Senior Manager, Safety

1109 UPM Specialty Papers Oy; Valkeakoski; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

UPM Specialty Materials is seeking a Senior Manager, Safety to drive safety excellence across production sites in Finland, Germany and China. The role is based at a mill site in Finland (Valkeakoski or Jämsä) with regular travel to sites abroad.

You will shape the safety agenda, lead the safety steering group and collaborate with HSEQ teams to implement world-class safety practices. A university degree and 7+ years in industrial safety are required, with strong leadership and cross-functional

Qualifications

• University degree in a relevant field and at least 7 years’ experience in industrial safety.
• Strong knowledge of safety management systems and standards.
• Experience in risk assessments, incident investigations, leading audits and delivering safety training.
• Experience in process safety, machinery safety, safety in projects, contractor safety, chemicals management or behavior-based safety.
• Solid project management skills and ability to influence stakeholders across functions and cultures.
• Fluent in English; additional Finnish, German or Chinese (Mandarin) is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop and shape the safety agenda for Specialty Materials in collaboration with site leaders and Group Health & Safety.
• Lead the safety steering group and drive continuous improvement and best practices.
• Contribute to UPM H&S network activities, updating safety standards and guidelines.
• Lead implementation and continuous improvement of safety practices across Specialty Materials and sites.
• Deploy safety requirements via audits, risk assessments, investigations and KPI reporting.
• Monitor industry trends and translate insights into practical improvements for safety and operations.
• Provide sparring and hands-on support to HSE Managers to advance local safety projects.
• Travel regularly to production sites in Finland, Germany and China.

Skills

Safety leadership

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Audits

Investigations

Risk assessment

English fluency

Education

University degree

Job description

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! Learn more about us as a workplace upm.com/careers We are now looking for a Senior Manager, Safety to drive safety excellence across UPM Specialty Materials. This is a unique opportunity to shape safety performance across our production sites in Finland, Germany and China. The position is located at one of our mill sites in Finland in either Valkeakoski or Jämsä.

Greetings from your future manager: "Great safety performance doesn't happen by accident. It comes from consistent work, strong collaboration and a willingness to continuously improve. I'm looking for a colleague who enjoys working closely with our mills and HSEQ teams, turning complex challenges into practical actions that make a real difference. If you are passionate about safety and enjoy working with people, this could be the role for you." – Tomi Hytönen, VP, Operations, Global Specialty Papers

What you will do

• Develop and shape the safety agenda for the Specialty Materials business area in close cooperation with key leaders, HSE Managers at our production sites and Group Health & Safety
• Run the Specialty Materials safety steering group. You will play a key role in driving continuous improvement and ensuring safety remains at the heart of everything we do
• Actively contribute to the UPM H&S Network activities, such as developing UPM-wide safety processes and initiatives, cross-BA audits, best practice sharing, incident investigations and updating the UPM safety standards and guidelines
• Lead the implementation and continuous improvement of UPM safety practices across Specialty Materials, enabling our sites to achieve ambitious safety goals and world-class performance
• Ensure effective deployment of UPM safety requirements through audits, risk assessments, incident investigations, KPI reporting, competence development and active safety communication
• Monitor industry developments, emerging safety trends and potential risks relevant to Specialty Materials operations and translate them into practical improvements that strengthen both safety performance and operational excellence
• Manage safety KPIs and target setting.
• Analyse safety data and provide performance insights
• Provide expertise, sparring and hands‑on support to HSE Managers at Specialty Materials production sites to help further local safety projects and initiatives
• Collaborate across Specialty Materials and global UPM networks, sharing best practices and leading safety development initiatives across multiple production sites.
• The role includes regular travel to Specialty Materials production sites in Finland, Germany and China

Who you are

• You are a safety leader with a practical, hands‑on approach and strong strategic thinking.
• You are motivated by creating impact on people, culture and business performance
• You are an experienced safety professional with a relevant university degree and you have at least 7 years’ experience working with safety topics in an industrial operations context
• You have strong knowledge of safety management systems and standards and have experience in carrying out risk assessments, incident investigations, leading audits and delivering safety training
• You have experience in one or more of the following areas: process safety, machinery safety, safety in investment projects, contractor safety, chemicals management or behaviour‑based safety
• You have solid project management skills and are skilled at turning complex topics into concrete and meaningful actions
• You are skilled at influencing and engaging stakeholders across functions, cultures and organizational levels
• You communicate fluently in English, and in addition speak at least one of the following languages: Finnish, German or Chinese (Mandarin)

This is what we offer to you

• A meaningful job: We have an inspiring purpose "We renew the everyday for 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 mitigation to enhancing 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

The position holder will report to the VP, Operations, Global Specialty Papers. For further information about the role, please contact Tomi Hytönen, VP, Operations, Global Specialty Papers at [e-mail] or [phone] on Friday 2, October between 13-17 EET and Monday 5, October between 9-13 EET.

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 Specialty Materials has over 40 years of experience producing high‑performance, transformative papers for packaging and labelling. In APAC, we also offer office and graphic papers. Our global team of 1,800 experts and mills in China, Finland and Germany serve customers consistently and reliably around the world. upmspecialtymaterials.com Follow UPM Specialty Materials on LinkedIn. #LI-POST 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