Hygiene Team Leader

Location: Gateshead Team Valley, UK

Reports to: Hygiene Manager

Direct Reports: Hygiene Operator.

About Us: Biscuit International UK is the leading specialist supplier of own-label gluten-free biscuits and cookies in the United Kingdom. Located in Gateshead, our production facility operates three lines, with an annual output exceeding 4,300 tonnes annually in plain, chocolate, and sandwich biscuit formats. We are part of Biscuit International, Europe's leading private label biscuit and bread substitute manufacturer, with a rich heritage of over 400 years of expertise in delivering excellent taste at great value.

We are seeking a dedicated and experienced Hygiene Team Leader to join our Nightshift team. In this role, you will lead a team to maintain the highest hygiene and safety standards across the site. Your focus will be on fostering a safety-first culture while ensuring all hygiene tasks are performed in strict compliance with internal, industry, and regulatory requirements. You will provide first-line support to your team, ensuring safe working practices are consistently followed while upholding hygiene excellence.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide guidance, support, and direction to the hygiene team, ensuring safe working practices and achievement of performance targets through development and coaching.
• Report all departmental accidents, incidents, and near misses, and participate in investigations.
• Oversee and enforce hygiene and safety standards, ensuring a clean and compliant working environment.
• Ensure all team members adhere to company policies, procedures, and safe systems of work, maintaining full compliance with health, safety, and hygiene regulations.
• Accurately complete and maintain all necessary records and documentation in a timely manner.
• Lead and motivate the team during daily operations.
• Plan and manage full-time staff resources in association with the weekly production plan, utilizing temporary resources when needed within allocated budgets.
• Conduct return-to-work interviews and support employee well-being.
• Execute scheduled daily hygiene and deep cleaning tasks, ensuring all equipment, food processing lines, and work areas meet required cleanliness and sanitation standards.
• Maintain cleanliness and stock levels in changing areas, ensuring all necessary disposables are available.
• Manage and coordinate all PPE requirements, ensuring continuous replenishment and availability.
• Obtain supplier quotations and process purchase orders through SAP.
• Oversee and execute hygiene processes, including stripping, cleaning, and reassembling equipment to maintain the highest standards of food safety.
• Perform tasks including the safe and correct use of cleaning chemicals, deep cleaning procedures, and compactor operation.
• Work closely with production leads to ensure timely and effective changeovers, maintaining required hygiene standards.
• Drive accountability in all hygiene processes, participate in daily operational meetings, and implement improvements where necessary.
• Participate in the creation, validation, and updating of hygiene SCPs (Standard Cleaning Procedures).
• Set and uphold hygiene standards within the production area, collaborating with the production team to ensure site compliance with food safety/allergen control.
• Support and mentor all hygiene personnel, enhancing their development and effectiveness in hygiene management.
• Ensure full compliance with key performance indicators (KPIs), maintaining consistency across all hygiene operations.
• Implement and uphold the highest health, safety, and well-being standards, mitigating hazards, promoting best practices, and ensuring proper housekeeping.
• Support and lead relevant Continuous Improvement (CI) projects using industry-recognized methodologies and techniques.
• Drive production efficiencies through effective Short Interval Control meetings (SIC) and timely escalation of issues.
• Ensure all hygiene-related data is recorded accurately and in a timely manner.
• Oversee the proper disposal of waste, ensuring cardboard is baled for recycling and site waste is safely removed to compactors.
• Liaise with waste companies to ensure timely removal of site waste.
• Lead deep cleaning activities to meet microbiological safety standards, using detailed cleaning schedules and protocols.
• Ensure production changeovers are completed effectively, verifying that all equipment and machinery are thoroughly cleaned and inspected before sign-off.
• Manage the collection and external laundering of overalls for hygiene staff.
• Ensure production aligns with expected cost and weight targets while maintaining hygiene excellence.
• Perform other duties as required by business needs, as reasonably directed by the Operations Director.

Skills & Experience:

• Able to understand, evaluate, and apply technical information.
• Able to adeptly learn the context of a challenge and quickly integrate new skills.
• Anticipates the impact of change and rises to the challenge.
• Quick to identify critical information and respond appropriately.
• Able to define, work within, and improve business processes based on immediate and future business needs.
• Able to apportion time effectively to complete tasks.
• Willing to provide colleagues with the information they need to complete their tasks and eliminate roadblocks.
• Dependably achieves what he or she sets out to do and expects others to do likewise.
• Energized by challenges and drawn towards opportunities.
• Confident and professional when representing the company in person.
• Creates a compelling and inspired vision or sense of core purpose and clearly communicates it to the organization.
• Strong sense of customer focus.
• Ability to work and relate effectively with both executives and operators on the floor to drive a teamwork mentality and communicate goals and progress towards them.
• Candid team player who collaborates with peers to solve problems.

KPIs:

• Health & Safety
• Hygiene standards
• Plan Attainment
• Waste
• Allergen Control
• Absence
• Holiday planning
• Financials including OT spend and payroll costs

At Biscuit International UK, we pride ourselves on our commitment to quality, innovation, and sustainability. Our team is dedicated to producing high-quality products that meet the evolving needs of our customers. By joining us, you will be part of a dynamic and supportive team that values collaboration and excellence.

In our hiring practices, we are committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace. We believe that a diverse team brings a wealth of perspectives and ideas, driving innovation and success. We adhere to fair hiring practices, ensuring equal opportunities for all candidates, regardless of their background.