International Dairy Queen, Inc. (IDQ), based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is the parent company of American Dairy Queen Corporation and Dairy Queen Canada, Inc. Through its subsidiaries, IDQ develops, licenses, and services a system of more than 7,800 DQ restaurants in more than 20 countries. IDQ is a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. For more information, visit DairyQueen.com.
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 Description
We have an exciting opportunity for an Area Manager- LA&C. This role will provide leadership, business insight and operational support to assigned franchisees to achieve short and long term Company and Operations objectives. Serve as the primary business consultant and relationship owner for assigned franchisees, acting as the main strategic and operational advisor to franchise owners and their leadership teams. Utilize strong analytical, financial, operational, and business insight to identify performance gaps, diagnose root causes, develop insight-driven solutions, and guide execution that improves sales, profitability, guest satisfaction, and operating standards while protecting Dairy Queen trademarks, system standards, and brand guardrails.
This role is responsible for building strong franchisee relationships, establishing clarity of expectations, leading recurring business routines, proactively identifying risks and opportunities, and partnering cross-functionally to enable sustainable growth and strong operational performance across assigned markets.
Key Accountabilities Include:
- Serve as the primary business consultant, relationship owner, and first point of contact for assigned franchisees; build strong partnerships with franchise owners and leadership teams, establish clarity of expectations, and act as liaison between the brand and franchisee leadership.
- Analyze franchisee and market performance using Company systems, reports, and tools to identify trends, outliers, risks, and opportunities across sales, profitability, OSAT, labor, operational execution, audits, promotions, and development goals; translate findings into clear insights and actionable recommendations.
- Diagnose business and operational challenges, identify financial and operational levers, model business impact against goals, and guide franchisees in developing and executing action plans that drive profitable sales growth, operating productivity, and improved guest experience.
- Lead recurring business routines with assigned franchisees, including monthly performance reviews, KPI discussions, operating rhythms, and follow-up routines that reinforce accountability, capability development, and execution against business priorities.
- Proactively identify emerging issues, performance gaps, and capability needs before they result in escalations; coach franchisees and their teams to implement practical solutions and sustain improved performance over time.
- Guide franchisees in the consistent execution of approved operational standards, menu compliance, brand guardrails, food safety processes, and system requirements by providing coaching, direction, and support for effective implementation of the Dairy Queen operating model.
- Partner cross-functionally with Marketing, Training, FSQR, Product Development, Supply Chain, and other internal teams to resolve issues, improve franchisee execution, support profitable growth, and enable successful implementation of system initiatives.
- Support development and reinvestment efforts for franchisees, including remodels, renewals, operational readiness for new openings, and capability roadmaps aligned to system standards and long-term business objectives.
Qualifications
Education/Experience:
- B.A. or B.S. degree in Management, Business, Finance, Engineering, or related field or equivalent combination of education and related experience in lieu of degree.
- Must have 5 to 7 years of professional experience in restaurant operations, franchising, multi-unit environments, business consulting, finance, FP&A, or related business disciplines.
- Must have a minimum of 5 years of experience managing employees.
- Experience working within a franchise system, preferably within a QSR brand.
Skills:
- Verbal and written fluency in both English and Spanish.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret operational and financial data, identify trends and outliers, and communicate insights clearly.
- Demonstrated business acumen, including understanding of P&L drivers, operational KPIs, labor optimization, and financial levers that impact profitable sales growth and operating performance.
- Demonstrated ability to structure problems, identify root causes, model business impact, and recommend practical solutions.
- Relationship building skills with the ability to create mutually beneficial relationships with both internal and external clients.
- Ability to communicate complex and challenging topics in a clear and concise manner to drive alignment and action with franchisees, senior leaders, and cross-functional partners, written and verbal, in both English and Spanish.
- Proven ability to work independently, take initiative, and drive performance through data, critical thinking, and compelling reasoning.
- Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, including advanced data analysis, reporting, and presentation development.
- Experience building dashboards, performance summaries, executive-level presentations, and dynamic action plans.
- Experience with digital tools and platforms that improve productivity and operational efficiency preferred.
- Experience with Smartsheet, AI-enabled platforms, and data management tools preferred. SQL experience is a plus.
- Strong ability to multi-task and prioritize multiple projects and requests simultaneously within an intense, deadline-driven environment.
- Ability to collaborate in a team environment.
- Ability to work occasionally in the evenings and weekends, as necessary to meet project deadlines.
- Ability to drive an automobile for Operator visits.
- Valid passport in native country, with no restrictions to travel to international locations. Travel required up to 33%.
This role requires strong written and verbal English skills. All application materials (CV and cover letter) must be submitted in English.
Additional Information
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.
