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 Description
We have an exciting opportunity for a Product Development Manager located in Shanghai, China. The Product Development Manager is responsible for leading product innovation, portfolio management, and ingredient approval activities that support Dairy Queen's growth objectives while ensuring products meet quality, food safety, operational, and brand standards. Working cross-functionally with Marketing, Supply Chain, Operations, FSQR, franchisees, and suppliers, this role translates consumer, customer, and business needs into successful product initiatives that drive sales, profitability, and franchisee success. The position provides technical leadership and oversight for franchisee-developed products while also leading product development projects as business needs require. The role manages activities across the product lifecycle, including ideation, product evaluation, ingredient approvals, testing, commercialization, specification management, and continuous improvement.
Serving as both a strategic partner and technical expert, the Product Development Manager leverages strong project management, analytical, and problem-solving skills to balance consumer appeal, operational feasibility, quality, and cost. The role builds and influences relationships across internal and external stakeholders, aligns cross-functional teams to business objectives, and provides leadership in identifying opportunities, resolving challenges, and advancing innovation initiatives. Through effective collaboration, technical expertise, and execution excellence, this position enables successful product launches, supports franchisee growth, ensures compliance with Dairy Queen standards, and contributes to the long-term success of the brand.
Key Accountabilities Include:
Product Development and Technical Leadership
- Lead the development, renovation, validation, approval, and commercialization of new and existing products across assigned categories, including oversight of franchisee-developed products where applicable.
- Apply advanced technical expertise in food science, ingredient functionality, sensory science, manufacturing processes, and operational execution to deliver products that meet consumer expectations, business objectives, and Dairy Queen standards.
- Develop, review, and approve ingredients, packaging, and finished product specifications, while supporting ingredient approvals, vendor qualification, food safety, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance activities to ensure products meet Dairy Queen standards, regulatory requirements, operational feasibility expectations, and consumer quality standards throughout the product lifecycle.
- Drive category growth through consumer-focused innovation, utilizing consumer research, operator feedback, market analysis, competitive benchmarking, sensory testing, and operational insights to identify opportunities for new products, menu optimization, and business growth.
- Facilitate ideation and product exploration activities and translate insights into actionable product strategies and development plans that support innovation pipelines and future business growth.
- Monitor emerging industry trends, technologies, ingredients, and consumer behaviors to anticipate future opportunities and risks, and provide strategic recommendations that strengthen innovation pipelines and support long-term business objectives.
- Analyze complex product and procedural challenges and implement practical, cost-effective solutions while maintaining product quality, consistency, operational feasibility, and profitability.
- Proactively troubleshoot manufacturing plant procedures for existing and new products.
Project and Portfolio Management
- Lead cross-functional project teams through all phases of the product development process, from concept generation through commercialization and post-launch evaluation.
- Manage multiple concurrent projects, timelines, risks, and resources while ensuring alignment with business priorities, marketing calendars, menu strategies, and franchisee requirements.
- Communicate recommendations, progress, and risks to stakeholders including leadership teams, franchisees, and suppliers.
- Ensure product development, ingredient approval, and commercialization activities support menu strategies, marketing calendar commitments, and established innovation processes while meeting business and franchisee objectives.
Collaboration and Teamwork
- Develop and maintain strong partnerships with suppliers, franchisees, operations, marketing, supply chain, FSQR, and external industry partners.
- Provide technical leadership and clear direction during ingredient approvals, product development activities, commercialization efforts, and problem-solving initiatives.
- Leverage collaborative relationships to achieve business objectives while supporting franchisee growth and operational success.
- Communicate effectively with executives, franchisees, vendors, and cross-functional stakeholders, delivering clear recommendations and influencing decision-making across all levels of the organization.
Team Leadership
- Provide leadership through coaching, mentoring, knowledge sharing, and indirect or direct team management, as applicable.
- Manage and develop technical resources and laboratory or test kitchen capabilities where assigned.
- Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performance culture while developing organizational capabilities that support future innovation and business growth.
Qualifications
Experience
- Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Chemistry, or a related scientific discipline, with 5–8 years of Product Development or Innovation experience in a QSR, foodservice, CPG, or food manufacturing environment.
- Demonstrated success leading product development, commercialization, ingredient approvals, and product lifecycle management within cross-functional and multicultural organizations.
- Strong technical knowledge of food chemistry, ingredient functionality, sensory evaluation, manufacturing processes, and specification development; frozen dessert or dairy experience preferred.
- Experience collaborating with franchisees, suppliers, and cross-functional business partners to deliver market-driven product solutions; China market experience preferred.
- Proven track record working in China with understanding of the market and culture(s).
Skills
- Fluent in English & Mandarin (verbal and written)
- Demonstrated ability to lead through influence and drive alignment across diverse cross-functional teams.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills with the ability to balance consumer, operational, technical, and business considerations.
- Effective written, verbal, presentation, and stakeholder communication skills with the ability to communicate recommendations and influence decision-making at all organizational levels.
- Ability to build and maintain productive relationships with franchisees, suppliers, customers, and internal business partners.
- Strong understanding of product development processes, commercialization requirements, manufacturing systems, and restaurant operations.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, collaboration platforms, and project management tools.
Competencies
- Results-oriented with a strong sense of accountability and ownership for achieving business objectives.
- Strategic thinker with the ability to identify opportunities, anticipate risks, and translate insights into actionable plans.
- Demonstrated ability to lead innovation, continuous improvement, and problem-solving initiatives.
- Collaborative leader capable of working effectively across functions, cultures, and organizational levels.
- Self-motivated, adaptable, and capable of managing competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Committed to developing organizational capabilities through coaching, mentoring, knowledge sharing, and continuous learning.
Other requirements
- Ability to travel domestically and internationally as business needs require.
- Flexibility to work occasional evenings, weekends, and meetings across multiple time zones.
- Ability to work in laboratory, manufacturing, restaurant, and office environments as necessary to support product development and commercialization activities.
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.