Night Shift Hygiene Manager 

Location: Milton Keynes

The Opportunity

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Hygiene Manager to lead and develop a night-shift hygiene function within a fast-paced food manufacturing environment.

This role is responsible for ensuring the highest standards of factory cleanliness, hygiene compliance, food safety, and team performance. The successful candidate will play a key role in maintaining audit readiness, managing environmental monitoring programmes, driving continuous improvement initiatives, and ensuring all hygiene operations meet regulatory and customer requirements.

Key Responsibilities

Hygiene Management & Compliance

• Manage all hygiene operations across the site during night shifts.
• Maintain and continuously improve the site Hygiene Manual.
• Ensure cleaning work instructions are accurate, validated, and kept up to date.
• Ensure all cleaning schedules are current, adhered to, and regularly reviewed.
• Develop and implement safe systems of work.
• Create and maintain Cleaning Instruction Cards (CICs) for new equipment.
• Carry out hygiene inspections and sign-offs following cleaning and maintenance activities.
• Manage site environmental monitoring programmes and cleaning verification swabbing.
• Lead root cause investigations following hygiene, microbiological, or audit failures.
• Manage the site's Listeria Monitoring Plan.
• Oversee pest control activities and corrective actions.
• Ensure the site remains fully prepared for BRC and customer audits.

Team Leadership

• Lead, motivate and develop the hygiene team.
• Manage Hygiene Team Leaders, Hygiene Operatives, Hygiene Support staff, and Facilities Cleaners.
• Ensure all training records are maintained and kept up to date.
• Drive performance, accountability and continuous improvement across the team.
• Deliver coaching, support and development opportunities to team members.

Technical & Operational Support

• Provide technical support and hygiene expertise to internal stakeholders.
• Assist with incident investigations and implementation of preventative actions.
• Support the Technical Team with day-to-day activities as required.
• Manage stocks of hygiene consumables and PPE.
• Contribute to continuous improvement projects focused on hygiene and food safety performance.

Health, Safety & Environment

• Ensure compliance with all health, safety and environmental requirements.
• Conduct risk assessments and ensure suitable control measures are implemented.
• Investigate accidents, incidents, near misses and non-conformances.
• Ensure contractors and visitors operate safely within managed areas.
• Promote a strong safety culture and excellent housekeeping standards.
• Ensure all equipment is maintained safely and effectively.
• Stop any activity that poses a risk to food safety, legality, quality or employee wellbeing.

About You

Essential Skills & Knowledge

• Strong literacy and numeracy skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills.
• Strong coaching, influencing and people management abilities.
• High attention to detail.
• Good understanding of food safety principles and food legislation.
• Ability to build strong working relationships across all levels of the business.
• Passion for continuous improvement and quality standards.

Desirable Knowledge

• Understanding of microbiological testing procedures.
• Knowledge of BRC standards and quality management systems.
• Experience of environmental monitoring and hygiene verification programmes.
• Knowledge of cleaning processes within food manufacturing.

Experience Required

• Previous experience in a Hygiene Manager, Hygiene Supervisor or similar role within the food manufacturing industry.
• Proven people management and team leadership experience.
• Experience managing hygiene standards within a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Qualifications

Essential

• Level 2 Food Safety & Hygiene
• Level 3 Food Safety & Hygiene
• HACCP Level 2
• ESOL Level 2 or equivalent

Desirable

• HACCP Level 3
• IOSH Health & Safety Qualification

What's on Offer

• Opportunity to lead a critical function within a successful food manufacturing operation.
• A role with significant responsibility and autonomy.
• Ongoing professional development opportunities.
• Competitive salary and benefits package.