CONTRACT AND RISK MANAGER

ABOUT OVID GROUP OVID Group is one of Ethiopia's premier construction and development conglomerates, driving large-scale infrastructure, real estate, and national development projects. As part of our 2026 strategic transformation, we have established a new, centralized Project and Performance Council (PPC) to enhance governance, performance monitoring, and execution excellence across our six key subsidiaries: OVID Construction, OVID Real Estate, Kavod Commercial, OVID Road, OVID Aluminum Formwork, and OVID Respan Design. The Council operates with 65 professionals across Leadership, Construction Operations Directorate, and Engineering Services Directorate, including a state-of-the-art Project Control Situation Room. We are seeking highly skilled professionals to join this new council and help us deliver projects that shape the nation. ABOUT THE JOB: The Contract and Risk Manager is responsible for safeguarding OVID Group from legal, financial, and contractual risks across its entire project portfolio, valued at over 100 Billion ETB. Reporting to the Engineering Services Director, you will lead a dedicated unit that oversees contract compliance, manages the corporate risk register, and provides expert guidance on claims and dispute resolution. Your expertise will be critical in protecting the company's interests and ensuring projects are executed on a solid contractual foundation. Job Summary Location:  Addis Ababa Deadline:  March 19th, 2026 Career Level:  Senior Management / Manager Employment Type:  Full-time Number of People Required:  1 Reports to:  Engineering Services Director Supervises:  Contract Engineers (2), Claim Specialists (2) Duties and Responsibilities 1. Unit Leadership & Strategy: Lead, mentor, and manage the Contract, Risk and Claim Management Unit, including a team of Contract Engineers and Claim Specialists. Develop and implement a comprehensive Contract & Risk Management strategy and policy framework for the entire OVID Group. Define and implement standardized processes for contract review, risk assessment, claims management, and dispute resolution across all subsidiaries. Foster a proactive risk management culture, moving beyond compliance to strategic risk mitigation. Conduct quarterly strategic reviews of the unit's performance and priorities. 2. Contract Governance & Administration: Oversee the review and administration of all major construction contracts (e.g., FIDIC, bespoke contracts) to ensure full compliance with terms, conditions, and obligations across the portfolio. Provide authoritative, proactive advisory support to project teams and subsidiary CEOs on contract interpretation, rights, obligations, and the contractual implications of operational decisions. Lead the development and maintenance of a central, auditable repository for all project contracts and key contractual correspondence. Establish protocols for the management of contract variations, change orders, and insurance requirements. Develop and deliver contract aSituationeness training for project managers and engineers. 3. Enterprise Risk Management: Lead the development, implementation, and continuous updating of a dynamic, portfolio-wide Project Risk Register. Facilitate regular and rigorous risk review workshops with project teams, subsidiary management, and the PPMO to identify, assess, and prioritize risks (both threats and opportunities). Develop and maintain a portfolio-level risk heat map and report for the Engineering Services Director and Deputy CEO, highlighting top exposures and mitigation status. Ensure that risk mitigation plans are developed, assigned, tracked, and their effectiveness is regularly evaluated. Integrate risk management findings into the Situation Room dashboards for executive visibility. 4. Claims & Dispute Management: Provide strategic direction and technical oversight for the preparation of all major construction claims (e.g., Extension of Time, additional payment), ensuring they are well-substantiated and strategically sound. Lead the unit's support in defending the company against claims made by contractors or clients. Manage the relationship with external legal counsel on complex or litigated disputes. Lead the development of negotiation strategies for dispute resolution, participating directly in high-stakes negotiations or adjudication proceedings as the company's representative. Ensure that lessons learned from claims are systematically captured and used to improve future contracting and project execution. Maintain a claims database to track all active and potential claims. 5. Training & Communication: Develop and deliver training programs for project managers and engineers on contract aSituationeness, risk identification, and basic claims management. Communicate complex contractual and risk-related concepts clearly and concisely to non-specialist audiences, including senior executives. Prepare regular reports for the Engineering Services Director on the status of contracts, key risks, and active claims/disputes. Represent the unit in project review meetings and contribute to portfolio-level risk discussions. Develop and disseminate best practice guidelines for contract management.