Sanitation Manager

Willamette Valley Pie Company is a premier dessert manufacturer located in the Pacific Northwest, known for crafting high-quality, hand-crafted fruit pies that have become a staple in households across the region and beyond. Operating under the broader umbrella of Dessert Holdings, the company benefits from a national platform that supports its growth and operational excellence. This relationship enables Willamette Valley Pie Company to expand its manufacturing capabilities while maintaining its commitment to artisan quality and customer satisfaction. The company prides itself on its family-oriented culture, which emphasizes core values such as family first, grit, growth, and buy-in, fostering a supportive and collaborative environment for all employees.

Willamette Valley Pie Company is currently seeking a Sanitation Manager to join its Silverton, Oregon facility. This role is unique in that it is a builder role, not simply a caretaker position. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to develop and lead the sanitation program from the ground up, playing a critical role in ensuring food safety, environmental monitoring, and enabling on-time production startups. The Sanitation Manager will lead and develop the sanitation team, including creating a comprehensive training matrix and defining clear progression paths for team members. This position requires hands-on leadership, where the manager will walk the production floor, directly engage with the team, and step in to assist during shifts when necessary.

Key responsibilities include driving 100 percent on-time pre-op release to production every shift, owning the Environmental Monitoring Program (EMP) from Zone 1 to Zone 4, which involves sampling, trending, identifying root causes, and implementing corrective actions. The manager will also be responsible for building and improving Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs), Cleaning-In-Place (CIP), and Cleaning-Out-Of-Place (COP) cycles, as well as managing the Master Sanitation Schedule. Furthermore, the role will prepare the sanitation team and program for the launch of a new pie line in 2027, ensuring all sanitation processes meet the highest standards.

Leading sanitation efforts through audits such as Safe Quality Food (SQF), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and customer audits is also a critical part of the role, where the manager will not only lead these efforts but also manage closure of any findings effectively. Collaboration is essential; this person will partner closely with Quality, Maintenance, Research and Development (R&D), and Operations teams to maintain a seamless sanitation program that supports overall production goals.

The position offers a base salary ranging from $90,000 to $115,000 and comes with a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision insurance, 401(k) with matching, and paid time off. The schedule primarily covers swing and graveyard sanitation shifts with the necessity of daytime presence for leadership duties, audits, training, and cross-department collaboration. Flexibility across shifts is required during audits, startups, and incident response. This role stands out for its autonomy to build a program with the solid backing of Dessert Holdings, supported by the company’s deeply ingrained culture of commitment and excellence. Candidates who take pride in delivering audit-ready facilities and who are motivated by the chance to lead and innovate in food safety are encouraged to apply.