Shift Leader

Overview

Olivia is our friendly virtual assistant designed to help streamline parts of the recruitment experience. She’s available to support you navigate through the application process 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Olivia can answer common questions, guide candidates through application steps, arrange interviews and provide timely updates, all to help make the application process smoother and easier to navigate. While Olivia can’t make hiring decisions (those are always made by real human recruiters), Olivia’s here to ensure your recruitment journey stays smooth and accessible—anytime you need.

Olivia is our friendly virtual assistant, which means she’s available to support your journey through the application process 24/7. Whether it’s late at night or over the weekend, she’s on hand to answer your questions, guide you through the application process, or help you find what you need.

Eligibility and Interview Process

Before we can employ you, we are required to verify your eligibility to work in the UK & Ireland. Acceptable documents to evidence your right to work can be found here. You’ll need to provide original documents such as a valid passport or a valid UK/Ireland visa (with a college letter listing term dates, where applicable). Only original documents will be accepted.

Interview and Hiring

What type of questions do you ask at an interview? The interview is an absolutely vital part of our hiring process. Without it, we wouldn’t get a proper picture of what kind of person you are, and whether you’d be a great fit. The interview will normally involve questions around values and attitudes and will allow you to show us why you’re the right person for the job. We might ask for examples of times you’ve worked as part of a team and how you made a difference to that team. In short, we look for people with the right attitudes and behaviours to deliver a great customer and colleague experience; we hire for qualities and potential, rather than qualifications.

What prospects do I have working at McDonald’s? Our employees tend to stick around, partly because it’s a fun, sociable and flexible place to work, but also because there are opportunities to progress into roles with more responsibility. In fact, 9 out of 10 of our restaurant managers, and 1 in 5 of our franchisees, started out as crew members behind the counter or in the kitchens. We’ve been recognised as a leading employer, offering award-winning learning, nationally-recognised qualifications, comprehensive benefits and flexible working arrangements, as well as a well-proven career path.

Salary, Schedule and Benefits

£13.26-£14.26 per hour (+ £1/hr for overnight shifts). Hands-on training from experienced leaders. Clear path to Assistant Manager and beyond. Real responsibility from Day 1. A supportive, respectful team culture. Earn while you learn — access to nationally recognised apprenticeships. No suit. No stress — just real opportunity. Career progression and continuous development. McDonald’s apprenticeships are aligned to job roles, with courses including:

• Level 2 Hospitality Team Member Apprenticeship
• Level 2 Customer Service Practitioner Apprenticeship
• Level 3 Hospitality Supervisor Apprenticeship
• Level 4 Hospitality Manager Apprenticeship
• Level 6 – Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship (Available when you become assistant manager)

Two-Stage Interview Process

1. Stage 1 — Interview with Tom (Learning and Development Manager) with a tour of the kitchen.
2. Stage 2 — 1 hour shoulder-to-shoulder session with a current shift manager to see what it takes to be a shift manager, manage others, and carry out operational checks; followed by meeting with Zahid the Operations Manager to discuss the role in more detail.

Other Benefits

• 6 weeks holiday per year
• Flexible hours
• Access to Level 2, 3, 4 and 6 apprenticeships (including school leaver degree apprenticeships)
• Enrolment in Pension scheme
• Meal allowance
• Employee discounts from top high street and online brands
• Premium shift allowances for overnight work
• Overtime pay where applicable

Every team member, including hourly-paid workers, earns above the national minimum wage. We offer a range of benefits including holiday and sick pay, and employee discounts at over 1,600 retailers.

Interview Availability

If you can’t make any of the interview slots, you can contact Olivia and she will help you rearrange a date suitable for you.

Sustainability and Pay

McDonald’s sustainability plans include steps towards a more sustainable business. In 2021, we launched our first net-zero restaurant. Pay frequency can vary by location: typically every 2 or 4 weeks for hourly employees, and monthly for salaried employees. Shifts vary by location, with many locations open 24 hours; shifts are scheduled to suit you and business needs. Uniforms are provided. McDonald’s promotes its employees and supports internal advancement opportunities.

Qualifications and Experience

What age do you need to be to work at McDonald’s? (This information is not applicable here; please refer to location-specific requirements.)