Sr. Manager Product Pipeline

DQ Grill & Chill restaurant: Edina; Burlington; Hybrid; CAD 142,000 - 167,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading fast-food brand is seeking an experienced Product Strategist in Burlington, Ontario. The ideal candidate will develop impactful product strategies from conception through launch, leveraging consumer insights and market research. They should have over 7 years of experience in product strategy, strong communication skills, and the ability to work in a fast-paced, hybrid work environment. This role offers a competitive salary range and opportunities for bonuses.

Benefits

Hybrid work schedule

Bonus eligibility

Qualifications

• 7+ years of product strategy experience with proven results.
• Ability to create effective go-to-market strategies.
• Experience in a franchisor organization, preferably in QSR.

Responsibilities

• Lead product strategy development from inception to launch.
• Analyze market research and consumer trends for insights.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align product initiatives.

Skills

Product strategy development

Consumer insights analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Strong communication skills

Data storytelling

Education

B.A. or B.S. Degree in Marketing or related field

MBA preferred

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Consumer research tools (Circana, Accelerated Learning Labs)

Job description

Company Description

Since 1940, Dairy Queen® has been one of the world’s best known and loved brands. Based in Minneapolis, MN, International Dairy Queen Inc., (IDQ), is the parent company of American Dairy Queen Corporation. As a leading franchisor, there are more than 7,000 independently owned and operated restaurants in the U.S., Canada and more than 20 countries around the world. IDQ is a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Berkshire) which is led by Warren Buffett, the legendary investor and CEO of Berkshire.

Here at IDQ, we create extraordinary Fan experiences every day and we do this through our commitment to hiring and retaining only the best in class talent. We firmly believe that our employees are the catalyst to the success of the company where their initiative, strategic thinking, and entrepreneurial spirit are recognized and rewarded. We're looking for motivated, passionate and dedicated individuals with an inherent need and ambition to go after bigger challenges.

Job Overview

Lead the development of product strategies from inception to launch, measuring impact to achieve business goals. Utilize a consumer-first mindset to identify the most significant market opportunities by analyzing market research, competitive insights, and consumer trends, and building product strategies that meet evolving consumer needs. Collaborate with the US product strategy team to develop and prioritize product strategies that align with business objectives. Collaborate with the Senior Manager - Canadian Calendar Development to drive business growth through high-impact, measurable product promotions.

Accountabilities

• Mine competitive insights, DQ business analytics, and consumer trends to uncover consumer insights to fuel product strategies.
• Independently drive product strategies and build out rolling 3 – 5 year roadmaps for key products, ensuring a robust product pipeline.
• Leverage US product strategies and evaluate adoption for the Canadian market. Identify market differences and close gaps with Canada-specific product strategies to enhance your market presence.
• Uncover consumer truths, motivations, and consumer tensions across categories, including food, treats, and cakes.
• Drive brand action through the development and articulation of product concepts for consumer research.
• Develop a go-to-market positioning strategy to drive effective marketing communications, including articulating differentiated product benefits and compelling reasons to believe.
• Direct product development timelines and ensure the critical path is met.
• Work cross-functionally and with franchisee committees to gain alignment and support for key product initiatives.
• Collaborate with the business analytics team to measure the impact of products and promotions. Bring forward recommendations on optimizations and apply learning to future product and promotional development.
• Ensure budgets related to product strategy are managed effectively by identifying the appropriate ROI.

The Canadian national base salary range for this position is CAD $142,176- $166,137. This position is also eligible for a bonus. The base salary range displayed reflects the targeted hiring range for the same positions across all Canadian locations. Individual pay is determined by job-related skills, work location, and education or experience.

Education & Qualifications

• B.A. or B.S. Degree in Marketing or related field, or equivalent combination of work experience. MBA preferred.
• Minimum of 7 years of product strategy experience with proven ability to articulate product concepts and position products to achieve business goals.
• Proven ability to transform consumer insights into product strategies and go to market strategies.
• Demonstrated experience with suite of consumer research tools such as Circana, screeners, Accelerated Learning Labs.
• Experience working within a franchisor organization, preferably a QSR brand.
• Demonstrated strength at persuading, influencing and exercising leadership cross-functionally, to drive decisions and project plans with high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Prioritize multiple projects and requests simultaneously within an intense, deadline-driven environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Strong presentation writing skills, demonstrating an ability to story tell with data and consumer insights.
• Strong ability to support recommendations with data storytelling.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Additional Information

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines. You must be work authorized in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship.

Work Environment

Most positions located out of our corporate office in Burlington, Ontario will work a hybrid work schedule where you will work 3 collaboration days a week. Additional in office time may be required to support team/project needs.

Inclusion & Belonging

We are committed to creating a culture of inclusion and belonging for all who touch DQ. We believe in and commit to fostering a community where employees bring their authentic selves to work, and where we recruit, engage, and retain employees, franchise owners, and suppliers based on qualifications and merit. We strive to maintain an environment where everyone feels welcome.