At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead strategy and planning for global impact, collaborating with teams across 75+ markets.
- Company: Join McDonald's IDL Impact Team, shaping reputation and driving positive change worldwide.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, dynamic work environment, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Work in a fast-paced environment with opportunities to engage with senior leaders.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in a global brand while developing your strategic skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in strategy or communications, strong project management, and excellent communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
An integral part of the IDL Impact Team, this strategic role is focused on providing alignment, counsel, and support to Impact teams in IDL Business Units and markets around the world to help build and protect McDonald’s reputation and impact. You will serve as a key thought partner to the IDL Impact lead and entire IDL Impact team, helping to identify trends, stay ahead of reputational and brand issues, and ensure DL markets have the resources and support needed for continued growth. You will lead annual planning for Global Impact within the IDL Segment, ensuring consistency in strategy, messaging, approach across the three IDL business units. You will also gain direct market experience by partnering with the Asia BU Impact lead to support select communications and engagement with Asia BU markets, as needed. The support for Asia will equate to 25% of your time.
Duties
- Strategy, planning, and alignment: Serve as a key thought partner to IDL Impact Sr. Director, and support strategy development and alignment across IDL Impact team. Partner with the Sr. Director to lead annual market planning process and ensure Global Impact priorities are reflected within market Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs), Phase 1, and Phase 2 plans. Attend key plan presentations, as needed. Lead the development of the annual IDL Impact plan template, and partner with BU Impact leads to support markets in plan development. Lead annual Impact Plan overview session for COEs, distilling the key themes, risks, and opportunities in market plans and sharing with COEs to inform annual Global Impact planning process. Lead the coordination of and partner with the Sr. Director to develop the agenda for annual IDL Impact team planning meetings.
- Market collaboration and best practice sharing: Lead quarterly IDL market webinars for 75+ markets to promote visibility and best practice sharing across the IDL segment, ensuring that content is timely, relevant, and informative for market leads. Lead planning of bi-annual IDL Impact Summit; a multiday convening which brings together Impact leads from the 75+ IDL markets, plus key global leaders and partners. Support Asia BU markets, in partnership with the BU Impact lead, as needed. This includes ongoing alignment and engagement, crisis and issues support, facilitation of best practice sharing and management of select BU Impact projects, as needed. (25% of remit). Support IDL BU Impact leads in managing engagement with and advising markets, as needed.
- Stakeholder management: Manage agency partnerships, including briefing, onboarding, and general relationship and project management. Lead and oversee Extended IDL Impact Team; a forum which brings together representatives across the COEs with accountability to IDL markets. Develop robust agendas that meet the needs of both the IDL Impact team and COEs, lead discussions, manage follow-up, etc. Serve as a key contact for Global Impact COEs, ensuring they have visibility into IDL Impact initiatives, and representing and advocating for IDL markets to COEs. Showcase DL market achievements, best practices, context, and perspective to the Global Impact team, ensuring that DL market perspectives are reflected as part of wider Global Impact discussions.
- Project management: Lead and support other projects, as required. Examples include: Boycott recovery and localization work, including Oxford Economics and localization research. Supporting international media relations team on regional earned and paid storytelling. Working with Global Comms Story Lab team on spotlighting IDL stories across corporate channels. Proactively engage with select markets, tracking priority activities and supporting their planning and engagement with IDL Impact. Support peers with vacation/leave coverage across, as well as providing market support on issues and crisis when needed. Leading multi-BU Impact projects and programs - coordinating across BUs and Impact teams to deliver key initiatives.
Qualifications
- Proven experience in strategy, planning, or communications within a complex, matrixed global organisation, ideally with exposure to corporate affairs, impact, sustainability, reputation, or brand‑adjacent work.
- Strong strategic thinking and synthesis skills, with the ability to identify patterns, trends, and risks across multiple markets and translate them into clear priorities and actionable plans.
- Demonstrated capability in leading cross‑market planning and alignment processes, ensuring consistency of strategy, messaging, and approach while respecting local market nuance.
- Experience working with senior stakeholders and leadership teams, acting as a trusted thought partner who can provide sound judgement, challenge constructively, and influence without authority.
- Excellent project and process management skills, with the ability to manage multiple workstreams, timelines, and stakeholders across geographies and time zones.
