Senior Sanitation Manager

ofi; Gilroy (CA); On-site; USD 144,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

ofi is seeking a Regional Sanitation Manager to lead sanitation programs across multiple sites in California, including Gilroy. You will standardize SSOPs, drive continuous improvement, and ensure compliance with food safety standards while coordinating with QFS and engineering teams.

The ideal candidate has 10+ years in sanitation with at least 5 years in supervision, a relevant Bachelor's degree, and certifications such as PCQI/HACCP are preferred. Travel up to 50% may be required.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of sanitation experience in a food manufacturing environment.
• Minimum 5 years in a supervisory capacity.
• Bachelor’s degree in Food Safety, Sanitation, Biology, Process Engineering, Food Science Technology or Microbiology with Food Safety background is preferred.
• PCQI, HACCP and sanitation certificates are preferred.
• Strong communication and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Overhaul SSOPs and challenge the MSS using a risk-based approach.
• Keep abreast of tech developments to reduce risk and downtime related to sanitation.
• Manage open EMP cases and coordinate with QFS and Sanitarians for timely cleaning and swabbing.
• Collaborate with pest management to close findings and coordinate site-level IPM.
• Develop standardized training across Gilroy, Firebaugh, and Merced; implement proficiency testing for sanitarians.
• Manage KPIs to trend sanitation completion and environmental monitoring.
• Participate in HACCP and Food Safety Teams; advise on sanitary design with engineering.
• Execute cleaning of production equipment and breakdown/reassembly of lines.
• Manage risks in wet vs dry cleaning within operations.
• Document and maintain sanitation records; coordinate with microbiologist on swab programs.
• Support the broader QFS program and policies.

Skills

Sanitation

Quality & Food Safety

Leadership

Problem Solving

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Safety / related

Job description

Description

ofi

Description

ofi is a global leader in food & beverage ingredients and solutions. Through our core ingredient platforms that we’re known for globally – cocoa, coffee, dairy, nuts, and spices – we partner with food and beverage manufacturers, retailers, and foodservice operators worldwide to help meet evolving consumer needs.

With deep roots in origin countries and close relationships with farmers, we help deliver quality, traceability, transparency, and resilient supply chains. By combining sourcing expertise, market knowledge, innovation, and technical capabilities, we create value for customers while driving positive impact for people and the planet.

Together, ofi employees advance our Purpose: to be the change for good food and a healthy future.

Position Summary

ofi values in-person collaboration with colleagues – employees are expected to work their specific work schedule on site at their ofi location.

Reporting to the Plant Manager with dotted line reporting to the Director of North America Plant Sanitation and Director of Quality and Food Safety, the Regional Sanitation Manager will be responsible for aligning and standardizing existing sanitation programs to industry best practices and ensuring compliance to food safety and quality standards. The Regional Sanitation Manager will develop SSOP’s for the Gilroy and Firebaugh plants and be responsible for instilling a culture of food safety and risk reduction within the individuals conducting sanitation tasks.

The ideal candidate will focus on continuous improvement to leverage technological advancements to reduce the food safety and environmental health and safety risks associated with sanitation activities and minimize production downtime by increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of cleaning and sanitation. They will emphasize the values of trust, integrity, and respect during all communications within the organization and drive consistent roll out of the global sanitation initiatives.

What You’ll Do - Position Responsibilities

• Overhaul existing sanitation standard operating procedures (SSOP’s) and challenge the existing Master Sanitation Schedule (MSS) using a risk-based approach.
• Keep abreast of technological developments and industry best practices in order to reduce risk related to food and employee safety while increasing sanitation effectiveness and reducing downtime related to sanitation activities.
• Manage open EMP cases and coordinate with QFS and Sanitarians to ensure pre and post cleaning of vector and follow-up swabbing is conducted to the appropriate timescales.
• Collaborate with third party pest management companies to ensure findings related to sanitation are closed in a timely manner and serve as a technical resource to coordinate integrated pest management at the site-level.
• Develop a standardized training program across Gilroy, Firebaugh, and Merced to onboard sanitation new hires, and ensure ongoing training and development of sanitarians. Develop a proficiency testing schema to verify the effectiveness of sanitation and sanitarians.
• Manage KPI’s to trend sanitation completion, environmental monitoring swabs, etc. and develop leading indicators to ensure proactive management of potential issues.
• Serve as an active member of the HACCP and Food Safety Teams and collaborate with engineering on sanitary design principles and requirements for new equipment install. Ensure we plan for how to effectively clean equipment as part of the up-front design processes.
• Execute and ensure compliance to the cleaning schedules and sanitation of production equipment, including breaking down, cleaning, and reassembly of general manufacturing lines.
• Effectively manage the different risks inherent in the wet cleaning and dry cleanings aspects of the ofi Industrial Spices operations.
• Ensure proper documentation and maintenance of sanitation records. Complete record reviews of site leads and sanitarians.
• Coordinate with corporate microbiologist related to annual plant level swabathons and pre-season start-up activities.
• Ensure effective execution of the ofi Quality and Food Safety policies and standards.
• Ability to impact the Q&FS agenda at site and support the broader Q&FS program as required.

Experience You’ll Bring – Role Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in sanitation including broad technical knowledge of quality and food safety in a food manufacturing environment, including a minimum of 5 years in a supervisory capacity is required.
• Bachelor’s degree is required, degree in the areas of Food Safety, Sanitation, Biology, Process Engineering, Food Science Technology or Microbiology with Food Safety background is preferred.
• Servant leader with the ability to assess the existing food safety culture and execute on a plan to drive engagement and improve it.
• Demonstrates strong problem-solving skills including root cause analysis, risk assessment and corrective action
• Proven ability to work calmly and effectively under pressure is required.
• Proven ability to work in a fast-paced and deadline-oriented environment is required.
• PCQI, HACCP and Sanitation related certificates are preferred.
• Proven ability to communicate effectively, appropriately, and respectfully with each member of the organization is required.
• Knowledge of sanitation processes and procedures is required.
• Ability to manage upward.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel between sites, estimated up to 50% or as needed is required.

Note: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employees may perform other related duties as required to meet the ongoing needs of the organization

ofi provides employees with a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that is designed to support your career, health, and future. Build a Rewarding Career at ofi!

The pay for this role in the state of CA ranges from $144,000 - $180,000 and is based on position responsibilities and geographic location. Actual pay within this range may be determined based on the candidate’s experience, qualifications and/or other determining factors.

Performance-based Bonuses

Discretionary bonus rewarding company performance as well as your contributions and impact, for eligible roles.

Comprehensive & Affordable Benefits

Coverage for you (and your eligible dependents) with plans designed for peace of mind and savings for the future.

A Culture of Well-being

Paid Volunteer time off, access to events, resources, and learning opportunities that inspire physical, social, emotional, and financial well-being for you and your family.

Family Support

Paid parental leave, Fertility benefits and lactation support, including milk shipping for traveling employees.

Additional Perks That Make a Difference

• Vacation time from Day 1 – Your time off starts accruing immediately, growing with your tenure.
• Paid Sick Leave – Rest, recover, and return strong – with paid sick leave on ofi.
• Company Paid Holidays – ofi values work-life balance and the importance of celebrating life’s special moments.
• 401K Match on Day 1 – Invest in your future with our competitive retirement savings program.
• Career Growth and Learning – Join a company committed to developing talent, fostering innovation, and creating meaningful opportunities.

ofi provides equality of opportunity for all persons with respect to hiring without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation. All employment will be decided on the basis of qualifications, merit and business need. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us for support at: [email protected]

At ofi, we celebrate our diversity and are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.