Overview
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
- Confidently challenge and influence at executive level
- Navigate complex, and at times controversial, decision-making environments
- Translate quality and food safety priorities into clear business value
- Build compelling cases for investment in quality initiatives
- Secure resources by articulating risk, return, and impact
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
Critical success factors:
- 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
- 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
Location & Mobility
- 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
Compensation
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