Hygiene & Food Safety Manager

Overview

We are recruiting!

Our client in Siavonga, is looking for a Hygiene & Food Safety Manager to join their team for a job vacancy within the FMCG industry.

To apply, or for more information, follow the link below.

Hygiene & Food Safety Manager

Responsible for:

Production Hygiene, Food Safety, Quality and Laboratory Teams

Key Relationships

Quality Assurance Team (Commercial), Laboratory, Processing, Lake Operations, Canteen & Administration and Health & Safety

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Job Purpose:

The Hygiene & Food Safety Manager is responsible for upholding the highest standards of hygiene throughout the entire production process, from hatchery to harvest and processing. This includes overseeing the implementation of sanitation protocols and ensuring compliance with food safety regulations and standards. The role is key to maintaining exceptional levels of hygiene, pest control, product quality, and regulatory compliance across the production chain. This position plays a critical role in safeguarding product integrity, ensuring adherence to both local and international regulatory requirements, and fostering a strong food safety culture across all departments.Resume building

Key Responsibilities & Critical Success Measures

Develop a Food Safety Strategy and Meet International Standards/Regulatory Compliance
Designs, implements and monitors site-wide food safety and hygiene policies and procedures aligned with company objectives.
Integrates food safety into the overall risk management and sustainability strategies.
Champions a “food safety culture” across the organization and lead change initiatives as required including planning and communications, which should incorporate the impact of the change.
Achieves and maintain accreditation with targeted standards i.e. ISO 22000, HACCP and any other standards the company wishes to attain in the future.
Monitors evolving food safety regulations and proactively update company practices to stay compliant.
Leads internal risk assessments and mitigation strategies for microbiological, chemical, and physical hazards.
Develops recall and traceability plans as part of crisis management strategy.
Analytical, Laboratory & Fish Health Management
Provides oversight and supervision of laboratory and fish health operations across the production site.
Develops and implements operational procedures, analytical methods, and documentation standards in line with industry best practices.
Establishes and maintains fish health protocols and biosecurity measures to safeguard stock health across all production stages.
Monitors environmental hygiene, PRPs, and CCPs, ensuring all sampling activities comply with health and quality plans.
Supervises microbiology and fish health sections to ensure rigorous quality control and timely, accurate analysis.
Manages inventory of laboratory supplies, chemicals, and equipment, ensuring optimal stock levels, proper calibration, and operational efficiency.
Analyses and reports on fish health and product quality trends, communicating findings to stakeholders and implementing corrective actions where necessary.
Training and Organizational Development
Develops and implements strategic training programs to ensure continuous improvement and awareness of food safety practices.
Promotes cross-functional collaboration to embed food safety responsibility at all organizational levels.
Ensures all team members are trained on current food safety regulations and internal protocols.
Innovation and Continuous Improvement
Identifies emerging risks and technologies in food safety (e.g., blockchain traceability, predictive analytics).
Guide investment decisions in new hygiene and safety technologies or systems.
Lead strategic initiatives for facility upgrades to improve food safety infrastructure.
Stakeholder and Supply Chain Management
Establishes food safety standards and expectations for suppliers and contract manufacturers.
Collaborates with procurement, operations, and other stakeholders to ensure supplier compliance and improve upstream hygiene & safety.
Serves as the food safety point of contact for regulatory bodies, clients, and certification agencies.
Conducts inspections of supplier goods and storage conditions.
Ensure proper segregation of allergens and high-risk materials.
Record Keeping and Data-Driven Decision Making
Maintains up-to-date records of cleaning schedules, temperature logs, training sessions, and inspections.
Ensures all documentation is audit-ready and meets regulatory and certification standards
Utilizes food safety and hygiene data to inform strategic decisions and identify trends or systemic issues.
Integrates digital tools to improve transparency, reporting, and real-time control of food safety metrics.
Monitoring, Verification and Response
Conducts routine audits and inspections of hygiene practices across production, storage, and service areas.
Monitors critical control points and maintain records for traceability and regulatory compliance.
Investigates and reports any non-conformances or deviations from food safety protocols.
Ensures employees adhere to proper personal hygiene, handwashing, and sanitation procedures.
Supervises cleaning teams and food handlers to maintain hygiene standards.
Validates stated cleaning schedules and verify effective cleaning and sanitation of equipment, utensils, surfaces, and facilities.
Oversees cleaning protocols including chemical usage, cleaning schedules, and proper documentation.
Validates effectiveness through swabbing, microbial testing, and visual checks.
Leads the response to food safety incidents, including contamination, allergen exposure, or pest issues.
Coordinates corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
Reports incidents to relevant stakeholders and regulatory authorities (when required).
Coordinates pest control activities with external contractors or internal teams.
Team Leadership & Development
Leads the hygiene and food safety team with clear direction, purpose, and motivation.
Sets performance expectations and provide regular feedback.
Promotes a culture of accountability, excellence, and continuous improvement.
Plans and allocate resources (personnel, equipment, chemicals) for daily sanitation activities.
Manages work schedules, shifts, and overtime while ensuring compliance with labour laws.
Maintains optimal staffing levels to meet operational needs.
Acts as a bridge between departments to align hygiene and food safety initiatives.
Communicate policies, procedures, and updates effectively to the team.
Leads regular team meetings and safety briefings.
Provides coaching, mentorship, and career development opportunities.
Monitor team performance against KPIs (e.g., sanitation scores, audit results, compliance rates).
Conducts performance reviews and manage underperformance with action plans.
Rewards and recognize team achievements and good practices.
Ensures prudent management of the functional budget and resources.

Key Performance Indictors (KPI’s)

Accreditation with HACCP, ISO 22000 and Other Standards
Food Safety Systems Implementation
Audit Communication and compliance with all company policies
100% Compliance to Regulatory Requirements
Product Quality Release and Testing at 100% Compliance
Temperature monitoring compliance
External grievance management
Internal audit plan
Training & staff behaviour KPIs
Environmental monitoring & control

Knowledge

Knowledge of Data collection processes and procedures
Knowledge of Data analysis techniques
In depth knowledge of process control within a FMCG food processing environment
Knowledge of the principles and practices of Manufacturing Excellence
Knowledge of Local Regulations, an in-depth understanding of and the ability to interpret food safety related legislation
Knowledge of Zambian law and governance around food safety standards
Knowledge of ERP systems and able to implement a food safety management system into the already existing ERP system
Full working knowledge of MS Office 365 including power BI and SharePoint
Knowledge of Applicable International Best Practice Standards
Knowledge of sustainable aquaculture practices and traceability systems

Skills

Food Safety Management
Auditing and Inspection
Training and Education
Regulatory Knowledge
Problem-solving
Effective Communication
Business acumen
Risk Management
People management
Education

Education & Experience

Bachelor’s degree in food science, microbiology, or related field.
Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in hygiene & food safety management, quality assurance and/or environmental monitoring programs.
Preferably with export markets experience.
Strong knowledge of HACCP, GMP, ISO, BRC, and other food safety regulations.
Excellent  communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills.
Ability to conduct audits, inspections, and training sessions effectively.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Proficiency in documentation, reporting, and record-keeping.

“All candidates are required to obtain their ZAQA certification from the Zambia Qualifications Authority (ZAQA)”