Hygiene Manager

JOB DESCRIPTION

Hygiene Manager

What's the job?

The Hygiene Manager is responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining the highest standards of food safety, sanitation, and hygiene across all food handling areas within the hotel. This role ensures full compliance with IHG Brand Standards, local Ministry of Health regulations, HACCP principles, and Halal certification requirements.

The Hygiene Manager plays a key role in the hotel's 5-Star Classification process and Quality Audit compliance, working closely with the Culinary, Stewarding, and Food & Beverage teams to ensure a safe, hygienic, and compliant operational environment at all times; additionally with Housekeeping and Front Office wherever there are food handling / items involved.

Your day-to-day

Food Safety & Hygiene Management

• Establish, implement, and monitor the hotel's Food Safety Management System (FSMS) in accordance with IHG policies and local health and safety regulations.
• Ensure full compliance with HACCP standards, maintaining accurate and up-to-date records, logs, and corrective action reports.
• Conduct daily hygiene inspections in all kitchens, storage areas, and food service outlets; document findings and follow up on corrective actions.
• Oversee Halal certification and renewal processes in coordination with the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) or relevant authority, ensuring all food handling practices, sourcing, and documentation meet certification requirements.
• Coordinate with the Culinary and Stewarding teams on sanitation schedules, pest control programs, and chemical handling procedures.
• Ensure proper food storage, labeling, temperature control, and First-In, First-Out (FIFO) practices across all areas.
• Verify consistent adherence to personal hygiene and grooming standards among all food handlers.
• Liaise with the local Ministry of Health during inspections, audits, and compliance reviews, maintaining all required permits, reports, and certifications.

Quality Assurance & Compliance

• Support and coordinate the hotel's participation in 5-Star Classification assessments, ensuring hygiene and sanitation standards meet or exceed regulatory and brand expectations.
• Prepare and manage documentation for IHG Quality Audits, ensuring full compliance and readiness for both scheduled and surprise assessments.
• Conduct internal hygiene audits and implement corrective actions in coordination with relevant departments.
• Review and update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) related to hygiene, sanitation, pest control, and food safety.
• Track and report Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) related to hygiene, quality, and audit results to the Executive Chef and Director of Food & Beverage.

Training & Development

• Plan and conduct regular food safety and hygiene training for all Culinary, Stewarding, and F&B Service team members.
• Ensure 100% completion of mandatory IHG Food Safety e-learning and internal hygiene orientation for all food handlers.
• Conduct specialized Halal awareness and handling training for relevant team members.
• Maintain comprehensive training records and ensure periodic refresher sessions are carried out.

Administrative & Coordination

• Maintain all hygiene-related documentation, including pest control records, cleaning schedules, calibration reports, and microbiological test results.
• Prepare monthly Hygiene & Food Safety Reports and present findings to management.
• Coordinate with Engineering for maintenance and repair of food safety–related equipment.
• Act as the key liaison with external vendors, health inspectors, and auditors on all hygiene and food safety matters.

Key Metrics

• 100% compliance with HACCP, Halal certification, and Ministry of Health regulations.
• Successful IHG Quality Audit and 5-Star Classification ratings.
• Zero critical non-conformities during audits or inspections.
• On-time completion of hygiene inspections, reports, and staff training programs.
• Positive internal and external audit outcomes.

WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU?

Required Skills

• Demonstrated ability to interact professionally with internal and external stakeholders, including guests, employees, auditors, and local authorities, reflecting highly on the hotel, the brand, and the Company.
• In-depth knowledge of food safety principles, HACCP standards, Halal certification requirements, and local Ministry of Health regulations.
• Possession of valid Food Handler Certificate, HACCP certification, and other hygiene-related credentials as required by local authorities.
• Strong problem-solving, analytical, and organizational skills with the ability to identify risks and implement corrective actions effectively.
• Proven ability to plan, conduct, and evaluate training programs related to food safety, sanitation, and hygiene.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications and capable of adapting to internal hotel systems such as IHG Concerto, Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS), and digital audit tools.
• Excellent communication and documentation skills to support compliance reporting and interdepartmental coordination.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple compliance and certification requirements simultaneously.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Diploma or Degree in Food Science, Environmental Health, Hotel Management, or related field.
• Minimum 3–5 years of experience in a similar role within the hospitality or food service industry.
• Certified in HACCP (Level 3 or above) and Food Handler Certification as required by local health authorities.
• Working knowledge of Halal certification requirements and local Ministry of Health guidelines.
• Strong organizational, communication, and training skills.
• Detail-oriented, proactive, and capable of handling multiple compliance requirements simultaneously.

Key Relationships

• Internal: Executive Chef, Stewarding, F&B Operations, Engineering, Human Resources, Housekeeping, Security.
• External: Local Ministry of Health, JAKIM (and/or equivalent Halal authority), Ministry of Tourism, Pest Control Contractors, Food Safety Consultants, Laboratories, Quality Auditors.

How do I deliver this?

We genuinely care about people and we show this through living out our promise of True Hospitality each and every day. It's what connects every colleague in all IHG hotels.

Each IHG hotel brand delivers True Hospitality in their own way, and at the heart of it all are specific, core service skills.

• True Attitude: being caring, wanting to make a positive difference, and building genuine connections with guests
• True Confidence: having the knowledge and skills to perform your role, and giving guests the confidence that they can trust you, to help and support them during their stay
• True Listening: focusing on what your guest is saying, picking up on body language that is often overlooked, and understanding what the guest wants and needs
• True Responsiveness: is about providing guests with what they need, and doing so in a timely and caring manner

There's so much more to the job than we can capture here. It's simply about creating great experiences, doing the right thing and understanding people.

The statements in this job description are intended to represent the key duties and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be ALL responsibilities or qualifications of the job.