goals and optimize overall sanitation performance.
• Manages the sanitation department budget, identifying opportunities for cost control and continuous improvement.
• Take on additional responsibilities as needed to support the Operations Team.

Skills

Effective communication

Independent decision making

Organizational skills

Attention to detail

MS Office proficiency

Bilingual English/Spanish

Education

High School Diploma/GED; College Degree in related field required.

Tools

SAP

MS Office

Job description

Sanitation Manager

At Pilgrim’s,Safety Is A Condition, which means the safety of our team members comes first - always.

As the Sanitation Manager, you will lead all sanitation operations within the Pilgrim’s poultry processing plant, ensuring compliance with food safety, cleanliness, and regulatory standards. You will provide direction to sanitation supervisors, supporting their daily efforts to execute effective cleaning procedures and maintain proper use of equipment and chemicals. You will partner across teams to coordinate sanitation activities, verify adherence to USDA, OSHA, and company requirements, and proactively address issues that impact food safety or operational performance. Strong leadership, attention to detail, and the ability to drive continuous improvement are essential to maintaining a safe, sanitary environment that supports reliable, high‑quality production.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Leads the daily operations of the sanitation department, ensuring a safe, efficient, and high‑performing work environment.
• Upholds and enforces all company policies, food safety standards, and regulatory requirements with consistency and integrity.
• Supervises, trains, and develops sanitation employees, fostering a skilled and engaged team.
• Conducts regular housekeeping and sanitation audits to verify compliance and drive continuous improvement.
• Develops and maintains sanitation procedures aligned with GMP, USDA, and FDA regulations to ensure safe and effective cleaning practices.
• Provides ongoing safety training and reinforces best practices to meet OSHA requirements and company safety standards.
• Collaborates with production, quality, and maintenance teams to support plant goals and optimize overall sanitation performance.
• Manages the sanitation department budget, identifying opportunities for cost control and continuous improvement.
• Take on additional responsibilities as needed to support the Operations Team.

What You’ll Need

• Education: High School Diploma/GED; College Degree in related field required.
• Experience: 5 years Sanitation experience in a related field or 5 years supervisory/managerial experience preferred.
• Skills: Effective communication both orally and in writing, capable of independent decision making, strong organizational skills and acute attention to detail, SAP experience preferred, ability to effectively communicate with both internal and external partners, ability to manage multiple priorities, and proficient in MS Office software applications.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred.

Why Work for Pilgrim’s?

• Schedule: Monday – Friday with occasional weekends;
• Benefits: Vision, Medical, and Dental coverage begin after 60 days of employment;
• Paid Time Off: Sick leave, vacation, company observed holidays or, any other statutorily required paid leave;
• 401(k): company match begins after the first year of service and follows the company vesting schedule;
• Base salary range of $78,890.00 - $95,845.00 based on experience;
• Career Development: Our company is dedicated to supporting professional growth by offering continuous learning opportunities and a focus on career growth through various learning and development programs;

The Company is dedicated to ensuring a safe and secure environment for our team members and visitors. To assist in achieving that goal, we conduct drug, alcohol, and background checks for all new team members post-offer and prior to the start of employment. The Immigration Reform and Control Act requires that verification of employment eligibility be documented for all new employees by the end of the third day of work.

About us:

Pilgrim’s is a leading global food company with more than 62,000 team members worldwide. The company processes, prepares, packages, and delivers fresh, frozen, and value-added food products for customers in more than 100 countries. Pilgrim’s operates protein processing plants and prepared foods facilities in 14 states, Puerto Rico, Mexico, the U.K, the Republic of Ireland and continental Europe.

Our mission:

To be the best in all that we do, completely focused on our business, ensuring the best products and services to our customers, a relationship of trust with our suppliers, profitability for our shareholders and the opportunity of a better future for all of our team members.

Our core values are:

Availability, Determination, Discipline, Humility, Ownership, Simplicity, Sincerity

EOE, including disability/vets