Career change as a quality manager
With your experience you can switch to 13 jobs in Germany: 2 right away, 8 with on-the-job training and 3 with training or a course.
In the job search you can sort by what matters to you, save jobs and see where they lead.
Career change paths
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Head of corporate development
Also: Head of strategy
Start right away
In the corporate development team of a large group or mid-sized company, you develop strategies, review potential acquisitions and lead major change projects, without being at a client's site all the time.
- What you bring:
- You can analyze markets, assess business models and prepare decision papers for executive boards.
- How to get there:
- Companies specifically hire experienced consultants for strategy and development teams. You travel far less, but you need to get used to working through internal coordination in a fixed organization.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an officeHome office possible€8,238gross per monthMedian salary
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Head of transformation
Also: Project manager
Start right away
In a company or public authority, you run a project office or large transformation projects such as digitalization, reorganization or moving a site.
- What you bring:
- You have planned projects, moderated steering committees and implemented changes in organizations.
- How to get there:
- Companies and public employers hire consultants with project experience directly. A project management certificate from a course of a few days helps with some applications. In the public sector, you also work your way into budget law and public procurement law.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an officeHome office possible€8,238gross per monthMedian salary
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Managing director
Also: Head of a business unit
With on-the-job trainingPromotion
As managing director of a mid-sized company or an investment firm's portfolio company, you are personally responsible for results, staff and delivery.
- What you bring:
- You have seen many companies from the inside, developed strategies and guided change.
- How to get there:
- After a few years, some consultants move to a former client or to a company owned by an investment firm, often starting at the second management level. Leadership experience with direct reports is decisive for this step.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Fixed daytime hoursPhysically light€8,555gross per monthMedian salary
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Investment manager
Also: Business valuation specialist
With on-the-job training
At investment firms, family offices or M&A advisory firms, you value companies, support acquisitions and help develop the firm's portfolio companies.
- What you bring:
- You can quickly size up business models and where they can be improved, and you are used to due diligence before acquisitions.
- How to get there:
- Investment firms hire consultants with strategy and finance experience. If you lack knowledge of company valuation or financial models, you can build it in courses of a few weeks.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Fixed daytime hoursPhysically lightIn an office -
Ministry policy officer
Also: Regional development officer
With on-the-job training
In ministries, government agencies, municipalities or public-sector companies, you prepare programs and reforms, manage projects and advise senior management.
- What you bring:
- You can structure complex topics, weigh options and write decision papers.
- How to get there:
- Public employers hire consultants with a university degree and train them in administrative law, budgeting and procedures. Working hours are usually more predictable than in consulting, but decisions take longer.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an office€6,457gross per monthMedian salary
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IT business analyst
Also: Data analyst
With on-the-job training
As an IT business analyst or data analyst, you work on data models, reports and software rollouts, usually with less travel than in consulting.
- What you bring:
- You know business intelligence, key figures and processes, and you can turn the needs of the business departments into clear requirements.
- How to get there:
- Companies hire consultants with BI experience and train them on their own systems. Courses on SQL or analysis tools take a few weeks. This move means less travel, but also less variety in topics.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an officeHome office possible€6,500gross per monthMedian salary
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Recruitment consultant
Also: Executive search consultant
With on-the-job training
As a recruitment consultant, you search for managers and specialists on behalf of companies, approach them and support the selection process.
- What you bring:
- You know many industries and management levels and can quickly judge who fits which organization.
- How to get there:
- Recruitment firms train former management consultants in research, direct approach and selection procedures. The work is sales-driven, and your targets often depend on successful placements.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people€4,167gross per monthMedian salary
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Production manager
Also: Plant manager
With on-the-job trainingPromotion
As a production or plant manager, you lead foremen (Meister) and teams, plan capacities and investments, and are responsible for the quality, schedules and costs of a plant or division.
- What you bring:
- You know production planning, key figures, costs and process optimization and combine technology with business administration.
