Work Environment Specialist

McDonald’s is the largest restaurant chain in the Nordics and the market leader in both sales and market share, serving iconic products such as the Big Mac and world-famous fries to over 600,000 guests every day.

This position is based in Stockholm reporting directly to the Head of Nordic People & Culture. Food Folk is the Nordic organization behind McDonald’s – one of the world’s most iconic brands. With 70 franchisee groups and over 20,000 employees across Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland, we’re on a mission to build a purpose-driven, high-performing culture that reflects our values and inspires our people.

The Role
As a Work Environment Specialist, you are responsible for developing, implementing, and following up on Food Folk’s health and safety work across both restaurants and Nordic head offices. The role covers physical, organizational, and psychosocial workplace safety with a focus on security, sustainability, and employee wellbeing.

This is a newly established Nordic role with the opportunity to strengthen and further develop Food Folk’s structured and preventative approach to health and safety across markets.

The role is Nordic, coordinating health and safety efforts across multiple countries while complying with local laws and regulations, and ensuring practices align with McDonald’s People Brand Standards. You influence both company-owned and franchised restaurants without direct line management over franchisees. The position is based in Stockholm and is part of a dynamic and international Nordic environment. The role involves close collaboration with operations, People teams, restaurant leadership, franchisees, and external partners to support a strong and proactive safety culture across the organization. Some travel within the Nordic markets should be expected.

You will report to the Head of Nordic People & Culture.

Key Responsibilities include

• Develop the Food Folk Safety Management System in line with ISO 45001 and the broader McDonald’s safety framework

• Develop and implement supporting processes and safety routines and assessments across the Nordics with a priority being safety in restaurants

• Ensure compliance with legislation and internal policies and document risk assessments and inspections.

• Lead physical safety: ergonomics, fire safety, threat & violence prevention, accident prevention, and crisis preparedness as it relates to safety.

• Drive psychosocial work environment initiatives and preventative measures.

• Implement broader wellbeing initiatives that support the organisation’s culture and engagement of our people

• Support managers with training, guidance, and hands-on support.

• Lead safety incident investigations and ensure corrective actions are implemented.

• Coordinate regular safety committees, safety representatives, and union collaboration.

• Develop and deliver safety training, monitor and report key lead and lag indicators regarding safety culture and propose improvements.

Education & Certification

• University degree or vocational education in occupational health and safety, HR, security, ergonomics, or similar.

• Specialization in OHS (Organizational & Social Work Environment).

• Training in crisis management, threat & violence, and fire safety.

• Certification in occupational health and safety management (e.g., ISO 45001).

Experience

• Several years of experience in operational health and safety, preferably in restaurant, retail, or service industries.

• Experience in Nordic or multinational organizations.

• Documented experience in systematic health and safety work (SAM), incident management, risk assessment, and collaboration with safety representatives and unions.

• Experience training and coaching managers on health and safety topics.

• Experience in both physical and psychosocial workplace safety in public environments.

• Fluent in English, both written and spoken. Knowledge of a Nordic language is considered an advantage.

Personal Qualities

• Relationship-building, communicative, and solution-oriented.

• Analytical, structured, and hands-on.

• High integrity and committed to maintaining professional expertise.

• Empathetic, self-driven, and culturally aware.

Good to know 
This is a permanent position with the desired start as soon as possible.  6 months’ probationary period is applied. As part of the recruitment process, SHL personality assessments will be used. 

What Food Folk / McDonald's offers you 
At Food Folk and McDonald's, all employees are equal, regardless of age, gender, and ethnicity. We want to make a difference and in many cases we are the first step in the career and an integration engine in society, something we are very proud of. At Food Folk / McDonald's, we believe that good food can also be sustainable – for our customers, producers and the environment. 

In addition to a global workplace with many great colleagues, you get a pension and a range of benefits. With many fun activities all year round, you and all employees will be involved and continue to grow with the Nordic region's largest restaurant chain! 

To apply for this opportunity, please submit your application in English through recruitment firm, LYL People. Selection and interviews will be conducted on an ongoing basis, so we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible.

If you have any questions or concerns, you are warmly welcome to contact Ylva Ottosson at ylva.ottosson@lylpeople.se or +46 733914108 or Louise Junghahn at louise.junghahn@lylpeople.se or +46703272702.