Global Sustainability Sr. Manager, Circularity Lead

McDonald's Corporation•Chicago, IL

About The Position

McDonald’s is one of the most recognized brands globally, operating in over 100 countries and serving 70 million customers daily. The company's growth strategy focuses on customer needs and realizing further growth potential, aiming to remain a world leader. McDonald's emphasizes creating positive impact through values like inclusivity, service, integrity, community, and family, supporting initiatives like Ronald McDonald House, Youth Opportunity, and sustainability. This position is responsible for developing and implementing McDonald’s global restaurants circularity strategy, with a focus on packaging and waste systems. The role aims to drive measurable business value, ensure regulatory readiness, and build brand trust on a global scale. It involves leading strategic engagement and coordination of internal and external partnerships, program management, and reporting.

Requirements

Bachelor degree or equivalent experience required.
Experience working in global decentralized organizations, leading change management campaigns, including strategy development and implementation
Deep knowledge of circularity principles, waste systems, packaging, and related materials in retail environment.
Experience with measurement and reporting on packaging and waste volumes while navigating complex networks of partners and suppliers.
Experience navigating or engaging on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and related regulatory frameworks.
Strategic systems thinker and excellent executor. Ability to shift between strategy and execution, staying focused on the desired end outcome.
Strong communicator. Excellent writing capabilities and ability to succinctly update leadership. Strong oral communication and presentation skills, including in front of large audiences.
Excellent project management and organizational skills with cross functional teams. Effectively run programs and projects; ensure timeliness and excellent deliverables. Prioritizes and balances multiple responsibilities.
Leads and navigates change within ‘the grey,’ and in large, complex organizations. Effectively operates in fast-moving, ambiguous, and evolving environments with few precedents.
Strong interpersonal skills, ability to influence without authority, and with empathy. Ability to quickly build strong working relationships with diverse partners in a decentralized and global environment.
Positive and collaborative approach. Assumes good intent.
Values intellectual rigor, feedback, and lifelong learning.

Nice To Haves

Experience related to finance, sustainability-related marketing, supply chain, packaging design for circularity, operations, and/or regulatory issues
Knowledge of circularity-related NGO landscape and global issues

Responsibilities

Develop, carry out, and evolve McDonald’s global restaurant circularity strategy in partnership with markets and global functions (supply chain, finance, legal, development, government relations, marketing, operations etc.) and external partners. Translate ambition into clear business priorities, roadmaps, and execution models.
Facilitate standard process sharing with and amongst country teams, accelerating proven solutions and supporting local deployment of restaurant circularity strategies.
Develop and drive key initiatives regarding circularity, packaging, toys, & waste
Manage packaging, toys, waste, circularity reporting and metrics (internal and external), in partnership with other relevant Global teams (e.g., supply chain).
Provide subject matter expertise on materials choices, impacts, and trade-offs
Contribute to internal and external ESG communications, engagement, and reporting activities.
Build and lead strong external partnerships with NGOs and consultants.
Stay ahead of emerging trends, technologies, and regulatory shifts in circularity, recycling, and waste systems globally.
Partner with Government Relations to inform and shape policy approaches that enable scalable, practical solutions.