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The Sanitation Compliance Manager is a plant management role responsible for the strategic direction, execution, and continuous improvement of all sanitation and hygienic design programs within the Tulare manufacturing facility. This role ensures compliance with PMO (Grade “A”), CDFA, FDA, USDA, OSHA, GMPs, and HACCP requirements while driving a proactive sanitation and food safety culture. The incumbent holds end-to-end accountability for sanitation performance to include: environmental monitoring, CIP systems, third-party services, and sanitation compliance site-wide. The role partners closely with Operations, Quality, Engineering, and Maintenance leadership to ensure the production of safe, and high-quality food products that meet/exceed customer and regulatory requirements. Additional responsibilities as assigned due to business needs.

Scope of the role:

• Leads plant-wide sanitation strategy for a 24/7 dairy operation

• Direct ownership of sanitation team (Sanitation supervisor and QA Sanitation operations team of six)

• Influences cross-functional teams including Operations, Maintenance, Engineering and Quality

• Accountable for environmental pathogen control and sanitation-driven KPIs

• Manages sanitation budget, chemical optimization, and vendor performance

• Key contributor to ensure site readiness for regulatory inspections and customer audits

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Sanitation Leadership

• Collaborate with site Sr. QA Manager, local leaders, and corporate partners to define/execute the facility’s sanitation strategy in alignment with plant and organization food safety objectives.

• Establish, sustain, and continuously improve sanitation SOPs, SSOPs, and hygienic design standards.

• Drive a preventive, risk-based sanitation culture focused on eliminating contamination risks

• Collaborate with operational teams on sanitation SOP’s, environmental monitoring, MSS, and food safety program support.

• Lead sanitation performance through KPIs, data analytics, and continuous improvement initiatives

Food Safety & Risk Management

• Become site SME on environmental monitoring program (EMP) including trending, risk zoning, and pathogen control (e.g., Listeria and Salmonella)

• Lead root cause investigations and CAPA for microbiological, chemical and physical hazards to ensure food safety compliance.

• Ensure integration of sanitation programs with HACCP and food safety Preventive Controls

• Act as primary sanitation lead during food safety incidents and crisis response

CIP Systems & Hygienic Design

• Provide technical leadership for CIP validation, verification, and optimization

• Ensure effective cleaning of complex dairy systems (tanks, HTST systems, evaporators, spray dryers, pipelines)

• Collaborate with corporate Sanitation and other cross-functional teams on equipment design, installation, and sanitary improvements

• Optimize chemical usage, water consumption, and cycle times while maintaining efficiency

Team Leadership & Development

• Develop and integrate a Food Safety Sanitation and Quality culture through collaboration with site leadership.

• Coach team members while developing a multi-skilled team capable of supporting plant needs

• Drive engagement, accountability, and a strong safety culture sitewide.

• Ensure effective onboarding and ongoing training in sanitation, GMPs, and chemical safety

Vendor & Resource Management

• Provide oversight of third-party vendors, including chemical suppliers, pest control, and sanitation service providers.

• Thorough review of service reports and timely execution of corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) for all identified findings.

• Evaluate vendor performance and leverage their technical expertise to achieve plant sanitation goals.

• Manage sanitation budget while identifying cost-savings initiatives and driving Sanitation/Food Safety performance.

Compliance & Audit Leadership

• Lead plant readiness and response for regulatory inspections (FDA, USDA, CDFA) and customer audits

• Ensure sanitation documentation, validation records, and various training logs are within compliance standards

• Conduct internal audits and drive corrective actions to closure

• Act as backup to Quality leadership as needed

Required Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred in Food Science, Engineering, Chemistry or related field with 5+ years of sanitation experience in a 24/7 food/dairy manufacturing processing plant experience OR High School Diploma with 9+ years of sanitation experience in a 24/7 food/dairy manufacturing processing plant experience.

• Experience managing direct reports

• Strong experience in dairy processing (fluid milk, butter, milk powder, UF and other dairy products)

• Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures

• CIP systems and validation

• Environmental monitoring and pathogen control

• Dairy microbiology (SPC, coliforms, pathogens)

• Sanitation chemistry (alkaline, acid, sanitizers)

Preferred Experience:

• PMO (Grade “A” dairy requirements)

• Sanitary and hygienic design principles

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic thinking with strong execution capability

• Proven ability to lead teams in a 24/7 manufacturing environment

• Strong decision-making and problem-solving skills under pressure

• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills

• Data-driven mindset with focus on continuous improvement

Work Environment

• 24/7 dairy manufacturing facility requiring on-call support

• Exposure to wet, cold, and variable processing environments

• Flexibility required for off-hours, weekends, and emergency response

Hours: Primarily 1st shift – This role may require off shift hours along with an on-call rotation, weekends and Holidays as needed.

Salary Range: $93,360 - $140,040. In most cases, candidates offered employment can expect to be hired at a pay rate near the middle of our salary ranges.

About Land O'Lakes, Inc.

Join us and be part of a Fortune 250, farmer- and member-owned cooperative that is reimagining the business of food. We have been named a Top Workplace by Indeed and LinkedIn, and to the TIME 100 Most Influential Companies list.

Benefits for most full-time roles include medical, dental, vision, PTO, life & disability insurance, education assistance, a 401k and a variety of well-being resources. Most part-time employees are eligible for prorated PTO, holiday pay, employee development programs, prorated education assistance, and a 401(k).

Land O'Lakes, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) M/F/Vets/Disabled. The company maintains a drug-free workforce, including post-employment substance abuse testing pursuant to a Drug and Alcohol Policy.

Neither Land O’Lakes, nor its search firms, will ever contact you and ask for confidential information over the phone or in email. If you receive a call or email like this, please do not provide the information being requested. 

Land O'Lakes does not use Automated Decision-Making Technology, as defined by California law, to substantially replace human decision-making or make significant decisions about applications for employment or contracting opportunities.