LEAN CONSTRUCTION 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 Lean Construction Manager is a champion of operational efficiency within the Project and Performance Council. Reporting to the Construction Operations Director, you will be responsible for developing and leading a systematic, group-wide program to improve productivity, eliminate waste, and optimize construction workflows. You will introduce and embed lean construction principles into the company's culture, driving significant, measurable improvements in cost, schedule, and quality across a portfolio exceeding 100 Billion ETB. Job Summary Location:  Addis Ababa, with frequent site visits Deadline:  March 19th, 2026 Career Level:  Senior Management / Manager Employment Type:  Full-time Number of People Required:  1 Reports to:  Construction Operations Director Supervises:  Construction Productivity Engineers (2) Duties and Responsibilities 1. Strategic Program Development: Develop and articulate a comprehensive, multi-year Productivity Improvement and Lean Construction strategy for the OVID Group, aligned with the Council's overall objectives. Define clear, measurable KPIs for productivity and lean implementation (e.g., Percent Plan Complete, waste reduction targets, cycle time reduction) and establish baseline metrics for the portfolio. Secure buy-in from the Construction Operations Director and subsidiary CEOs for the lean strategy and its associated resource requirements. Develop a roadmap for phasing in lean initiatives across the portfolio, prioritizing projects and areas with the highest potential impact. Prepare annual business cases for productivity improvement investments. 2. Team Leadership & Capability Building: Lead, mentor, and manage a team of 2 Construction Productivity Engineers, providing technical guidance and professional development. Design and deliver a comprehensive training and certification program on lean construction principles and tools for project managers, site engineers, and foremen across all subsidiaries. Champion a culture of continuous improvement, empowering project teams to identify and solve problems at the source. Identify and develop internal lean champions within project teams to sustain momentum and drive adoption. Conduct regular "lean maturity" assessments for projects and subsidiaries. 3. Lean Implementation & Process Improvement: Lead the practical, on-site implementation of core lean tools, including the Last Planner System (LPS) for production planning, 5S for workplace organization, and value stream mapping for process analysis. Facilitate root cause analysis sessions with project teams to understand the underlying causes of recurring delays, rework, and inefficiencies. Oversee the analysis of construction workflows by the productivity engineers, identifying specific opportunities to reduce waste (e.g., waiting, transportation, over-processing) and optimize resource utilization. Pilot new construction methods, formwork systems, or material handling processes on selected projects, rigorously measuring their impact before recommending broader rollout. Establish lean implementation plans for each major project. 4. Performance Analysis & Reporting: Oversee the collection and analysis of productivity data from project sites to track progress against KPIs and quantify the benefits of lean initiatives. Prepare quarterly "Productivity and Lean Impact Reports" for the Construction Operations Director and Deputy CEO, highlighting successes, challenges, and return on investment. Develop case studies and best practice guides based on successful lean implementations to share knowledge across the group. Use data to identify systemic productivity issues that require intervention beyond the project level, such as changes to procurement or design processes. Benchmark OVID's productivity against industry standards and competitors. 5. Collaboration & Influence: Work collaboratively with the Project Performance Monitoring Manager to correlate productivity data with schedule and cost performance. Interface with the Engineering Services Directorate to ensure that design and planning processes support lean construction goals. Build strong, trust-based relationships with project teams, acting as a coach and facilitator rather than just an auditor. Influence site leadership to embrace new ways of working. Represent OVID Group in external industry forums on lean construction and productivity. Organize quarterly "Lean Sharing Forums" where project teams can present their successes and lessons learned.