Head of R&D - Food/Supplements/Nutrition (m/f/d)

IronMaxx Nutrition; Hürth; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

IronMaxx Nutrition is seeking an experienced leader in product management to actively shape our strategy and elevate our portfolio in sports nutrition worldwide. You will oversee international product development and manage multiple categories from idea to market.

The role requires strong collaboration with purchasing, QA, marketing and sales, plus the ability to drive high-volume projects, guide timing, costings and relaunch optimizations.

Qualifications

• Several years in product management, development, or brand management with protein bars/functional foods.
• Strong understanding of formulations, raw materials, manufacturing processes and costing.
• Experience leading complex development projects and high product volumes.

Responsibilities

• Overall responsibility for international product development in the field of Food & Sports Nutrition
• Professional and organizational management of the development departments and categories, including: Bars, powders, drinks, functional foods, and supplements
• End-to-end responsibility for a high number of new product developments (up to approximately 100 products per year) – from the initial idea through formulation, cost calculation, and sampling to retail rollout
• Development of brand-compliant, high-performance product concepts within the IronMaxx DNA portfolio
• Management and prioritization of parallel development projects across multiple categories
• Close collaboration with purchasing, quality assurance, marketing, and sales for rapid and efficient implementation
• Coordination of product development with production facilities and participating development partners
• Responsibility for tastings, product tests, optimization cycles, and decision-making
• Support for relaunches, formulation optimizations, and packaging adjustments
• Market, trend, and competitor monitoring with clear relevance for product and assortment decisions
• Participation in assortment strategy, pricing, and margin calculation
• Travel to production facilities, partners, and trade fairs

Skills

Product management

Product development

Brand management

Costing

Team leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Food technology degree

Job description

For years, IronMaxx® has stood for innovative, high-quality sports nutrition "Designed in Germany." With a passion for performance and product innovation, we develop functional foods, supplements, and fitness products that meet the highest standards. To strengthen our team, we are looking for an experienced leader in product management who will actively shape our product strategy and take our portfolio to the next level.

Ready to perform? Your tasks with MAXXimum focus

• Overall responsibility for international product development in the field of Food & Sports Nutrition
• Professional and organizational management of the development departments and categories, including: Bars, powders, drinks, functional foods, and supplements
• End-to-end responsibility for a high number of new product developments (up to approximately 100 products per year) – from the initial idea through formulation, cost calculation, and sampling to retail rollout
• Development of brand-compliant, high-performance product concepts within the IronMaxx DNA portfolio
• Management and prioritization of parallel development projects across multiple categories
• Close collaboration with purchasing, quality assurance, marketing, and sales for rapid and efficient implementation
• Coordination of product development with production facilities and participating development partners
• Responsibility for tastings, product tests, optimization cycles, and decision-making
• Support for relaunches, formulation optimizations, and packaging adjustments
• Market, trend, and competitor monitoring with clear relevance for product and assortment decisions
• Participation in assortment strategy, pricing, and margin calculation
• Travel to production facilities, partners, and trade fairs

Your skillset - as strong as our protein

• Completed degree in food technology, nutritional science, home economics, business administration with a focus on food/nutrition, or a comparable field
• Several years of professional experience in product management, product development, or brand management with a strong focus on protein bars/functional food, supplements and nutrition
• Excellent understanding of formulations, raw materials, manufacturing processes, and product costing
• Food technology knowledge in the production of food, chocolate and functional foods
• Experience in managing complex development projects and high product volumes
• Strong brand understanding and a keen sense for target groups, trends, and performance products
• Structured, independent, and results-oriented work style
• Ability to professionally lead teams and development areas and to prioritize clearly
• Strong communication skills, decisiveness, and a hands-on mentality