Business Unit Controller, Business Unit Oulu

storaenso; Oulu; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Stora Enso is seeking a Business Unit Controller for the Oulu site to provide senior financial leadership during an important phase of development. You will lead the local business-controlling team and partner with the Business Unit Head to steer performance and value creation.

The role focuses on forward-looking analysis, robust governance, and the deployment of digital tools, automation and AI-enabled insights to improve margins, working capital and capital expenditure decisions.

Qualifications

• University degree in finance or accounting is required.
• Substantial experience in business controlling, FP&A or finance leadership.
• Experience with ERP, planning, reporting and BI tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Oulu business-controlling team and drive clear ways of working.
• Partner with the BU Head on planning, profitability, investments and priorities.
• Establish performance management across volumes, costs, margins and capex.
• Support ramp-up of new production lines with scenario analysis and risk signaling.
• Translate production and commercial performance into financial insight for decisions.
• Develop reporting, planning and controlling processes with data and automation.

Skills

Operational drivers

Leadership ability

Commercial mindset

Analytical mindset

Problem solving

Decision support

Education

University degree in finance/accounting

Tools

ERP systems

BI tools

Automation tools

AI-enabled decision support

Job description

We are looking for a Business Unit Controller to provide senior financial leadership for our Oulu Business Unit and help steer performance, strengthen financial discipline and support value creation during an important phase of operational and organisational development.

Business Unit Oulu belongs to Business Area Cartonboard which is a central part of Stora Enso's renewable packaging business. The Oulu Business Unit is a complex industrial operation comprising consumer board production, multiple production lines and integrated sawmill operations. The site is progressing the ramp-up of its new consumer board line while improving production stability, volumes, cost efficiency and profitability.

In this role, you will work closely with the Business Unit Head and leadership team, lead the local business-controlling team and combine strategic business partnership with hands-on financial management. As transactional and repetitive finance work moves to Finance Operations, you will strengthen the local focus on forward-looking analysis, performance insight and value creation.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the Oulu business-controlling team and develop clear, collaborative and accountable ways of working.
• Partner with the Business Unit Head and leadership team on business planning, profitability improvement, investment decisions and operational priorities.
• Establish strong performance management across production volumes, cost development, margins, working capital and capital expenditure.
• Support the ramp-up of the new consumer board line through scenario analysis and timely escalation of financial risks and opportunities.
• Align with key stakeholders across other Business Units and functions in order to challenge decisions and strategies to optimize value creation.
• Translate production and commercial performance into relevant financial insight and practical recommendations for management decisions.
• Provide sound financial governance across the site's varied operations, including cost allocations between production lines and business-area interfaces.
• Continuously develop reporting, planning and controlling processes through data, digital tools, automation and appropriate AI-enabled solutions.
• Act as a constructive challenger to senior stakeholders, ensuring that decisions are supported by robust facts, analysis and an understanding of operational realities.

About you

• Strong understanding of how operational drivers affect financial results, including production volumes, fixed and variable costs, margins, working capital, investments, profitability and forecast accuracy. Exposure to production ramp-ups, post-acquisition integration or transformation is considered an advantage.
• Proven leadership capability and the ability to develop a lean expert team, create clarity in an evolving organisation and build trust across functions.
• Commercial and analytical mindset, with the confidence to move between strategic discussions with senior management and detailed problem-solving with operational teams.
• Resilient, pragmatic and accountable approach, with the ability to act as a constructive challenger and make sound judgements in changing situations.
• Experience with ERP, financial planning, reporting and business-intelligence tools, together with a practical interest in using automation, analytics and AI to strengthen decision support and reduce manual work.
• Relevant university degree and substantial experience in business controlling, site finance, FP&A or a comparable finance leadership role.

Location: Oulu. The role requires an active presence at the site.

You will join a culture where we achieve together, learn continuously and take accountability for creating value for our customers, our people and society.

Additional Information

We hope to hear from you by 31 October 2026.

Questions regarding the position can be directed to Jesper Sätterström, [e-mail].

In this recruitment process, we may partner with an external recruitment consultancy to support candidate search and selection activities. Depending on the role, we might invite you to a (video) interview and/or aptitude tests. Also, our recruitment process could include pre-employment actions such as background, reference, and health checks as well as a drug test.

Welcome to The renewable materials company!

Stora Enso is a global leader in renewable materials with a strong focus on packaging. Our purpose is to replace non-renewable materials with renewable solutions. Together with our customers, we design and deliver competitive, high-quality packaging materials and solutions, made from fresh and recycled fibers, accelerating the transition to a circular bioeconomy. Stora Enso has approximately 19,000 employees and our sales in 2025 were EUR 9.3 billion. We believe that diversity strengthens our competitiven