- Strong communication and facilitation skills, including experience leading forums, workshops, webinars, or large convenings to drive alignment, learning, and best‑practice sharing.
- Comfort operating in ambiguous and fast‑moving environments, with a proactive mindset, high attention to detail, and the ability to balance strategic perspective with hands‑on execution.
Manager, Strategy & Planning in London employer: McDonald's United Kingdom
At McDonald's, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and innovative work culture. As a Manager in Strategy & Planning, you will have the opportunity to engage with diverse global markets, drive impactful initiatives, and contribute to our mission of building a positive reputation. With a strong focus on employee growth, we offer comprehensive training and development programmes, ensuring that you can thrive in your career while making a meaningful impact in the communities we serve.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Manager, Strategy & Planning in London
✨Dive Into Corporate Strategy Communities
Get yourself involved in online communities or forums focused on corporate strategy. Places like LinkedIn groups or specific Slack channels can hook you up with industry insights, trends, and many potential job leads. Don't hesitate to share your thoughts or ask questions; it’ll boost your visibility!
✨Attend Industry Conferences and Events
Keep an eye out for corporate strategy conferences or networking events in your area (or online!). These gatherings are gold mines for meeting hiring managers and making impactful connections. Plus, having a few good conversations can lead to job referrals at companies like McDonald's United Kingdom!
✨Showcase Your Strategy Skills
Create content that showcases your knowledge of corporate strategy—think reports, blogs, or even video discussions. Sharing these on platforms like LinkedIn or Medium can demonstrate your expertise and make you stand out to employers looking for fresh talent.
✨Apply Directly Through Our Website
Don’t forget to apply for the Manager, Strategy & Planning position at McDonald's United Kingdom via our website! This shows your genuine interest, and who knows, you might just land that interview in a matter of days. Keep your application focused on how you can add value to their strategy team.
We think you need these skills to ace Manager, Strategy & Planning in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Us Your Strategic Thinking:When crafting your CV and cover letter, highlight your strategic analysis skills. Focus on past experiences where you've effectively assessed market trends or made impactful recommendations. Evidence-based achievements, like improving processes or contributing to significant projects, will help us see your potential for driving corporate strategy at McDonald's United Kingdom.
Tailor Your Narrative:Don’t just send us a generic application! Personalise your cover letter by connecting your experiences and aspirations to McDonald's United Kingdom’s mission and goals. We love seeing candidates who genuinely understand what we do; share how your vision aligns with ours and what you can bring to the table.
Highlight Relevant Academic Credentials:In your CV, make sure to showcase your academic background, especially if you have qualifications in business, economics, or analytics. We appreciate candidates who can back up their skills with relevant degrees or certifications, so don’t be shy about flaunting those achievements!
Utilise Professional Language:While we want you to be yourself, remember that corporate strategy roles demand a level of professionalism in communication. Use clear and concise language in your application materials, ensuring that your ideas come across as well-structured and sophisticated. It’s all about making a great impression right from the written application stage!
How to prepare for a job interview at McDonald's United Kingdom
✨Master the Numbers
Corporate strategy often involves data analysis and financial forecasting. Brush up on your quantitative skills, and be prepared to handle case studies or numerical problems during the interview. We might get questions about how to approach market trends or assess the performance of a hypothetical company — so practice these scenarios!
✨Know Your Frameworks
Familiarity with strategic frameworks like SWOT, PESTLE, or Porter’s Five Forces can set you apart. We should be ready to discuss how we’d apply these tools to real-world business situations — maybe even relating them to McDonald's United Kingdom. This shows we’re not just theory-happy but can articulate our practical application.
✨Engage in Strategic Conversations
In a full-time role like this, it’s crucial to show that we're engaged and informed about current trends in the industry. Keep up with major news and prepare to discuss how recent developments could impact strategic decisions at McDonald's United Kingdom. This will demonstrate our passion and proactive approach to the field.
✨Showcase Relevant Experience
Whether through internships or projects, we should highlight any experience that relates to corporate strategy. Have specific examples ready to talk about how we’ve contributed to strategic growth or improvements. It's about showcasing our unique journey and how it will bring value to McDonald's United Kingdom.
