Product Manager - Lignin Materials

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 Product Manager - Lignin Materials (m/f/d) to strengthen our commercial team.

Greetings from your future manager

“Welcome to UPM Next Generation Renewables! Are you passionate about shaping the future of sustainable products and markets? We are transforming renewable resources into innovative, high-performance solutions that replace fossil-based materials. To help drive this change, we are looking for a proactive, commercially minded Product Manager - Lignin Materials who combines strategic vision with a strong customer focus.” - Dr. Florian Diehl, Director RFF Sales

What you will do 

• Own and actively steer the product portfolio of lignin materials

• Define product specifications and packaging variants across applications and industries to optimize value and performance

• Develop product strategies that support go-to-market strategies for lignin materials

• Support Sales during qualification phases and provide clear guidance on pricing, positioning, and priorities

• Own demand planning for lignin materials, align demand with production constraints, and contribute to S&OP processes

• Work closely with Sales, Product Stewardship, Quality, Operations, Supply Chain, Innovation, Application Development, Marketing, and Sustainability teams

• Support management with fact-based recommendations and provide clear analyses of profitability by segment and customer, market dynamics and trends, portfolio development opportunities, and competitor insights

Who you are 

• You have a degree in chemistry, chemical engineering, material science, or related field

• You have several years of experience in product management, sales, or application management in specialty chemicals or materials

• Profound knowledge in biomaterials, especially lignins, is considered an asset

• You have a strong commercial focus to merge customer needs with business benefits

• You have experience in chemical B2B markets (e.g., resins, plastics, rubber, dispersions, composites, or coatings)

• You have the ability to translate technical concepts into commercial value propositions

• You have a structured and analytical mindset with strong decision-making capability

• You provide confident stakeholder management across functions and seniority levels

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 about the position 

This position is located in Leuna, Germany.

The position holder will report to Director RFF Sales. 

For further information about the role, please contact Dr. Florian Diehl, Director RFF Sales, at  florian.diehl@upm.com. 

How to apply 

To apply, please submit your CV and cover letter. Please note that we accept only applications submitted through our online application system.

For support with submitting your application, please contact our HR Service Center at careers@upm.com or tel. +49 4963 401 1522. 

Learn more about how to apply from our Careers page. 

UPM Next Generation Renewables 

UPM Next Generation Renewables is a strategic growth business area of UPM, leading the industrial scale‑up of the bioeconomy. We produce advanced, wood‑based alternatives to fossil raw materials and enable customers to reduce emissions, meet sustainability targets and strengthen their competitive advantage. With pioneering biorefineries in Lappeenranta, Finland, and Leuna, Germany, we turn sustainably sourced wood and industry residues into renewable fuels and chemicals, such as renewable glycols, lignin‑based functional fillers, renewable diesel and bio‑naphtha. We accelerate the shift toward circular, fossil‑free value chains and set new standards for sustainable materials. www.upmbiochemicals.com 

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