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- Tasks: Lead global transformation in Quality & Food Safety across a multi-regional organisation.
- Company: Dynamic food manufacturing company focused on quality and safety.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, relocation support, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Join a high-performing team and drive meaningful change in a complex environment.
- Why this job: Make a significant impact by embedding a proactive quality culture globally.
- Qualifications: Senior leadership experience in Quality & Food Safety, preferably in food manufacturing.
The predicted salary is between 100000 - 150000 £ per year.
Location: UK (relocation supported), potentially Europe with travel.
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
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 and 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 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
VP Quality and Food Safety employer: develop
Contact Detail:
develop Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land VP Quality and Food Safety
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to industry contacts on LinkedIn or at events. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can get you in the door.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company’s values and recent projects. We want you to show how your vision aligns with their goals, especially in quality and food safety.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! You need to be able to clearly articulate your experience and how it relates to the role. We suggest rehearsing with a friend or in front of a mirror to boost your confidence.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. 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
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 multi-regional settings. We want to see how you've driven change and built teams in complex environments.
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 plan to influence executive leadership. Be authentic and let your passion for quality and food safety come through.
Showcase Your Achievements: Quantify your successes! Whether it's improving compliance rates or leading a team of quality professionals, we love numbers that tell a story. This helps us understand the impact you've made in previous roles and how you can do the same with us.
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 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 show your expertise but also demonstrate your commitment to the role.
✨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 built high-performing teams and influenced stakeholders at an executive level. This is your chance to highlight your ability to balance firmness with cultural sensitivity.
✨Align with Their Vision
Understand the company's current transformation agenda and be prepared to discuss how you can contribute to building a proactive quality culture. Think about how you can align regional operations under consistent standards and what strategies you would implement to achieve this.
✨Prepare for Tough Questions
Expect to face challenging questions about navigating complex decision-making environments and securing investment for quality initiatives. Practice articulating your thought process and how you would build compelling cases for investment, focusing on risk, return, and impact.