LODE. Confidence that lasts.
LODE is the Baltic ceramic leader in premium natural clay building materials, with a heritage dating back to 1958. Operating from two modern production facilities in Latvia, LODE offers more than 200 products to global markets – from high-performance MASTER and KERATERM masonry blocks to ceramic bricks and facade tiles and clinker paving. At the heart of the portfolio is unique 385-million-year-old Devonian clay, combined with modern technology to create natural building solutions known for durability, permanent aesthetics, low maintenance, fire safety and energy efficiency.
LODE Finland was established approximately two years ago as part of LODE’s Scandinavian growth strategy. The Finnish business already has customers, market contacts and an active sales pipeline. We are now looking for an entrepreneurial Business Development Manager to take commercial ownership of Finland, turn this strong foundation into sustainable growth and help shape how LODE wins in the Finnish market.
The role in brief
As Business Development Manager, you will be LODE’s commercial owner and local market voice in Finland. You will be responsible for developing profitable sales, converting the existing pipeline into business and creating new demand across the Finnish construction, architecture and landscaping markets.
This is not a role where the route to market has already been fully defined. You will have significant freedom – and responsibility – to determine the most effective commercial model for Finland, combining direct and project sales, specification sales and the right distributor, dealer or wholesale partnerships. Your first-year focus is clear: build a structured and scalable sales platform, win new customers and projects, and move the Finnish business towards self-sufficiency.
You will report to Marketing and Sales Director, Baltics & Scandinavia, and work closely with LODE’s sales, product and production organisation in Latvia. The role is Finland-based, highly autonomous and well suited to someone who enjoys building business with the ownership mindset of an entrepreneur.
Your key responsibilities
- Develop and grow LODE’s business and profitable sales in Finland
- Take ownership of the existing Finnish customer base, contacts and sales pipeline and systematically convert opportunities into invoiced sales
- Identify new projects and open new customer relationships across construction, architecture, building materials and landscaping
- Develop direct sales, project and specification sales and, where relevant, distributor, dealer and wholesale partnerships
- Build relationships with architects, landscape designers, developers, contractors, distributors and retailers and influence product choices early in the project lifecycle
- Bring market and customer feedback, product requests and development ideas to LODE’s product and production teams and help build the commercial case around relevant opportunities
- Contribute local marketing ideas, channels, exhibitions and other ways to increase LODE’s awareness, desirability and product visibility in Finland
- Represent LODE in Finland and act as the source of Finnish market insight for the wider Baltic and Scandinavian organisation
The role includes regular travel throughout Finland, with the strongest customer activity expected in Southern Finland and the Helsinki-Tampere-Turku triangle. Travel to Riga is expected approximately 1–2 days per month for sales meetings and cooperation with the wider organisation, in addition to occasional factory visits with customers.
You will succeed in the role if you have
- At least 5 years of successful sales and business development experience in building materials, technical construction solutions, architectural products and/or landscaping-related solutions
- A proven track record in business development, project sales and/or specification sales
- Evidence of opening doors, winning new customers and building a business, market, territory, customer portfolio or sales pipeline from a relatively low starting point
- Strong understanding of Finnish customers, buying processes and sales channels in construction, building materials, architecture or landscaping
- Experience in direct sales and preferably also distributor, dealer or wholesale channels
- The ability to build credible relationships with architects, designers, developers, contractors, distributors and retailers
- Strong technical-commercial communication and the ability to translate product qualities into clear functional, aesthetic and commercial value for customers
- Fluent Finnish and strong English skills for customer work and international collaboration
Your background can come from a building-material manufacturer, a technical or architectural solution company, landscaping-related sales and development, or a building-material wholesaler or distributor. Existing Finnish market networks are a strong advantage, but we place even more weight on your motivation, commercial drive and evidence that you can build something from the ground up.
What kind of person succeeds at LODE
We are looking for someone who genuinely enjoys building something and taking ownership. The role has been described as close to running your own business in Finland: you have freedom to act, but you are also accountable for setting priorities, creating structure and turning activity into commercial results.
You are likely to be:
- Entrepreneurial, self-driven and strongly commercially minded
- Independent and comfortable making decisions and progress without a large local organisation around you
- Trustworthy, credible and able to build confidence with both customers and internal stakeholders
- Persistent and resilient in long sales cycles and market development
- Structured and communicative while remaining hands-on and action-oriented
- Curious, willing to learn and open to change – ready to test ideas, learn quickly and improve
LODE’s culture is open, listening and trust-based. People are given clear responsibility and the freedom to make a difference, with independence preferred over micromanagement. In this role, you will combine substantial autonomy in Finland with close cross-border cooperation and regular dialogue with your manager and colleagues in Latvia.
What we offer
- A genuine country-building opportunity: you will have a central role in shaping LODE’s Finnish business, customer base and go-to-market model
- A strong starting point: existing customers, market contacts and an active Finnish sales pipeline are already in place
- A distinctive premium portfolio of more than 200 natural clay products – including masonry blocks, bricks and facade tiles, and clinker paving – with a strong story around durability, permanent aesthetics and long-term performance
- The support of an established Baltic ceramic leader with deep product, production and sales expertise and modern manufacturing in Latvia
- Significant influence on product visibility, local marketing, channel development and how Finnish customer needs are translated into future commercial opportunities
- A flexible Finland-based role with home-office working and substantial freedom to plan your own customer and market activity
- A competitive compensation package: base salary, performance-based sales commission and a company car benefit
- A longer-term opportunity to grow together with the Finnish business and potentially take a broader leadership role as the local organisation develops
Interested?
If you are motivated by the opportunity to build a market, create long-term customer relationships and represent a premium natural building-material brand with nearly 70 years of heritage, this could be your next role.
Please submit your application and CV through the application link no later than 1st November 2026 and include your salary expectation. We encourage you to apply early, as applications will be reviewed during the application period.
For more information, please contact InHunt Group: Katja Selander, Senior Headhunter, +358 50 440 0589 or Mikko Knuuttila, Senior Headhunter, +358 50 535 0232.
