Development Director

Would you like to work in an environment that is truly meaningful? Here, you can make an impact and enable lower-emission ways of travelling and transporting goods. We are looking for a Development Director for VR Logistics to lead the development of our business and ensure the achievement of our long-term objectives. As a member of the management team, you will play a key role in shaping the future of VR Logistics and developing the business’s competitiveness. You will be responsible for the overall development agenda and development portfolio, lead logistics strategy work, and monitor the achievement of objectives. The position combines strategic thinking, strong business insight, an analytical approach, and the ability to lead renewal and turn decisions into results together with the business. You will report to the Head of Logistics and work closely with business leadership and other key internal and external stakeholders at VR. You will also lead the development team. The position is based in Helsinki and requires some travel. Main responsibilities - Plan and lead VR Logistics’ strategic business development projects and own the development portfolio. Ensure that development initiatives focus on the areas most important to the business and support the achievement of its objectives. - Lead Logistics’ long-term operational planning process and systematically monitor its implementation. - Bring a strong strategic and business-development perspective to management-team work. - Be responsible for Logistics’ S&OP process, developing energy efficiency, and delivering analytics to support business management and decision-making. - Lead Logistics’ risk management process and ensure that risk management is systematically connected to business leadership. - Work closely with VR’s strategy and development team and ensure that Logistics’ operational plan aligns with VR-level strategic objectives. - Take responsibility for agreed VR-level duties and development projects. What we expect from you - Strong experience in management consulting or demanding business development and leadership roles in a large organisation. - A track record of successfully leading extensive, strategically significant projects and changes. - Ability to analyse complex issues and distil clear conclusions, proposed solutions, and key messages to support decision-making. - Good understanding of business, finance, and the societal operating environment. - Experience in leading people, projects, and change, and the ability to get different parties working toward shared objectives. - Excellent collaboration, influencing, and communication skills, together with a solution-focused and innovative approach. - A suitable higher-education degree, for example an MSc in Economics and Business Administration or an MSc in Technology, and experience in supervisory work. - Fluent Finnish and English. Why choose us? Your work will affect the everyday lives and travel of hundreds of thousands of people and the movement of thousands of tonnes of freight. You will have 9,500 professionals in Finland and Sweden as colleagues. We offer diverse training and learning opportunities, different career paths, and comprehensive employee benefits for sports, culture, and lunch. We support travel for work and leisure and offer a variety of travel and recreational opportunities at staff prices in Finland and abroad. You will have access to occupational health services that support your overall wellbeing and modern work tools. Our work focuses on customers, growth, and employee wellbeing. An open feedback culture supports development, learning, and succeeding together. We are on a shared and meaningful journey. You are an important part of it just as you are: together, we are building a better tomorrow. Interested? Submit your application through the link by 25 October 2026. Please note that we will begin interviews during the application period. The person selected for the role will undergo a basic security clearance. For more information about the position, contact Eljas Koistinen, SVP Logistics, by phone during the following times: Wednesday 14 October 2026, 10:00–11:00, or Tuesday 20 October 2026, 10:00–11:00. At VR, we do meaningful work that affects the everyday lives of thousands of people and promotes low-emission mobility and logistics. We ensure smooth everyday journeys in Finland and Sweden and support industry logistics in Finland. In 2025, we carried out 16.1 million long-distance journeys in Finland, transported 24.8 million tonnes of goods by rail, and had revenue of EUR 1,253 million. More than 9,500 dedicated professionals worked together on our journey to become the best in the world. Join us!