Manager, Venture Development

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

Greetings from your future manager:

“ We are building new growth opportunities by combining strong technology with disciplined execution and clear decision-making. As Manager, Venture Development, you will play a key role in ensuring that venturing and growth initiatives progress in a structured, transparent, and outcome-oriented way — from idea to decision. If you are motivated by bringing clarity, momentum, and discipline to complex innovation initiatives, I look forward to getting to know you.” Raisa Vermasvuori, Vice President UPM Innovation

What you will do:

• Lead the development of selected early-stage ventures and manage the overall portfolio of transformative innovation initiatives

• Overview and manage growth in transformative opportunities

• Manage the pipeline and portfolio of early-stage ventures

• Lead idea-to-concept work and facilitate decision-making (scale, pivot, stop)

• Coach Venture Leads and support cross-functional teams

• Coordinate governance and portfolio reviews with Innovation Excellence

• Manage the pipeline and portfolio of venturing and transformative growth initiatives, ensuring transparency, prioritization, and progress across defined phases

• Lead and facilitate idea-to-concept and concept-to-decision work, enabling clear go / pivot / stop decisions in collaboration with business and innovation stakeholders

• Ensure initiatives progress according to agreed criteria, milestones, and governance, working closely with Innovation Excellence

• Work as an internal execution and transformation partner to Venture Leads, Business Development Managers, and cross-functional teams, stepping in as project manager for selected initiatives in early or transitional phases to ensure structure, execution discipline, and momentum

• Capture learning, insights, and best practices across initiatives and feed them back into venturing and innovation ways of working

Who you are:

• You have a master’s degree in business, engineering, or a related field

• You bring minimum 5 years of relevant experience in venture development, innovation or R&D portfolio management, or, business development, preferably in industrial or bioeconomy sectors

• You have hands-on experience managing innovation or venture pipelines, including stage-gates, decision forums, and cross-functional coordination

• You are comfortable operating as a senior individual contributor, combining an internal consulting mindset with hands-on execution responsibility

• You can drive progress without formal authority, working effectively across multiple teams and senior stakeholders

• You combine strong structuring and execution skills with sufficient business understanding to challenge timelines, scope, and readiness

• 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

Location of the position: Helsinki, Finland or Leuna, Germany (other major 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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