Executive Assistant

Company Description

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. As the global leader in the food service industry, our legacy of innovation and hard work continues to drive us.

From drive thru updates to delivery to mobile order and pay, we are innovating quickly and growing. Joining McDonald's means thinking big and preparing for a career that can have influence around the world.

Department Overview

At McDonald’s, we see every day as a chance to create positive impact. We lead through our values centred 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.

We are looking for a highly capable Executive Assistant to provide strategic, proactive and confidential support to Paul Goldsmith, SVP Supply Chain, based in East Finchley.

This role will operate as a trusted partner to Paul, helping to manage priorities, protect leadership time and enable effective decision-making across a complex global Supply Chain environment.

The Executive Assistant may also support Paul’s direct leadership team and wider Supply Chain senior leadership activity where required, ensuring seamless coordination, sound judgement and high-quality execution.

Duties

Executive support and prioritisation

• Manage complex and fast-moving senior leadership calendars, balancing priorities, protecting executive time and anticipating conflicts before they arise.
• Provide proactive administrative and operational support that enables the SVP Supply Chain and leadership team to focus on critical business priorities.
• Prepare updates, track actions and support follow-through on key Supply Chain priorities, projects and leadership activities.

Stakeholder management and global coordination

• Act as a key point of contact across international offices, senior stakeholders and EA networks, building trusted relationships and enabling smooth communication.
• Liaise extensively with senior leadership EAs and cross-functional partners to coordinate priorities, schedules, meetings and business activities.
• Use sound judgement and discretion when handling confidential, sensitive or time-critical matters.

Meeting governance and operational delivery

• Organise and schedule meetings, including room or venue booking, refreshments, dietary requirements and appropriate technology support.
• Prepare and distribute agendas, papers, information packs and follow-up materials to support effective meeting outcomes.
• Coordinate detailed and complex travel arrangements, including logistics, itineraries and international requirements.
• Support legal paperwork signatories, timely expense submissions and special projects as required.

Qualifications

Skills & Experience

The ideal candidate will bring the following experience, skills and attributes:

• Solution orientated: Works at pace, anticipates leadership needs and brings practical recommendations to solve issues before they escalate.
• Relationship builder: Builds trusted relationships with senior leaders, peers and cross-functional stakeholders, recognising the value of in-person collaboration.

• Exercises sound judgement: Adapts quickly to changing situations, manages ambiguity and makes confident decisions within agreed boundaries.
• High levels of integrity: Handles confidential and sensitive information with absolute discretion and professionalism.
• Strong organisational skills: Balances conflicting priorities, manages multiple workstreams and maintains attention to detail in a fast-paced environment.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills: Demonstrates the gravitas to engage, influence and communicate clearly with a broad range of senior stakeholders.
• Tenacious and resilient: Brings a proactive attitude, growth mindset and the confidence to operate with autonomy and solve problems independently.
• Highly resourceful team player: Collaborates effectively while remaining resourceful, organised and calm under pressure.
• Strong technologyaptitude: Demonstrates advanced Microsoft Office skills, experience with Concur and the ability to quickly adopt technology that supports better business outcomes.

This is an opportunity for a high-calibre Executive Assistant to operate as a trusted partner within a global Supply Chain leadership environment, where discretion, judgement and proactive execution are essential.

Additional information

At McDonalds we are People from all Walks of Life...

People are at the heart of everything we do, and they make the McDonalds experience. We embrace diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture that means people can be their best authentic self in our restaurants and offices, which helps us to better serve our customers. We have a strong heritage of diversity and representation within our communities, which we are proud of. The diversity of our people, customers, Franchisees, and suppliers gives us strength.

We do not tolerate inequality, injustice, or discrimination of any kind. These are hugely important issues and a brand with our reach and relevance means we have a very meaningful role to play.

We also recognise our responsibility as a large employer to continue being active in our communities, helping to develop skills and drive aspirations that will help people to be more aware of the world of work and more successful within it, whether with McDonalds or elsewhere.