Director, Corporate Communications

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.

We have an exciting opportunity open for a Director of Corporate Communications based out of our corporate headquarters in Bloomington, MN.  The Director of Corporate Communications leads ADQ’s enterprise-wide communications strategy, including public relations, employee communications, franchisee communications, fan relations, and crisis-management communications. This role develops and executes communication strategies that support business priorities, protect and enhance the Company’s reputation, ensure consistent messaging across audiences, and strengthen engagement with employees, franchisees, fans, media, and other stakeholders. The Director serves as a strategic communications advisor to executive leadership, oversees communications team members and outside PR resources, and ensures effective messaging, processes, and responses are in place for key initiatives, sensitive issues, media inquiries, customer feedback, and other high-impact matters.

Key Accountabilities Include:

Public Relations and External Communications Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee the company’s Public Relations function, serving as the primary point of contact for media outlets and other external parties making inquiries on behalf of the brand.
• Develop and execute a proactive public relations strategy that supports the company’s business objectives, protects and enhances brand reputation, and reinforces the company’s position as a leading QSR brand.
• Monitor external trends, media coverage, stakeholder sentiment, and emerging issues that may affect the company’s reputation, and recommend proactive communications strategies as appropriate.
• Shape and steward the company’s public persona, voice, and messaging across all external-facing communications, ensuring consistency, clarity, and alignment with ADQ’s Mission, Vision and Values.
• Manage relationships with outside public relations agencies, consultants, vendors, and other communications resources, ensuring high-quality execution, strategic alignment, and effective use of resources.
• Partner closely with executive leadership to develop company positions on key business, reputational, regulatory, social, and industry issues, including inquiries or campaigns from NGOs and other advocacy organizations and other sensitive or high-profile matters.

Oversees Employee Communications

• Provides strategic oversight and direction to the Manager responsible for Employee Communications.
• Oversees the development, positioning, and execution of key internal communications for ADQ employees, ensuring messages are clear, timely, engaging, and aligned with the Company’s strategic priorities, brand, and Mission, Vision, and Values.
• Supports executive leadership as a communications advisor and strategist, providing counsel on high-impact internal messaging, strategic initiatives, leadership communications, and employee engagement.

Oversees Franchisee Communications

• Provides strategic oversight and direction to the Manager responsible for Franchisee Communications.
• Oversees and contributes to the development of franchisee communication programs that strengthen the partnership between ADQ and its franchisees.
• Ensures franchisee communications build engagement around the Company’s Mission, Vision, Values, business priorities, and initiatives that support franchisee profitability.

Oversees Fan Relations

• Provides strategic oversight and direction to the Senior Manager responsible for the Fan Relations function.
• Ensures appropriate people, resources, processes, and escalation protocols are in place to respond effectively to customer concerns, feedback, and inquiries across relevant channels.
• Oversees cross-functional coordination, response strategies, and metrics to identify customer feedback trends, support satisfactory resolution of issues, and recommend improvements to the function.

Leads ADQ Crisis-Management Communications

• Manages crisis-management related media relations for the Company.
• Develops crisis and issues management plans, corrects inaccuracies, anticipates and manages crisis communications.
• Acts as corporate spokesperson when required.
• Leads communications function on DQ Recall Team.

Management of Communications Professionals

• Directly manages two Communication Managers and a Senior Manager – Fan Relations and oversees their team members’ performance.
• Continuously coaches and advises assigned team members in the execution of their responsibilities.
• Hires competent, high performing staff with skills that are relevant to the needs of the business.  Conducts onboarding and training for new staff
• Establishes clear direction and performance expectations, monitors progress and results on an ongoing basis.
• Recognizes contributions on an ongoing basis; celebrates individual and team accomplishments.
• Creates focus on the right priorities, eliminates roadblocks, and provides solutions to day-to-day problems for staff.

Other Duties:

Plays a leadership role in planning content for special events including ADQ’s franchisee convention and quarterly ADQ employee meetings.

The US national base salary range for this position is $163,728 - $204,737. This position is also eligible for a bonus. The base salary range displayed reflects the targeted hiring range for positions across all US locations. Individual pay is determined by job-related skills, work location and relevant education or experience

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Communication, English, Mass Communication, or equivalent combination of education and work experience. Graduate degree a plus.
• Must have a minimum of 8-10 years of prior corporate communications, association or agency experience including several years in a leadership role.
• Management experience required.
• Experience providing strategic communication counsel to company senior management is preferred.
• Experience in a corporate communications leadership role in a franchisee-based organization is preferred.

Skills:

• Superior communication/writing and editing skills with an understanding of how to tailor messages to different audiences clearly, quickly and proficiently.
• Exceptional editing and proofreading skills.
• Demonstrates an understanding and proven track record of strategic communication planning, message development and execution.
• Creative/strategic thinker who can quickly develop innovative story ideas for an audience across a wide variety of business units.
• Strong planning and organizing skills, with the ability to prioritize and plan work activities, create repeatable internal processes to ensure deadlines are met, use time efficiently, plan for additional resources, organize or schedule other people and their tasks and develop realistic action plans.
• Excellent relationship building skills with the ability to connect with a variety of both internal and external clients.
• Strong ability to multi-task and prioritize multiple projects and requests simultaneously, within an intense, deadline-driven environment.

Benefits

Our benefit package supports the well-being of our employees and their families.  Our comprehensive benefit package includes, medical, dental, 401K match, paid time off (including volunteer time as well as parental leave) and so much more!  To learn more about our great benefit offerings, Click Here.

Work Environment

Most positions located out of our global headquarters in Bloomington, MN 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.

IDQ is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we use E-Verify to confirm the identity and employment eligibility of all new team members. You must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship.