Senior Manager, Business Development

UPM • Full-time • Helsinki, FI • 2d ago

Would you like to join a global, growing company that innovates for a more sustainable tomorrow? UPM could be the team for you. We are frontrunners in developing renewable alternatives to fossil-based materials. Besides enabling both businesses and consumers make more sustainable choices, we strive to create a positive UPM experience for all our employees around the world. We live by our values - trust and be trusted, achieve together, renew with courage. Together we can renew the everyday, for a future beyond fossils!

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We are looking for a Senior Manager, Business Development to join the Strategic Venturing team.

Greetings from your future manager:

"We are building new growth opportunities by combining strong technology with clear business logic and entrepreneurial thinking. As Senior Manager, Business Development, you will work hands-on with venturing initiatives to challenge assumptions, sharpen commercial logic, and ensure strategic fit. This role is about asking the hard questions early - about markets, value creation, and strategic strategic fit - and helping teams turn promising ideas into decision-ready initiatives." - Raisa Vermasvuori, Vice President UPM Innovation

What you will do:

This is a senior individual contributor role, initially focused on hands-on work in one strategically critical venturing initiative, with scope to shape how business development support is applied across future ventures and growth initiatives.

Act as a senior business development partner and challenger for venturing new growth initiatives
Ensure that new business concepts are built on solid strategic logic, sound business models, and aligned with UPM's capabilities and markets
Design, test, and stress-test business models, scalability, value propositions, and market entry strategies
Provide structured strategic advisory to innovation projects across UPM Innovation
Support initiatives in progressing from idea to decision-ready concepts, including clear recommendations to continue, pivot, or stop
Contribute to shared commercial learning and best practices across the Strategic Venturing portfolio
Work hands-on with initiative teams (inventors, technical experts, project managers, and business owners) to clarify the why, for whom, why UPM, and how it creates value

Who you are:

You have a master's degree in business, engineering, economics or related field
You bring a minimum of 7 years of relevant experience of relevant experience in business development, corporate development, strategy consulting, or venture / growth role in a global organization
You have hands-on experience shaping and challenging new business initiatives, ideally in technology- or R&D-driven environments
You have strong understanding of business capability modeling, process design, and enterprise architecture frameworks
You combine strong analytical capability with pragmatic business judgement and a bias for execution
You have excellent negotiation and stakeholder management skills, combined with a strategic mindset and hands-on execution capability
You are fluent in English; other languages are an asset

This is what we offer to you

A meaningful job - We have an inspiring purpose 'We create a future beyond fossils.' Our work is impactful and transformative.
A caring community - Our community is built on great team spirit and shared commitment. We care about each other and the well-being of our colleagues. We support the work-life balance of all our employees.
Development opportunities - We offer you great opportunities to learn and grow throughout your career. We are an international, multi-business organization offering plenty of avenues for personal growth.
Responsible employer - Sustainability is at the core of everything we do. We are committed to ambitious, science-based sustainability targets in all areas from climate change to biodiversity. We foster diversity and inclusivity, offering a work environment in which everyone can be themselves.

Learn about our Rewarding and our Ways of working.

Additional information

The position is located in Helsinki, Finland; other European UPM locations may be considered.

The position holder will report to Director, Strategic Venturing.

To apply, please submit your CV and cover letter by February 22, 2026. Please note that we accept only applications submitted through our online application system. We begin reviewing applications as they are received, and you may be contacted before the application deadline.

For support with submitting your application, please contact the HR Service Center at careers@upm.com or tel. +358204146600.

For UPM positions located in Finland, a security background check may be performed for those selected to UPM positions, in accordance with the company recruitment guidelines and the Security Clearance Act 726/2014.

UPM Innovation (UPM I) is designed to play a decisive role in fueling UPM's performance today and shaping its growth and transformation tomorrow. Our ambition is to position UPM as a company-wide centre of excellence for innovation management; a trusted partner for businesses, supporting performance, growth and renewal and a platform for future capabilities, enabling UPM's long-term competitiveness.

UPM I stands for innovation with impact, aligned to strategy and powered by people.

UPM - we renew the everyday
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