- How to get there:
- You usually make this step through experience as a group or department head in your own company. Courses on leadership and labor law take a few days to a few weeks. Expect a lot of responsibility and having to be reachable when disruptions occur.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Shift workPhysically lightLittle customer contact€6,633gross per monthMedian salary
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Sales engineer
Also: Key account manager for industrial customers
With on-the-job training
In technical sales, you advise industrial customers, prepare quotes and calculations and support projects through to delivery.
- What you bring:
- You understand both technology and cost-effectiveness and can show customers what a solution delivers in operation.
- How to get there:
- Manufacturers and suppliers also hire industrial engineers for sales and train them in their products over a few weeks to a few months. Expect travel and sales targets.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people€6,758gross per monthMedian salary
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Energy manager
Also: Energy efficiency consultant in industry
With on-the-job training
As an energy manager, you record consumption, plan efficiency projects, look after an energy management system and prepare audits and funding applications.
- What you bring:
- You know production processes and profitability calculation and can assess savings measures technically and financially.
- How to get there:
- Industrial companies and energy service providers train engineers on energy data and standards such as ISO 50001. Courses in energy management at chambers or TÜV usually take a few weeks. For legally required energy audits, you have to register with the Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA) and prove, among other things, three years of practice in corporate energy consulting.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contact€5,470gross per monthMedian salary
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Business coach
Also: Leadership trainer
With vocational training
As a business coach or trainer, you support managers and teams through difficult phases, facilitate workshops and develop leadership programs.
- What you bring:
- You know day-to-day management, team dynamics and change processes from many projects.
- How to get there:
- You can complete coaching training alongside work; scope and duration depend on the provider. The title coach is not protected, but clients look for recognized training. You can work as a freelance coach; permanent jobs exist in the staff development departments of large companies.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people€4,155gross per monthMedian salary
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Safety engineer
Also: Occupational safety specialist
With vocational training
As a safety engineer, you advise companies on occupational health and safety, assess hazards, plan protective measures and train managers.
- What you bring:
- You know machines, plants and work processes and can assess technical and organizational risks.
- How to get there:
- With your engineering degree and at least two years of work experience, you complete training as an occupational safety specialist under the requirements of the statutory accident insurance bodies, usually lasting one to two years alongside work. After that, you can work as an employee in a company or at an inter-company service, or self-employed.*Regulated by law (Occupational Safety Act (ASiG) § 7).
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people€5,574gross per monthMedian salary
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Teacher at a vocational school
Also: Teacher of metal technology or business
With a degree
At a vocational school, you teach apprentices, upper secondary technical school students (Fachoberschüler) or future technicians in technical and business subjects.
- What you bring:
- You can combine technology and business administration and explain in a practical way how manufacturing, calculation and organization fit together.
- How to get there:
- Depending on the state, career changers with a master's or Diplom degree are admitted to vocational schools through the alternative route into teaching (Seiteneinstieg). You then complete a preparatory service (Vorbereitungsdienst) or a qualification alongside work, usually lasting one to two years. Each state decides which subjects from your degree are recognized.*Regulated by law (State law: teacher education acts and alternative-route regulations of the German states).
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contact€5,140gross per monthMedian salary
Salary: median of all full-time employees in the job, gross per month excluding special payments, as of April 2025. Half earn more, half earn less. Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), table 62361-0030, license dl-de/by-2-0. Assigned to the jobs by quereinsteiger.de. No guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently asked questions
Which jobs can I do as a quality manager without vocational training or retraining?
Without a new qualification, often with on-the-job training: Managing director, Head of corporate development, Head of transformation, Investment manager, Ministry policy officer, IT business analyst, Recruitment consultant, Production manager, Sales engineer and Energy manager.
Which retraining or further training suits me as a quality manager?
With vocational training, retraining, further training or a course: Business coach, Safety engineer and Teacher at a vocational school.
What promotion options do I have as a quality manager?
Promotions include, for example: Managing director and Production manager.
Which of these jobs pay the most?
According to official statistics, the highest median full-time salaries are: Managing director (€8,555 gross per month), Head of corporate development (€8,238 gross per month) and Head of transformation (€8,238 gross per month). Half of employees earn more, half earn less; when you start it is often lower. Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), April 2025. No guarantee of accuracy.
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