At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the strategy for food safety, quality assurance, and sustainable agriculture at McDonald's.
- Company: Join McDonald's, a leading global brand with over 1500 restaurants in the UK and Ireland.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, leadership opportunities, and a chance to make a real impact.
- Other info: Be part of a collaborative team driving innovation and brand trust.
- Why this job: Shape the future of food safety and sustainability in a dynamic, high-impact role.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in food safety and quality assurance; degree in Food Science preferred.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 € per year.
About Us
McDonald's has run its business in the UK since 1974 and currently operates over 1500 restaurants across the UK and Ireland, serving almost four million customers each day. McDonald's is one of the UK's largest private sector employers, employing over 170,000 people.
Department Overview
The Head of Quality Assurance, Food Safety, Nutrition & Sustainable Agriculture (QFSN & SA) is accountable for setting and delivering the end‑to‑end UK&I strategy for product quality, food safety, legality, nutritional compliance and sustainable agriculture, from farm through to restaurant. The role holds ultimate accountability for ensuring that all products supplied to McDonald’s UK & Ireland meet the highest standards of safety, quality, legality and nutritional compliance, protecting customers, franchisees, and the brand. This includes ownership of assurance frameworks across the entire supply chain and restaurant estate, ensuring robust governance, proactive risk management and consistent execution. In addition, the role provides strategic leadership for sustainable agriculture and responsible sourcing, ensuring alignment with global sustainability priorities and UK&I Plan for Change commitments. This includes driving continuous improvement in animal health and welfare, environmental performance and farming practices, while maintaining strong alignment with food safety, quality and product integrity requirements.
Operating as a senior functional leader within the UK&I Supply Chain Leadership Team, the role ensures that QFSN and Sustainable Agriculture collectively act as a source of competitive advantage, enabling safe, compliant and sustainable growth, strengthening brand trust and supporting innovation. The role leads a multi‑disciplinary function and works in close partnership with Global teams, franchisees, suppliers, farmers, regulators and NGOs to embed a strong food safety and quality culture, effective governance and continuous improvement from farm to fork to restaurant.
What Team will I be a part of?
A senior manager within the UK&I Supply Chain Leadership Team, partnering with peers across sourcing, logistics, strategy and sustainability. Leads the Quality Assurance, Food Safety, Nutrition & Sustainable Agriculture function, responsible for farm, supplier and restaurant assurance. Works in close collaboration with Global SC counterparts and teams to ensure alignment and consistency.
Duties
- Set and deliver the UK&I strategy for Quality Assurance, Food Safety, Product Legality, Nutrition and Sustainable Agriculture, aligned to global standards, Plan for Change commitments and local legislation.
- Lead the QFSN & Sustainable Agriculture function as a cohesive, enterprise‑level department, setting clear direction, priorities, governance and standards.
- Hold ultimate accountability for product quality, food safety, legality and nutritional compliance across the supply chain and restaurant estate.
- Provide senior leadership during incidents, crises, product withdrawals and recalls, representing the business credibly and ensuring timely, proportionate and well‑governed decisions.
- Define and govern assurance frameworks across farms, suppliers and restaurants, embedding a strong culture of food safety, quality and sustainability across the supply chain.
- Lead delivery of sustainable agriculture and responsible sourcing priorities, including animal health and welfare, environmental performance and farming practices, ensuring alignment with food safety and quality objectives.
- Influence Executive‑level decision‑making and act as the senior UK&I representative externally, engaging with regulators, industry bodies, NGOs, franchisees and Global teams to protect brand trust and reputation.
- Build long‑term functional capability by leading, developing and succession‑planning a high‑performing, multi‑disciplinary leadership team, role‑modeling calm, inclusive and decisive leadership.
- Participate in the on‑call rota for the leadership team to ensure continuity of operations during weekends and holidays.
Qualifications
- Proven director level senior leadership experience in food safety, quality assurance or technical roles within complex, high‑risk food environments.
- Demonstrated ability to set strategy and lead large, multi‑disciplinary teams through ambiguity and change.
- Strong experience of incident leadership, risk management and regulatory engagement.
- Ability to influence at Executive level and across a broad stakeholder landscape.
- Experience embedding governance, data‑led decision‑making and continuous improvement at scale.
- Degree in Food Science or equivalent experience; advanced HACCP and food safety credentials expected.
- Head of Quality Assurance, Food Safety, Nutrition and Sustainability (Interim 12 months fix term) employer: McDonald's
McDonald's is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment that prioritises quality, safety, and sustainability in the food industry. With over 170,000 employees across the UK and Ireland, we foster a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement, providing ample opportunities for professional growth and development. Our commitment to responsible sourcing and sustainable practices not only enhances our brand trust but also empowers our employees to make a meaningful impact in their roles.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land - Head of Quality Assurance, Food Safety, Nutrition and Sustainability (Interim 12 months fix term)
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the food safety and quality assurance sectors. Attend industry events or webinars, and don’t be shy about asking for informational interviews. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your expertise! Prepare a portfolio that highlights your achievements in food safety, quality assurance, and sustainable agriculture. Use real examples to demonstrate how you've led teams through challenges and improved processes.
✨Tip Number 3
Ace the interview by being prepared! Research McDonald's values and their approach to sustainability and food safety. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their goals and how you can contribute to their mission.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you're genuinely interested in joining the team at McDonald's and contributing to their commitment to quality and sustainability.
We think you need these skills to ace - Head of Quality Assurance, Food Safety, Nutrition and Sustainability (Interim 12 months fix term)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the role of Head of Quality Assurance. Highlight your experience in food safety, quality assurance, and leadership in complex environments. We want to see how your background aligns with our needs!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about food safety and sustainability. Share specific examples of how you've led teams through challenges and made a positive impact in previous roles.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills:As a senior leader, we’re looking for someone who can influence and inspire. In your application, highlight instances where you've successfully led multi-disciplinary teams or managed crises. This will show us you have what it takes to lead our QFSN & Sustainable Agriculture function.
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, you’ll find all the details you need about the role and our company culture there!
How to prepare for a job interview at McDonald's
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of food safety, quality assurance, and sustainable agriculture. Familiarise yourself with McDonald's current practices and any recent news related to their initiatives in these areas. This will show that you're genuinely interested and well-prepared.
✨Showcase Leadership Skills
As a senior role, they’ll be looking for strong leadership qualities. Prepare examples from your past experiences where you've successfully led teams through challenges or changes. Highlight your ability to influence decision-making at an executive level and how you've built high-performing teams.
✨Understand the Supply Chain
Get a good grasp of the end-to-end supply chain process, especially how it relates to food safety and quality. Be ready to discuss how you would ensure compliance and governance across farms, suppliers, and restaurants. This shows you can think strategically about the role.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect questions about how you would handle incidents or crises related to food safety or product recalls. Think through potential scenarios and your approach to managing them effectively. This will demonstrate your readiness to take on the responsibilities of the role.
