Product Safety Senior Manager

McDonald's Corporation • Chicago, IL

23h • $130,434 - $163,042

About The Position

McDonald’s is proud to be one of the most recognized brands in the world, with restaurants in over 100 countries that serve 70 million customers daily. We continue to operate from a position of strength. Our updated growth strategy is focused on staying ahead of what our customers want and realizing further growth potential. Our relentless ambition is why McDonald’s remains one of the world’s leading corporations after almost 70 years. Joining McDonald's means thinking big and preparing for a career that can have influence around the world. At McDonald’s, we see every day as a chance to create positive impact. We lead through our values centered on inclusivity, service, integrity, community and family. From support of Ronald McDonald House Charities to our Youth Opportunity project and sustainability initiatives, our values keep us dedicated to using our scale for good: good for our customers, people, industry and planet. We also offer a broad range of outstanding benefits including a sabbatical program, tuition assistance and flexible work arrangements.
As the Product Safety Senior Manager on the Global Compliance & Safety Team, you will play a pivotal role in the improvement, implementation, and management of our comprehensive Happy Meal Toy and other non-food consumer product safety programs. This role will be instrumental in ensuring that all Happy Meal toys, marketing, promotional and other consumer products follow our safety processes and align with applicable laws, regulations and internal standards/policies. Acting as the product safety lead, this role cultivates a safety-focused culture throughout the organization by providing risk analysis, strategic insight and direction, hands-on advice, and training. In addition, you will partner with internal and external collaborators to ensure that all products meet consumer product safety requirements. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in product safety, risk analysis, consumer protection, with the ability to work cross-functionally in a fast-paced, collaborative and creative global environment.

Requirements

• 8+ years of managerial experience in safety and quality programs and risk management.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, chemistry, safety or a related field
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Proven experience in consumer product safety, quality assurance, or regulatory compliance, ideally with promotional goods, toys, apparel or electronics.
• Strong understanding of REACH, CPSC, ASTM, ISO, Prop 65, and other relevant global standards.
• Excellent communication, critical thinking and project management skills.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and strategic thinking skills, able to balance risk, innovation, and consumer experience.
• Proven track record of developing and implementing safety frameworks and risk assessment methodologies.
• Ability to interpret complex data and present actionable insights to non-technical audiences.
• Outstanding communication, interpersonal and leadership skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate with leadership, and align cross-functional teams and external partners.
• Proficiency in risk assessment tools (FMEA, Fault Tree Analysis, etc.).
• Strong project management skills with the ability to balance multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Willingness to work outside normal business hours due to interaction with global markets and travel internationally (25 - 30%) to engage with agencies and safety labs, and build relationships with global partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead the improvement, implementation and maintenance of the organization’s product safety strategies, standards, policies and procedures to mitigate risk.
• Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate product safety risks, staying ahead of evolving regulatory trends.
• Conduct product risk assessments, identify potential hazards (chemical, physical, electrical), and develop risk mitigation plans for new and existing products.
• Stay informed of industry trends, regulatory changes, and best practices in safety and regulatory standards globally.
• Collaborate with the business to develop and implement safety strategies and processes.
• Supervise product testing and certification to ensure compliance with safety standards.
• Connect with and train collaborators, including marketing, sourcing, safety labs, suppliers and global markets, to ensure product safety requirements are met.
• Provide training and support to internal teams on product safety practices and regulations.
• Partner with sourcing and suppliers to establish quality expectations, conduct vendor audits, and ensure their adherence to safety protocols.
• Engage with cross-functional collaborators to navigate shifts in the business landscape and resolve emerging issues.
• Contribute to the development and refinement of the organization's consumer product risk appetite framework, including facilitating discussions to support its evolution.
• Lead investigations into quality issues or safety incidents, root cause analysis, lead corrective and preventive actions (CAPA), and support product recall procedures if necessary.
• Communicate product safety concerns to relevant collaborators and provide recommendations for resolution.

Benefits

• This position offers health and welfare benefits, a 401(k) plan, adoption assistance program, educational assistance program, flexible ways of working, and time off policies (including sick leave, parental leave, and vacation/PTO).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager