At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead global transformation in Quality & Food Safety across multiple regions.
- Company: Join a dynamic organisation focused on proactive quality culture.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, bonus, car allowance, and relocation support.
- Other info: Opportunity for international travel and career advancement.
- Why this job: Make a significant impact by shaping food safety standards globally.
- Qualifications: Senior leadership experience in Quality & Food Safety required.
We are seeking a Vice President of Quality & Food Safety to lead a critical global transformation agenda. This is a high-impact leadership role responsible for building and embedding a world-class, centralised Quality & Food Safety function across a complex, multi-regional organisation. With strong executive sponsorship and significant recent investment in foundational food safety, the business is now focused on shifting from reactive compliance to a proactive, embedded quality culture.
The Opportunity
This is not a steady-state leadership role. You will:
- Build and scale a global quality framework
- Align regional quality operations under a consistent standard
- Act as the organisation’s senior authority on quality and food safety
- Influence executive leadership to prioritise and invest in quality
You will lead a globally distributed ecosystem of approximately 400 quality professionals, including 6 regional quality leads in a matrix structure.
Key Responsibilities
Global Quality & Food Safety Leadership
- Define and implement the global Quality & Food Safety strategy
- Establish consistent standards, policies, and governance across all regions
- Ensure alignment between central and regional teams
Culture Transformation
- Drive the shift toward a proactive quality culture
- Embed quality and food safety into day-to-day business operations
- Champion accountability and continuous improvement across the organisation
Technical Oversight
- Provide expert guidance across the food safety and quality risk landscape
- Ensure robust systems, processes, and controls are in place
- Act as a credible authority with engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain teams
Stakeholder Management & Influence
- Partner with senior stakeholders including:
- Regional Managing Directors
- Supply Chain leadership
- R&D and Operations
Commercial Leadership
- Translate quality and food safety priorities into clear business value
- Build compelling cases for investment in quality initiatives
- Secure resources by articulating risk, return, and impact
Organisation & Capability Building
- Build and develop a high-performing global quality organisation
- Strengthen capability across regions
- Create clear structures, roles, and accountability
Candidate Profile
Experience
- Senior leadership experience in Quality & Food Safety within:
- Food manufacturing, FMCG, or adjacent sectors (e.g. personal care)
- Global or multi-regional roles, OR
- Leading quality within a region of a large multinational and ready to step into a global role
Technical Expertise
- Strong understanding of:
- Food safety systems and standards
- Quality management frameworks
- Regulatory environments
Leadership & Behavioural Capabilities
- Critical success factors:
- Exceptional stakeholder management and influencing skills
- Ability to operate effectively at executive and board level
- Strong commercial acumen
- Experience securing investment and resources
- Credible, calm, and measured
- Able to challenge constructively
- Balances firmness with cultural sensitivity
- Builds trust quickly across diverse teams
What We Are Looking For
- A builder, not a maintainer
- A leader who can:
- Drive change
- Align diverse stakeholders
- Embed sustainable systems and behaviours
What We Are Not Looking For
- Pure technical specialists without leadership depth
- Individuals lacking stakeholder influence at senior level
- Leadership styles that are either:
- Too passive to drive change, or
- Overly aggressive and culturally misaligned
Qualifications
- Degree (or equivalent) in:
- Food Science, Engineering, or a related discipline
Location & Mobility
- UK preferred (relocation supported)
- Open to Europe-based candidates willing to travel
- International travel required
Compensation
- Competitive executive package including:
- Circa £220,000 base salary
- Bonus
- Car allowance
- Benefits
- Relocation support
VP Quality and Food Safety in London employer: develop
Contact Detail:
develop Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land VP Quality and Food Safety in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to industry contacts and attend relevant events. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can help you land that VP role.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company’s culture and values. We want to show that we’re not just a fit on paper, but that we can truly embody their proactive quality culture.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your storytelling skills! We need to articulate our past experiences in a way that highlights our leadership and ability to drive change. Make sure to have examples ready that showcase our impact.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in joining our mission.
We think you need these skills to ace VP Quality and Food Safety in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV speaks directly to the role of VP Quality and Food Safety. Highlight your leadership experience in quality and food safety, especially in global or multi-regional contexts. We want to see how you've driven change and built high-performing teams!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us about your vision for a proactive quality culture and how you’ve influenced stakeholders at an executive level. Be authentic and let your passion for quality and food safety come through.
Showcase Your Achievements: Quantify your successes where possible! Whether it's improving compliance rates or leading successful quality initiatives, we love numbers that tell a story. This helps us understand the impact you've made in previous roles.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands. Plus, it shows us you’re serious about joining our team at StudySmarter!
How to prepare for a job interview at develop
✨Know Your Quality Frameworks
Make sure you’re well-versed in global quality frameworks and food safety standards. Brush up on the latest regulations and best practices in the industry, as this will show your technical expertise and readiness to lead.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
Prepare to discuss your leadership approach and how you’ve successfully driven change in previous roles. Be ready to share specific examples of how you've aligned diverse stakeholders and built high-performing teams.
✨Demonstrate Stakeholder Management Skills
Think of instances where you’ve influenced senior leadership or navigated complex decision-making environments. Highlight your ability to challenge constructively while maintaining cultural sensitivity.
✨Articulate Business Value
Be prepared to translate quality and food safety priorities into clear business value. Have examples ready that illustrate how your initiatives have secured investment and resources, showcasing your commercial acumen.