Head of Quality Assurance, Food Safety, Nutrition and Sustainability (Interim 12 months fix term)

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‑modelling 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.