Project Director - Lean Leader/Expert

Turner & Townsend; Dubai; On-site; AED 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

A global professional services company located in Dubai is seeking a candidate with deep Lean expertise and strong leadership qualities. The ideal candidate will have proven experience in transport/logistics, data analysis, and a commitment to continuous learning. Responsibilities include implementing Lean principles and optimizing processes. A flexible working environment is offered, and the company values diversity and inclusion.

Benefits

Healthy work-life balance

Flexible working environment

Diversity and inclusion initiatives

Qualifications

• Strong leadership and change management skills are essential.
• Must demonstrate adaptability and cultural awareness.
• Exceptional communication skills to convey complex ideas.

Responsibilities

• Implement Lean principles at programme level.
• Lead complex organisational Lean implementation projects.
• Map and streamline processes to minimise costs.

Skills

Leadership

Data Analysis

Communication

Cultural Awareness

Customer Focus

Job description

Company Description

Turner & Townsend is a global professional services company with over 22,000 people in more than 60 countries.

Working with our clients across real estate, infrastructure, energy and natural resources, we transform together delivering outcomes that improve people’s lives.

Working in partnership makes it possible to deliver the world’s most impactful projects and programmes as we turn challenge into opportunity and complexity into success. Our capabilities include programme, project, cost, asset and commercial management, controls and performance, procurement and supply chain, net zero and digital solutions.

We are majority-owned by CBRE Group, Inc., the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm, with our partners holding a significant minority interest. Turner & Townsend and CBRE work together to provide clients with the premier programme, project and cost management offering in markets around the world.

Please visit our website: www.turnerandtownsend.com

Job Description

A candidate who has deep Lean expertise, ideally with specific multi transport environment knowledge, leadership qualities, and adaptability to the local environment.

Technical Expertise & Experience

• Proven Transport/Logistics Experience: Demonstrated track record of successfully implementing Lean principles at programme level, ideally within the transport sector.
• Lean Expert: Demonstrate experience and expertise in leading complex organisational level Lean implementation projects. Experience in achieving measurable savings is part of the requirement.
• Data Analysis and Problem-Solving Mindset: The expert must demonstrate strong analytical and critical‑thinking skills, using data to identify root causes of inefficiencies (e.g., using the DMAIC process) rather than just treating symptoms.
• Process Development and Optimization Skills: In delivery, the ability to map and streamline work processes, minimise costs, eliminate waste, and utilise capacity effectively is crucial.
• Corporate Development & Organisational Capability: Experience designing organisational development or functional capability frameworks. Ability to align development programmes with business strategy. Strong documentation, framework creation, and structured thinking skills.

Qualifications

Strong Leadership and Change Management Experience: The person must be an active coach and a leader who can provide a clear vision, inspire cooperation across functional teams, manage team dynamics, and lead effectively through significant organisational change.

Adaptability and Cultural Awareness: The dynamic business environment requires an expert who is adaptable and has high cultural awareness to build positive relationships with diverse local and international teams, suppliers, and customers.

Exceptional Communication and Collaboration Skills: The role requires excellent communication skills to convey complex ideas clearly to all stakeholders, from executives to operational staff, and foster a collaborative environment.

Customer Focus and Value Systems: A strong understanding of Lean’s core principle of prioritising customer value is essential. The expert should be able to use customer insights to shape process improvements and ensure the entire programme is customer‑centric.

Commitment to Continuous Learning: A leader with the ability to continually question existing processes and encourage a culture of relentless improvement. They should view failure as a learning opportunity rather than a setback.

Additional Information

Our inspired people share our vision and mission. We provide a great place to work, where each person has the opportunity and voice to affect change.

We want our people to succeed both in work and life. To support this we promote a healthy, productive and flexible working environment that respects work‑life balance.

Turner & Townsend is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and actively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.

It is strictly against Turner & Townsend policy for candidates to pay any fee in relation to our recruitment process. No recruitment agency working with Turner & Townsend will ask candidates to pay a fee at any time.

Any unsolicited resumes/CVs submitted through our website or to Turner & Townsend personal e‑mail accounts, are considered property of Turner & Townsend and are not subject to payment of agency fees. In order to be an authorised Recruitment Agency/Search Firm for Turner & Townsend, there must be a formal written agreement in place and the agency must be invited, by the Recruitment Team, to submit candidates for review.

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Please find out more about us at www.turnerandtownsend.com/