Job Summary
SANITATION SUPERVISOR
San Diego, CA | Non-Exempt
REPORTS TO:Sanitation Manager
LOCATION:San Diego, CA
SHIFT:Varies by operational need, including overnight/graveyard sanitation shifts; flexibility required.
ROLE SUMMARY
A growing food manufacturer is seeking a Sanitation Supervisor to directly lead and manage the daily execution of the facility?s cleaning, sanitation, and pre-operational inspection programs. This is a hands-on, floor-based leadership role with direct responsibility for supervising the sanitation crew, enforcing Master Cleaning Schedules, and ensuring the plant passes every pre-op inspection.
The right candidate is a strong people manager who can train, schedule, and hold a sanitation team accountable on a daily basis, while maintaining close coordination with FSQA and Operations on food safety standards. This role carries direct supervisory authority over sanitation staff, including scheduling, performance management, and disciplinary action.
CORE RESPONSIBILITIES
Team Supervision & Scheduling
Directly supervise the sanitation crew across assigned shifts, including hiring input, onboarding, training, and day-to-day performance management
Build and manage daily/weekly sanitation labor schedules to ensure adequate coverage across all shifts, including overnight crews
Conduct coaching, performance reviews, and disciplinary action for sanitation staff in partnership with HR
Lead daily pre-shift huddles to communicate priorities, safety reminders, and cleaning assignments
Daily Sanitation Execution
Execute and enforce the Master Cleaning Schedule (MCS), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and pre-operational inspection protocols on the floor
Conduct and document pre-operational inspections each shift, verifying equipment, lines, and production areas are sanitary and audit-ready before startup
Oversee the safe and correct use of cleaning chemicals, equipment, and methodologies in accordance with SSOPs
Manage the transition of contracted hygiene and cleaning functions to in-house crews, including day-to-day staffing and training execution
Food Safety & Compliance Support
Serve as the floor-level point of contact for food safety, hygienic practices, environmental controls, and cleaning/disinfection chemistry
Maintain continuous audit readiness for SQF, customer, and regulatory reviews within the sanitation department
Support corrective action and root cause analysis on the floor following food safety or quality events, escalating findings to FSQA
Performance Metrics & Continuous Improvement
Track and report daily/weekly KPIs to the QA Manager, including:
o Pre-operational inspection pass rates
o ATP and microbiological environmental monitoring results
o Re-work and re-cleaning rates
o Labor efficiency and overtime
o Production downtime attributable to food safety or hygiene events
o Master Cleaning Schedule attainment
Flag trends or recurring issues to the QA Manager and recommend floor-level adjustments to cleaning methods or schedules
Operational Efficiency
Manage labor deployment, chemical usage, and water consumption within the sanitation department to control costs
Identify and implement process improvements on the floor that reduce downtime related to food safety and hygiene operations
Support wastewater reduction efforts, including monitoring of high-BOD/TSS cleaning processes
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Partner daily with FSQA, Maintenance, HR, and Operations to align sanitation priorities with production schedules
Coordinate with chemical suppliers and equipment vendors on usage, training, and troubleshooting
Maintain accurate, audit-ready documentation, verification logs, and reporting for all sanitation activities
QUALIFICATIONS
3+ years of sanitation or hygiene experience in food manufacturing, with at least 1 2 years in a supervisory or lead role; bakery experience preferred
Hands-on experience executing or supervising Master Cleaning Schedules, SOPs, and pre-operational inspections
Working knowledge of SQF standards, HACCP principles, SSOP execution, and environmental monitoring programs
Demonstrated ability to directly manage, train, schedule, and hold hourly staff accountable across multiple shifts, including overnight operations
Comfortable tracking performance data (inspection results, ATP swabs, labor hours) and reporting it clearly to management
Experience managing department labor schedules and overtime within budget
High school diploma or equivalent required; College degree or relevant certification a plus
Bilingual English/Spanish strongly preferred
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