Director, M&A Legal @ UPM

Minjon Oy; Helsinki; Hybrid; EUR 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

UPM, a global material solutions company, is seeking a Director, M&A Legal based in Helsinki (Finland) or another UPM location. You will lead mergers, acquisitions, divestments, joint ventures and other strategic transactions across UPM’s businesses and geography.

You will report to the VP, Chief Compliance Officer and M&A Legal. You will coordinate cross-functional workstreams, draft and negotiate transaction documents, manage external advisers and develop governance templates and

Qualifications

• Master's degree in law (or equivalent)
• Substantial M&A experience with domestic and cross-border deals
• Strong transaction, due diligence and risk-mitigation skills
• Excellent written and spoken English; Finnish or other languages are an advantage

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate legal workstreams in acquisitions, divestments, joint ventures and reorganizations
• Draft, review and negotiate transaction documents (SPAs, SHAs, ancillary docs)
• Coordinate due diligence and translate findings into protections
• Plan signing, closing and transaction implementation activities
• Collaborate with specialists across functions on merger control, finance, tax, sustainability, employment and IP
• Manage external advisers and control scope, resources, quality and cost
• Develop M&A governance, templates, playbooks and transactional tools including legal tech & AI

Skills

M&A law experience

Transaction leadership

Due diligence

English proficiency

Communication/leadership

Cross-border transactions

Negotiation

Strategic mindset

Education

Master's degree in law

Tools

Legal tech tools

Job description

Hey lawyer with a proven track-record in M&A,

Are you ready to take the lead on strategic transactions in a multinational and multifaceted business environment? Do you find meaning in using your skills to promote sustainable and innovation-driven future in a global material solutions company?

If these sound like your career goals, please keep reading, because you could be the one we are looking for to join UPM as a Director, M&A Legal in a newly established role.

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 organizations navigate complex opportunities and change.

-Markus Skrabb, VP, Chief Compliance Officer and M&A Legal

As a Director, M&A Legal, you will join UPM’s Legal and Compliance function. The role is preferably based in Helsinki, Finland (or other UPM location), and you will report to VP, Chief Compliance Officer and M&A Legal.

In this role, you will take a leading, hands‑on role in mergers, acquisitions, divestments, joint ventures and other strategic transactions. You will operate across UPM’s business areas and geographical footprint, and work with business area leaders, senior management, Legal and Compliance colleagues, other corporate functions and external advisers. In addition to legal support in transactions, you will contribute to developing consistent, efficient and practical M&A legal ways of working across UPM.

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; and


• developing UPM’s M&A legal governance, templates, playbooks and transaction tools (including legal tech & AI solutions), and promoting lessons learned and knowledge sharing.

The role involves travel according to transaction activity. UPM’s team members currently work based on a hybrid work policy, but due to the collaborative and fast‑paced nature of this role, frequent office presence is preferred.

You could be an ideal candidate if you:

• are an experienced M&A lawyer with a masters degree in law (or an equivalent legal qualification), who combines strong transaction expertise with sound business judgement and a practical, solution‑oriented approach;


• have substantial M&A experience from a reputable law firm, an international company or a combination of both, in which context you have led complex domestic and cross‑border transactions and have strong experience in legal due diligence as well as assessing, drafting and negotiating transaction documentation;


• take ownership, communicate clearly and move complex matters forward in demanding and time‑sensitive situations;


• are a credible leader and influencer who can build trust across the organization, aligning stakeholders with different perspectives, and influencing outcomes without relying on formal authority;


• understand transaction structures and the interaction between legal, commercial, financial, tax, regulatory and operational considerations;


• can translate legal risks into clear, proportionate and actionable advice and have strong leadership, influencing, project‑management, stakeholder‑management and negotiation skills;


• work effectively with business leaders, internal specialists, external counsel and counterparties;


• are proactive, structured and comfortable managing several workstreams under pressure; and


• 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.

UPM offers you:

• A meaningful role: You will contribute directly to UPM’s strategic development by supporting in transactions of significant importance to the company.


• A key role with broad exposure: You will work across UPM’s businesses, functions, countries and organizational boundaries, including with senior management.


• An opportunity to build: As the first dedicated M&A Legal resource, you will help shape UPM’s shared M&A legal practices, governance, tools and institutional knowledge.


• Inspired and motivated colleagues: You will join an experienced, collaborative and international Legal and Compliance community.


• Development opportunities: The role offers varied and demanding transaction work and broad exposure to UPM’s businesses, strategy and operating environment.


• Responsibility for people and the environment: UPM’s ethical principles embrace people and the environment, and the company continuously works to build a more sustainable future.

UPM is a material solutions company, renewing products and entire value chains with an extensive portfolio of renewable fibers, advanced materials, decarbonization solutions, and communication papers. UPM’s performance in sustainability has been recognized by third parties, including EcoVadis and the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices. UPM operates globally and employs approximately 15,100 people worldwide, with annual sales of approximately €9.7 billion. UPM’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd.

Employment relationship: Employment

Wage: Other

Traveling: The job involves travel

Number of positions: 1