Sanitation Manager

About the role

Reporting to the QA Manager in Halle (Belgium), the bilingual (Dutch/French) Sanitation Manager is responsible for overseeing and ensuring the cleanliness and sanitation of the food manufacturing facility, including production areas, equipment, and surrounding environments. This role ensures compliance with food safety standards, regulatory requirements, and company policies while striving to improve operational efficiency and maintaining a safe, hygienic, and productive environment. The Sanitation Manager plays a key role in preventing contamination and ensuring the facility meets all federal, state, and local health and safety guidelines.

Key responsibilities include

• Sanitation Program Management: Develop, implement, and oversee sanitation programs and cleaning schedules for all areas of the facility, including production, packaging, storage, and common areas.
• Ensure adherence to sanitation standard operating procedures (SSOPs) and food safety protocols, including Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP), and other relevant regulatory guidelines.
• Team Leadership & Training: Manage and lead the sanitation team, including supervision, training, scheduling, and performance evaluation. Provide ongoing training and support to sanitation staff to ensure adherence to cleanliness standards and safety procedures.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and teamwork within the sanitation department
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure the facility complies with all local, state, and federal regulations, including OSHA, FDA, USDA, and EPA standards. Assist with internal and external audits, inspections, and certifications, and ensure the facility meets all required sanitation and safety standards. Maintain records related to sanitation activities, cleaning logs, and other documentation as required by regulatory authorities.
• Quality Control & Inspection: Conduct regular inspections of sanitation practices, including the cleanliness of production lines, equipment, and employee areas. Perform verification tests (e.g., ATP testing, visual inspections) to ensure the effectiveness of sanitation procedures and identify areas for improvement. Collaborate with the quality control team to resolve any sanitation-related quality issues and implement corrective actions.
• Continuous Improvement: Identify areas for process improvements, cost reductions, and increased efficiency in sanitation practices and cleaning procedures. Research and recommend new sanitation technologies, tools, and methods that improve cleaning efficiency and reduce downtime. Collaborate with cross-functional teams (e.g., production, maintenance, quality) to enhance overall facility hygiene and operational efficiency.
• Inventory and Supplies Management: Monitor and manage sanitation supplies and chemicals inventory to ensure adequate stock levels and proper usage. Ensure that cleaning chemicals and supplies are stored, handled, and disposed of according to safety and regulatory standards
• Safety & Environmental Compliance: Promote and enforce a culture of safety within the sanitation department, including the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and safe chemical handling practices.
• Ensure that sanitation activities do not interfere with the safety of the production process and product quality.

About you

• Chemical, industrial engineering, food industry, Food Technology, or related field.
• Industrial engineer / Chemical Engineer or Engineer IMA.
• At least 3+ years food industry experience in a manufacturing environment and or continues improving role.
• Ideally in chocolate industry experience performing similar roles as sanitation lead.

• You are a strong Team Player and thrive in an environment working together with others : you are a “we-person”
• You have demonstrated experience in Sanitation protocols and methods
• Conversant in Continuous Improvement tools and methodologies
• Auditing (as internal auditor GFSI or equivalent std ).
• Strong Computer Skills (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
• Excellent language skills in Dutch and French plus English advanced level oral and written.
• Experience working in dynamic and complex environment work.
• Multitasking and Flexibility
• Demonstrated experience working under environment pressure situations.
• Skills to take controversial and without precedents decisions.
• Excellent verbal and writing communication skills at different organization levels.
• Influence to be success through others.
• Skills for conflict handling.
• Frustration tolerance and handling
• Proved skills to Analyze and quick, efficient and collaborative problem solving