Director, US Sustainability – McDonalds

Location: Chicago, IL

Overview + Roles/Responsibilities:

• Lead the development of a clear and compelling US Sustainability vision, strategy and action plan that is aligned with the organization’s Global Impact framework and goals (e.g., climate for supply chain and restaurant, packaging, circularity, water).
• Identify and lead the development of competitive strategy to gain customer awareness and appraisal for our investments, working with Impact, Marketing and other functions to develop a clear and measurable plan over the coming years.
• Collaborate with and influence cross functional stakeholders at all levels to co-develop and implement sustainability strategies.
  • Key internal stakeholders, at the global and US level, include supply chain, restaurant development, operations, communications, gov’t relations, franchisees.
• Engage, influence, and inspire internal and external stakeholders to take action and/or change perspective.  Develop supplier and franchisee engagement strategies.  Lead best practice sharing with other country teams and global functions.
  • Internal and external stakeholders including US leadership, supplier leadership, franchisees, other brands, and key influencers (NGOs, government, etc.).
• Responsible for talent management of 3 direct reports.  Ensures development, team culture, and robust succession plans are in place.  Supports broader enterprise talent management, development, and succession planning for key sustainability roles. Coaches/mentors others to accelerate learning and development. Encourages diversity throughout the organization.
• Support both North America Supply Chain and North America Impact department strategies and team culture as a member of both functions’ leadership teams.
• Lead public commitment progress tracking for the US and governance processes with US senior leadership team.
• Manage multiyear and multi-million-dollar cost of goods budget processes and annual G&A project budget processes.
• Provide thought leadership on engagement with sustainability related regulation, NGO perspectives, and influential stakeholders.  Lead change and innovation through early identification of changing internal and external contexts.

Qualifications: 

• Minimum of 7+ years of post-college experience working in decentralized organizations, leading change management campaigns
• BA/BS required.
• Subject matter expertise in integration of sustainability into core business functions as well as broad sustainability knowledge across multiple focus areas.
• Built trust, solid networks, and business relationships across all levels in an organization
• Current on global environmental and social issues and the landscape of related NGO and multi-stakeholder organizations who are thought and action leads.
• Preferred: Experience related to supply chain, sustainable buildings, energy, finance, sustainability-related marketing, and/or regulatory issues.

Competencies and Mindset: 

• Strategic systems thinker.  Demonstrates a strategic approach to interactions with stakeholders through the ability to adapt approach and influence the desired outcome.
• Excellent communicator.  Excellent writing capabilities and ability to succinctly update leadership. Strong oral communication and presentation skills with large audiences.
• 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 empathy.  Ability to quickly build strong working relationships with diverse stakeholders in a decentralized and global environment.
• Positive and collaborative approach.  Assumes good intent.
• Values intellectual rigor, feedback, and lifelong learning.