Sales Director, Food Service

Metsä Board

Metsä Group is a successful forest industry group with roots in the Finnish forest - Our parent company is a cooperative of over 90,000 forest owners. Metsä Group's paperboard business Metsä Board produces lightweight high-quality folding boxboard and food service paperboards, as well as white kraftliners. The pure fresh fibre used in our products is a renewable, safe and recyclable raw material from northern forests. Metsä Board’s shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki. 

We welcome people from diverse backgrounds and different stages of life. Metsä has space and opportunities for many kinds of talent, regardless of age, gender, ethnic background, sexual orientation, disability or other characteristics – Metsä is for all. Read more: metsagroup.com/metsaforall.

This recruitment is carried out anonymously.

Metsä Board is looking for a

SALES DIRECTOR, FOOD SERVICE

to join our Cartonboard Europe sales management team. In this commercial role, you will lead a team of sales professional within your area of responsibility, develop long-term customer partnerships, drive profitable growth and strengthen Metsä Board’s position as a leading partner for premium consumer packaging.

This role is in Espoo, Finland, and reports to the VP Sales, FBB Europe.

What is the job that awaits you?

As Sales Director, Food service, you will:

• Leading a team of sales professionals to reach agreed business goals and ensure sales performance targets in full compliance with company policy and ethical business standards.

• Develop and execute strategic sales plans to meet business objectives and drive revenue and profit growth in the assigned region.

• Lead sales forecasting, performance target setting, and ensure effective sales budget management.

• Actively validate new sales leads while developing business within existing customers to ensure long-term customer engagement and satisfaction, business retention and accurate CRM data.

• Lead account team to formulate and execute account plans and ensure operational excellence to drive profitable growth across the customer portfolio.

• Analyze market trends, customer demand, and competitor activity to guide strategic decisions and adjust short- and long-term plans accordingly.

• Provide timely business intelligence and sales performance insights on foodservice business to sales leadership to support strategic decision-making.

• Support the company’s corporate affairs team in stake holder engagement and public affairs activities related to the Food Service business

What are we expecting of you?

• A relevant university degree or similar professional qualification

• Over 10 years of experience in senior sales, account management, or sales development roles within manufacturing industry, experience from multinational environment considered a strong advantage

• Proven leadership experience in Food Service, including regional and/ or personnel management responsibilities

• Strong technical knowledge of Food Service board properties and converting requirements is an essential requirement

• Excellent understanding of the global Food Service market: Brand Owners, competitors, product requirements, market trends

• Advanced knowledge of sustainability trends and regulation, especially related to the Food Service market

• Demonstrated ability to manage complex customer relationships in B2B industrial sales and deliver long-term business results

We also expect that you have:

• Strong commercial and strategic mindset, with the ability to drive growth and customer value

• Leadership skills with the ability to inspire and guide teams

• Strategic thinking and ability to make data-driven decisions (CRM, analytics)

• Reliable and high personal integrity

• Self-motivated and results-driven with strong sales capabilities

• Excellent negotiation and communication skills, including confident presentation abilities

• Excellent command of English (spoken and written), additional language skills are considered an asset

• Willingness to travel

Career in the new era at Metsä Group

An international growth business – build a successful career at Metsä Group. The forest industry is a prime example of the bioeconomy and circular economy, and shows the way to the future. Megatrends such as urbanisation and rising living standards are driving Metsä Group’s business and the shift to renewable fossil free raw materials. With us, you’ll get to develop future skills, business and products with a long-term perspective, together with our top professionals. Our big company offers a wide range of career opportunities and many interesting challenges. 

Metsä Group has a responsible corporate culture that creates a safe working environment for all of us. We value good leadership and support for personal career development. We encourage you to display your competence and will provide you with opportunities to use it.

Anonymous recruitment - this is how it works

This is an anonymous recruitment process. The gender and date of birth of the applicant are not asked for on the application form. Personal details such as name, mother tongue, time of studies, name of educational institution and contact details are hidden until the interview stage. Attachments (such as CVs) are also hidden.

Recruiters have access to the contact details of those invited for interview once the applicant has been selected for interview.

Our system will guide you through the application process. The questions on the application form will help you present your skills and experience anonymously. Answer all questions carefully. If you’re invited for an interview, your CV will be displayed to the recruiters to support the interview.

Read more and watch the video on anonymous recruitment.

Would you like to know more?

Because the application process is anonymous, we don’t record any information about people who contact us. Feel free to call us if you have any questions about the position or the recruitment process itself. For more information about the position, please contact current Sales Director, Foodservice, Risto Auero. You can reach Risto by phone +358  (0)50 598 8828 between 26 August and 7 September 2026 during normal working hours.

How to apply?

Click on the link above to apply. Note that attachments won’t be visible in anonymous recruitment until the interview stage, so it’s important to fill in the application form carefully. Please send your application as soon as possible, as we’ll already start processing applications during the application period. Please include your cv and salary request. You’ll receive a confirmation message the next morning after your application has been received.

The application will be open until 10 September 2026. We wish you the best of luck!