Innovation Initiative Manager

Start: Immediately | Level: intermediate | Location: Hamburg, remote | Type: Full time (40h/week)

You’ll sit closer to sports nutrition innovation than almost anyone else at ESN — running point on every product from first idea to the moment it lands on shelf. We’re looking for an experienced project manager to steer our category product launches end-to-end across Product, Brand and Operations.

Your mission

• You get a front-row seat to what’s next in sports nutrition: You own and manage your category’s (e.g., bars, protein powder, vitamins) product launches end-to-end — from idea to actual launch — steering the process across Product, Brand, and Operations, without owning the functional content yourself.
• PMO is your passion: You thrive on pushing initiatives forward, delivering on time, holding all the moving pieces together, and working side by side with cross-functional teams to get things done
• You own the committed timeline for each initiative, consolidating input from every function into one single, reliable plan.
• You escalate early and clearly whenever a commitment is at risk of slipping, so decisions get made in time rather than after the fact.
• You steer initiatives through our Idea-to-Consumer (I2C) process end-to-end, coordinating everything from initial idea and concept through prototyping, testing, production, launch, and post-launch review.

Your experience & skills

• You hold a degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Supply Chain Management, or a related field.
• You bring 3–5 years of experience in project, program, or launch management — ideally in FMCG, consumer goods, or another fast-moving, cross-functional environment.
• You have a proven track record of managing complex, cross-functional projects end-to-end, from concept through to delivery.
• You know how to hold stakeholders accountable without formal authority over their work — through structure, clarity, and strong communication rather than escalation as a first resort.
• You are structured and detail-oriented, and comfortable consolidating input from Product, Brand, Operations, and other functions into one coherent plan.
• You communicate clearly and confidently, and are skilled at running effective meetings and driving decisions to closure.
• You stay calm under pressure and know how to flag risks early rather than let them turn into problems.
• You thrive in a fast-paced, agile environment and take ownership to deliver strong results.
• You’re genuinely curious about product and get energized being close to where sports-nutrition innovation happens — science-driven, transparent, and made for real athletes — even though you won’t own the formulation or brand work yourself.
• You speak English & German fluently.

Why choose us?

Being part of our team means joining a high-performing company with a diverse and inclusive culture. In our fast-growing team of over 1,200 employees, we combine our passion for sports nutrition, supplements, and healthy foods with cutting-edge technology, production, and logistics processes. All of this serves one goal: providing our customers with top-quality products to support their healthy and active lifestyle.

You can look forward to a strong sense of team spirit, ongoing opportunities for professional growth and responsibility, and an exciting work environment that blends lifestyle and career. With locations in Hamburg, Elmshorn, Kaltenkirchen/Nützen, and Elsdorf, TQG offers diverse career opportunities in areas such as technology, product development, sales, marketing, and logistics. Additionally, you’ll benefit from:

• Flexible working hours and remote work options
• Attractive employee discounts
• Subsidy for the E-gym Wellpass
• Workation
• Corporate benefits
• 28 days vacation/year
• and much more

About Us

The Quality Group (TQG) is an innovative provider of sports nutrition products, bringing together the successful brands ESN and More Nutrition since 2021.

ESN has been the German market leader in sports nutrition since 2004, offering products like protein powders, bars, and supplements designed for ambitious fitness goals. Founded in 2017, More Nutrition focuses on healthy, reduced-sugar foods, providing solutions for conscious nutrition and weight management without compromise.

TQG’s vision is to help people become the best version of themselves. With passion and innovation, the company develops high-quality products that promote health, performance, and joy in life. Its agile company culture and exciting career opportunities make TQG a strong partner not only for customers but also for employees.

This is us – The Quality Group – nice to meet you! Now it’s your turn!
We look forward to your application! Regardless of gender, age, background, or identity – what matters to us is who you are and what you bring to the table. Join our team and grow with us!