Consulting Specialist - Packaging & Paper

McKinsey & Company; Helsinki; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

McKinsey & Company in Helsinki seeks an experienced operations professional to lead end-to-end improvements across paper & packaging manufacturing, procurement, and supply chain. You will partner with client leadership and frontline teams to diagnose gaps and drive productivity, sustainability, and long-term capability building.

This on-site role emphasizes data-driven decision making, cross-functional collaboration, and the ability to influence at multiple levels while delivering tangible

Qualifications

• 5+ years in the paper & packaging industry, with deep operations exposure.
• Experience across Manufacturing, Procurement, Supply Chain, Product Development.
• Strong organizational skills and independent task execution.
• Excellent data-driven decision making and analytical ability.

Responsibilities

• Bridge strategic vision with shop-floor execution in paper/packaging settings.
• Partner with client leadership and frontline teams to tackle complex operational challenges.
• Diagnose performance gaps, model productivity levers, and lead change initiatives.
• Develop actionable recommendations grounded in data and validate with plant leadership.

Skills

Team leadership

Analytical thinking

Data-driven decision making

Stakeholder management

Communication (English)

Project management

Travel readiness

Education

Undergraduate degree

MBA/PhD preferred

Job description

Who You'll Work With

Driving lasting impact and building long-term capabilities with our clients is not easy work. You are the kind of person who thrives in a high performance/high reward culture - doing hard things, picking yourself up when you stumble, and having the resilience to try another way forward.

Who You'll Work With

Driving lasting impact and building long-term capabilities with our clients is not easy work. You are the kind of person who thrives in a high performance/high reward culture - doing hard things, picking yourself up when you stumble, and having the resilience to try another way forward.

In return for your drive, determination, and curiosity, we'll provide the resources, mentorship, and opportunities you need to become a stronger leader faster than you ever thought possible. Your colleagues—at all levels—will invest deeply in your development, just as much as they invest in delivering exceptional results for clients. Every day, you'll receive apprenticeship, coaching, and exposure that will accelerate your growth in ways you won’t find anywhere else.

When you join us, you will have:

• Continuous learning: Our learning and apprenticeship culture, backed by structured programs, is all about helping you grow while creating an environment where feedback is clear, actionable, and focused on your development. The real magic happens when you take the input from others to heart and embrace the fast-paced learning experience, owning your journey.
• A voice that matters: From day one, we value your ideas and contributions. You’ll make a tangible impact by offering innovative ideas and practical solutions. We not only encourage diverse perspectives, but they are critical in driving us toward the best possible outcomes.
• Global community: With colleagues across 65+ countries and over 100 different nationalities, our firm’s diversity fuels creativity and helps us come up with the best solutions for our clients. Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to learn from exceptional colleagues with diverse backgrounds and experiences.
• World-class benefits: On top of a competitive salary (based on your location, experience, and skills), we provide a comprehensive benefits package to enable holistic well-being for you and your family.

Your Impact

You will bridge Operation strategic vision with shop-floor execution across paper mills, converting plants, packaging facilities, and global supply chain (e.g. network optimization and logistics).

Working at the intersection of deep industry knowledge, operational excellence, and advanced data analytics, you will partner directly with client leadership and frontline manufacturing teams to tackle their most complex operational challenges, accelerate productivity, and drive sustainable, long-term impact.

You will make an immediate and enduring contribution to how leading paper and packaging companies design, manufacture, and distribute their products. By uniting strategic clarity with frontline execution, you will help organizations navigate shifting consumer demand, raw material price volatility, and stringent sustainability imperatives.

Working on-site across diverse manufacturing and operational environments, you will own critical operational workstreams—diagnosing performance gaps, modeling productivity levers, and leading change management initiatives on the factory floor. You will formulate recommendations grounded in hard operational facts and data, validate them alongside plant leadership, and guide their roll-out through close client collaboration.

Your Qualifications and Skills

• Undergraduate degree required; advanced degrees (e.g., MBA, PhD, etc.) are preferred
• 5+ years working within the paper & packaging industry, including deep familiarity with key operations areas: Manufacturing, Procurement, Supply Chain Management, Product Development
• Excellent organizational capabilities, including the ability to initiate tasks independently and see them through to completion
• Proficient in rational decision making based on data, facts, and logical reasoning
• Ability to create work product-focused materials / outputs, which may include PowerPoint decks, Excel models, articles, or other written deliverables
• Exceptional time management to meet your responsibilities in a complex and largely autonomous work environment
• Ability to work or attend meetings outside of traditional business hours or take on projects with limited or no notice at times
• Ability to travel to and work in varying environments that may be challenging and/or not easily accessible (e.g., factories)
• Demonstrated aptitude for analytics
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment
• Strong language fluency skills, both verbal and written, in English and the local office language(s), with the ability to adjust your style to suit different perspectives and seniority levels