About this role
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 now looking for a Director, M&A Legal to join UPM’s Legal and Compliance function.
Greetings from your future manager “UPM is entering an exciting phase where strategic transactions continue to play an important role in shaping our future. We are building a dedicated M&A Legal capability to support that journey, and we are looking for a business-minded lawyer who enjoys collaboration, takes ownership and thrives in helping organisations navigate complex opportunities and change.”- Markus Skrabb, VP, Chief Compliance Officer and M&A Legal
What you will do This newly established role has company-wide responsibility for supporting UPM’s mergers, acquisitions, divestments, joint ventures and other strategic transactions. You will work with UPM’s business areas, senior management, Legal and Compliance colleagues, other corporate functions and external advisers in an international environment.
You will provide dedicated transaction leadership while helping to develop consistent, efficient and practical M&A legal ways of working across UPM. The role complements the transaction support provided by the relevant business-area legal teams.
You will take a leading, hands-on role in UPM’s strategic transactions. Depending on the transaction, you will lead or coordinate the legal workstream from initial assessment and due diligence through signing, closing and post-closing activities.
Your key responsibilities will include:
• Leading and coordinating legal workstreams in acquisitions, divestments, joint ventures, reorganizations and other strategic transactions • Providing pragmatic, commercially focused advice to transaction teams, business leadership and senior management • Coordinating legal due diligence and translating material findings into contractual protections, risk-mitigation actions and clear decision-making materials • Drafting, reviewing and negotiating transaction documentation, including share and asset purchase agreements, shareholders’ agreements and ancillary documents • Planning and coordinating signing, closing and transaction implementation activities • Working with legal specialists and other functions on merger control, compliance, finance, tax, sustainability, employment, intellectual property, data protection and other relevant matters • Managing external legal advisers, including scope, resourcing, quality and cost • Developing UPM’s M&A legal governance, templates, playbooks and transaction tools, and promoting lessons learned and knowledge sharing.
Who you are
You are an experienced M&A lawyer who combines strong transaction expertise with sound business judgement and a practical, solution-oriented approach. You take ownership, communicate clearly and move complex matters forward in demanding and time-sensitive situations.
You are also a credible leader and influencer. You build trust across organisational boundaries, align stakeholders with different perspectives and influence outcomes without relying on formal authority. You know when to challenge, when to facilitate and how to focus senior management attention on the issues that matter.
We expect that:
• You have a master’s degree in law or an equivalent legal qualification • You have substantial M&A experience from a reputable law firm, an international company or both • You have led complex domestic and cross-border transactions and have strong experience in legal due diligence and transaction documentation • You understand transaction structures and the interaction between legal, commercial, financial, tax, regulatory and operational considerations • You translate legal risks into clear, proportionate and actionable advice • You have strong leadership, influencing, project-management, stakeholder-management and negotiation skills • You work effectively with business leaders, internal specialists, external counsel and counterparties • You are proactive, structured and comfortable managing several workstreams under pressure • You have excellent written and spoken English; Finnish or other relevant language skills are an advantage
Experience in listed-company transactions, carve-outs, joint ventures, merger control, foreign investment screening or post-merger integration is an advantage.
This is what we offer for 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.
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Additional information about the position
The position holder will report to VP, Chief Compliance Officer and M&A Legal.
The position is based in Helsinki or other UPM location and involves international collaboration and travel according to transaction activity.
For further information about the role, please contact Markus Skrabb, VP, Chief Compliance Officer, at markus.skrabb@upm.com.
How to apply
To apply, please submit your CV and cover letter by October 25, 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 Services through the My job application - Service Portal or tel. +358204146600.
Learn more about how to apply from our Careers page.
Country-specific information
For UPM positions located in Finland, a security background check may be performed for those selected in accordance with the company recruitment guidelines and the Security Clearance Act 726/2014.
UPM is a material solutions company, renewing products and entire value chains with an extensive portfolio of renewable fibres, advanced materials, decarbonization solutions, and communication papers. Our performance in sustainability has been recognized by third parties, including EcoVadis and the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices. We operate globally and employ approximately 15,100 people worldwide, with annual sales of approximately €9.7 billion. Our shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd. UPM – we renew the everyday
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