JOB SUMMARY
Mama Lola’s is seeking a highly capable Sanitation Supervisor to lead the day-to-day execution, supervision, and continuous improvement of the sanitation department across both facilities. With comprehensive SSOPs, Master Sanitation Schedule (MSS), sanitation preventive controls, allergen/gluten-free protocols, and verification systems already in place, this role is responsible for driving flawless execution of sanitation standards, staffing coverage, training, performance accountability, and audit readiness to support a safe, compliant, and efficient food manufacturing operation.
The ideal candidate brings strong food manufacturing sanitation expertise with a proven ability to supervise frontline teams, enforce existing programs, identify opportunities for continuous improvement, and maintain high standards of GMP, FDA, SQF, and customer requirements. This hands-on leadership position partners closely with Quality, Operations, Maintenance, and Food Safety to ensure sustainable execution that protects product safety, supports tortilla/masa and snack production lines, and drives operational excellence without the need to build programs from the ground up.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Primary Responsibilities
· Lead and supervise the sanitation team, including daily/weekly shift coverage, staffing model execution, onboarding, hands-on training, and performance accountability to maintain consistent, audit-ready results.
· Execute and continuously improve existing sanitation programs, SSOPs, sanitation work instructions, and the Master Sanitation Schedule (MSS) for equipment, utensils, infrastructure, and non-production areas.
· Enforce sanitation standards that support GMP, FDA, SQF, customer, and internal food safety requirements across both facilities.
· Own day-to-day sanitation preventive controls, monitoring, verification, corrective actions, and recordkeeping in alignment with the facility food safety plan.
· Lead allergen cleaning, changeover, and segregation practices to prevent cross-contact; enforce gluten-free manufacturing controls including validated cleaning methods, line clearance, and verification activities.
· Partner with Quality and Food Safety to execute sanitation verification and validation activities, including pre-op inspections, visual standards, ATP swabbing, allergen testing, environmental monitoring, microbiological testing, and re-clean/release criteria.
· Support validated process controls and kill steps by ensuring sanitation and pre-operational conditions never compromise product safety or process effectiveness.
· Lead pre-operational readiness and line release processes; verify that equipment and facility conditions meet food safety, allergen, and operational standards before production startup.
· Manage sanitation chemicals, concentrations, titrations, storage, labeling, SDS compliance, and safe handling practices; collaborate with suppliers to optimize effectiveness and cost.
· Partner with Maintenance and Operations to execute hygienic design improvements, equipment accessibility, teardown standards, startup readiness, and overall cleanability of the plant.
· Prepare the facilities for internal, customer, regulatory, and third-party audits; serve as the sanitation subject matter expert during inspections and ensure timely closure of findings.
· Deliver hands-on sanitation training for team members and cross-functional partners on GMPs, chemical safety, allergen controls, gluten-free controls, lockout/tagout awareness, and documentation expectations.
· Manage department supplies, tool control, labor utilization, and shift execution while balancing food safety, compliance, and operational uptime.
· Promote a culture of food safety, ownership, and continuous improvement by setting clear standards, conducting audits, coaching performance, and holding the team accountable..
Qualifications
· 3+ years of progressive sanitation experience in FDA-regulated food manufacturing required; prior supervisory or lead experience strongly preferred. Start-up or turnaround experience a plus, but focus is on execution and improvement of established programs.
· Demonstrated ability to execute and continuously improve sanitation programs including SSOPs, MSS, standard work, training systems, and verification activities.
· Strong working knowledge of Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs), FDA preventive controls for human food, sanitation controls, and food safety fundamentals in a manufacturing environment.
· Hands-on experience executing allergen control programs, cleaning validation/verification, and cross-contact prevention.
· Hands-on experience supporting gluten-free manufacturing, including changeover execution, cleaning controls, segregation, verification, and protection of gluten-free labeling claims.
· Experience with sanitation verification methods such as pre-op inspection, ATP, allergen swabbing, environmental monitoring, microbiological testing, and trend-based corrective action.
· Proven capability in training, leading, and developing frontline sanitation teams in a high-accountability manufacturing environment.
· Experience supporting audit readiness and interacting with SQF, customer, and regulatory auditors/inspectors.
· Ability to partner effectively across Quality, Operations, Maintenance, Warehousing, and leadership teams to drive sustainable sanitation performance.
· Bilingual English/Spanish is preferred..
Physical Requirements
- Ability to lift up to 50 lbs.
- Ability to work in wet environments and around food-grade chemicals.
- Ability to stand/walk for extended periods.
- Ability to climb ladders, bend, kneel, and work in tight equipment areas.
Preferred Skills / Plus Factors
· Experience in facilities manufacturing allergen-sensitive and/or gluten-free products, including validated cleaning and changeover programs.
· Working knowledge of SQF systems, environmental monitoring program design, hygienic design principles, and risk-based sanitation zoning.
· Experience working in facilities with validated process controls or kill steps and coordinating sanitation requirements that support those controls.
· PCQI, SQF Practitioner, HACCP, or sanitation-specific certifications are a plus.
Schedule
- Full time position that requires that you work weekends and nights. Thursday and Friday will be a 10 hour night shift. As well as Saturday and Sunday 10 hour shift a.m. or p.m. contingent on Production Schedule.
Pay: $60,000.00 - $70,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
- Full time position that requires that you work weekends and nights. Thursday and Friday a 10 hour night shift. As well as Saturday and Sunday 10 hour shift a.m. or p.m. contingent on Production Schedule. Does this work?
Experience:
- Sanitation : 3 years (Required)
Language:
Shift availability:
- Night Shift (Required)
- Day Shift (Required)
Ability to Commute:
- Phoenix, AZ 85040 (Required)
Work Location: In person
