VP Quality and Food Safety in Slough
VP Quality and Food Safety

VP Quality and Food Safety in Slough

Slough Full-Time No home office possible
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead global transformation in Quality & Food Safety across a multi-regional organisation.
  • Company: Join a dynamic food manufacturing company focused on proactive quality culture.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, bonus, car allowance, and relocation support.
  • Other info: Opportunity for international travel and career growth in a high-impact role.
  • Why this job: Make a significant impact by driving change and embedding quality systems.
  • Qualifications: Senior leadership experience in Quality & Food Safety; degree in related discipline.

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
  • Confidently challenge and influence at executive level
  • Navigate complex, and at times controversial, decision-making environments
  • 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)
    • Proven track record in global or multi-regional roles, or leading quality within a region of a large multinational and ready to step into a global role
    • Experience operating in complex, matrixed organisations

    Technical Expertise

    • Strong understanding of food safety systems and standards
    • Quality management frameworks
    • Regulatory environments
    • Ability to engage deeply on technical topics while operating at strategic level

    Leadership & Behavioural Capabilities

    • Exceptional stakeholder management and influencing skills
    • Ability to operate effectively at executive and board level
    • Strong commercial acumen
    • Experience securing investment and resources

    Leadership style:

    • 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
    • Advanced qualifications in quality or food safety are advantageous

    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 Slough employer: develop

    As a leading employer in the food manufacturing sector, we offer an exceptional opportunity for the Vice President of Quality & Food Safety to drive transformative change within a dynamic and supportive work environment. Our commitment to fostering a proactive quality culture is matched by our investment in employee development and global collaboration, ensuring that you will thrive alongside a talented team of 400 quality professionals. With competitive compensation, relocation support, and a focus on continuous improvement, we are dedicated to empowering our leaders to make a meaningful impact across our multi-regional organisation.
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    Contact Detail:

    develop Recruiting Team

    StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

    We think this is how you could land VP Quality and Food Safety in Slough

    ✨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 those interviews by researching the company’s culture and values. We want to see how you can align your leadership style with their vision for quality and food safety.

    ✨Tip Number 3

    Showcase your experience in transforming quality cultures. We’re looking for leaders who can drive change, so be ready to share specific examples of how you’ve influenced stakeholders and built high-performing teams.

    ✨Tip Number 4

    Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets the attention it deserves. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search.

    We think you need these skills to ace VP Quality and Food Safety in Slough

    Global Quality Framework Development
    Food Safety Systems and Standards
    Quality Management Frameworks
    Regulatory Environment Knowledge
    Stakeholder Management
    Executive Influence
    Change Management
    Continuous Improvement
    Cross-Functional Collaboration
    Commercial Acumen
    Leadership in Matrix Organisations
    Cultural Sensitivity
    Risk Assessment
    Resource Allocation

    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 the executive level. Be authentic and let your passion for quality and food safety come through.

    Showcase Your Achievements: Don’t just list your responsibilities; showcase your achievements! Use metrics and examples to demonstrate how you’ve successfully implemented quality frameworks or transformed cultures in previous roles. We love seeing tangible results!

    Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity. Let’s get started on this journey together!

    How to prepare for a job interview at develop

    ✨Know Your Stuff

    Make sure you have a solid understanding of food safety systems and quality management frameworks. Brush up on the latest regulations and standards in the industry, as well as any recent developments in food safety. This will not only help you answer technical questions but also show that you're genuinely interested in the role.

    ✨Showcase Your Leadership Style

    Prepare to discuss your leadership approach and how you've successfully driven change in previous roles. Think of specific examples where you've influenced stakeholders or built high-performing teams. This is your chance to demonstrate that you're a builder, not just a maintainer.

    ✨Align with Their Vision

    Familiarise yourself with the company's current quality and food safety initiatives. Be ready to discuss how you can contribute to their global transformation agenda and shift towards a proactive quality culture. Showing that you understand their goals will set you apart from other candidates.

    ✨Practice Stakeholder Management

    Anticipate questions about how you would manage relationships with senior stakeholders. Prepare examples of how you've navigated complex decision-making environments and secured resources for quality initiatives. This will highlight your exceptional influencing skills and commercial acumen.

    VP Quality and Food Safety in Slough
    develop
    Location: Slough

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