Sanitation Supervisor - 3rd Shift

SUMMARY:  Kayem’s Sanitation Supervisor is responsible for overseeing and coordinating all sanitation activities within the facility to ensure a safe, clean, and compliant food production environment. This key role manages sanitation schedules, supervises sanitation staff (up to 45 team members), and ensures compliance with regulatory requirements such as FDA, USDA, OSHA, GMPs, and company policies. The supervisor drives continuous improvement initiatives to enhance food safety, maintain high-quality standards, and protect the integrity of our products. Additionally, this role provides leadership in training, performance management, and employee development, creating a culture of safety, quality, and accountability.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Plans, coordinates, and supervises all sanitation activities and documentation to ensure the facility meets regulatory, customer, and company food safety standards.
• Develops and manages daily, weekly, and monthly sanitation schedules to minimize downtime and ensure production readiness.
• Ensures proper cleaning and sanitizing of equipment, tools, and production areas following Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Master Sanitation Schedules (MSS).
• Monitors cleaning effectiveness through inspections, testing, and microbial swabbing when required.
• Coordinates with production, maintenance, and quality assurance teams to ensure seamless operations and timely resolution of sanitation-related issues.
• Maintains adequate inventory of cleaning chemicals, tools, and sanitation supplies.

Regulatory Compliance and Food Safety

• Ensures compliance with USDA, FDA, OSHA, GMPs, and company food safety requirements at all times.
• Works closely with the Quality Assurance (QA) team to address audit findings, implement corrective actions, and prepare for regulatory inspections.
• Maintains accurate records of sanitation activities, chemical usage, and cleaning verifications for internal and external audits.
• Ensures proper handling, labeling, and storage of cleaning chemicals in accordance with safety regulations.

Leadership and Team Development

• Supervises, trains, and develops sanitation team members, fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
• Provides coaching, feedback, and direction to enhance employee performance and engagement.
• Ensures all sanitation personnel are trained and compliant with food safety, chemical safety, and personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements.
• Conducts regular team meetings to review sanitation goals, performance metrics, and safety updates.

Continuous Improvement and Reporting

• Identifies opportunities to improve sanitation processes, reduce costs, and enhance food safety.
• Collaborates with cross-functional teams to implement process improvements and new technologies.
• Analyzes sanitation data and prepares reports on performance metrics, compliance trends, and corrective actions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

• High school diploma or equivalent required; Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Microbiology, or related field preferred.
• 2+ years of Sanitation supervisory experience is required.
• Experience in food manufacturing or quality assurance is a plus.
• Experience working in a USDA or FDA-regulated food production facility strongly preferred.
• Equivalent combinations of education and experience will be considered.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• Leadership: Ability to influence and inspire teams to meet organizational goals
• High sense of urgency
• Employee Development and Coaching: Motivates, trains, and supports team members.
• Operational Effectiveness: Strong problem-solving skills to manage daily production activities and changing priorities. Ability to anticipate adverse scenarios and provide contingency plan recommendations.
• Strong ability to interpret safety guidelines, operating procedures, and compliance regulations.
• Proficient in data analysis and reporting to drive informed decision-making.
• Bilingual skills in English and Spanish, Portuguese or French are a plus.
• Basic proficiency in Microsoft Office and manufacturing software.
• Ability to present functional specifications to the IT department when needed.
• Ability to read, write, and perform mathematical calculations, such as machine speeds and production rates.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to refrigerated and wet conditions.

The noise level in the plant is usually loud.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, sit climb or balance, and smell.

The employee must regularly lift and/ or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift up to 50 pounds.

Company Overview 

Kayem Foods is a family owned and operated craft meat business that has been making New England’s favorite franks, sausages, and prepared meats in Chelsea, Mass. since its founding by Kaz Monkiewicz back in 1909. Well over 100 years later, we are the largest meat processor in New England and still pushing our craft to the next level – tweaking recipes to have the perfect flavors and extending our expertise into delicious new areas and collaborations – such as Kayem’s Night Shift Brewing Small Batch Beer Brats. One thing will never change, it’s our “Old World” food philosophy: to only make food we would share with our own friends and family. We offer the opportunity for professional growth and to make a difference in a flexible and collaborative environment.

Kayem offers competitive wages and benefits to full time employees.  Kayem benefits include:

• Healthcare Insurance, and Dental (pre-tax and effective first day of employment)
• Vision (pre-tax and effective the 1st day of the month after start of employment)
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Plan (Health Care Reimbursement and Dependent Care (effective 1st day of employment)
  Reimbursement)
• Life Insurance and Accidental Death and Dismemberment (effective 1st day of employment and no cost to employee)
• Safe Harbor 401(K) Retirement Plan (with employer matching contributions of up to 3% plus 50% of your contributions up to 5%)
• Vacation Pay, Paid Time Off (PTO) and Holidays
• Education Reimbursement (eligible after 6 months of continuous employment and up to $3,000 for career development)
• Opt-Out Medical Rebate, Doctor on Demand, and Wellness Initiatives for those who are eligible!

(Please NO staffing agencies or external recruiter calls)