LUT University and the South Karelia well-being services county (Ekhva) announced today an opening for a joint professorship and leading specialist position specialising in lean leadership. Plans to open this professorship were announced earlier this year. The division of work will be 60% for LUT University and 40% for Ekhva.
Lean management means continuously improving processes to meet customer needs, eliminating non-value-added activities, and engaging employees in improvement efforts at all organisational levels. The professorship focuses on coaching-based and sustainable leadership.
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For Ekhva, the appointed person will be working as a leading specialist under a contractual employment relationship. The job entails coaching employees and providing support for the planning, implementation, and monitoring of development projects at Ekhva. The role also includes facilitating the publication of Ekhva's project results in scientific journals.
“The professorship supports the lean development of Ekhva’s system of operation. The aim is to promote our organisation's efficiency through continuous improvement, process development, and quality management. Next year, we will introduce a new organisational model that focuses on providing customers better, more cost-efficient services,” says Juuso Tamminen, chief data and effectiveness officer at Ekhva.
In addition to collaborating with the well-being services county, the role includes scientific research, assembling and managing a research team, teaching, and societal interaction as an LUT University professor.
“LUT has considerable expertise in lean management on the corporate side. The professorship's goal is to study its application to public-sector organisations. Industrial engineering and management research and lean principles can streamline processes, eliminate inefficiencies, and improve productivity,” says Lea Hannola, head of the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management at LUT University.
LUT University's industrial engineering and management research covers a wide range of perspectives. It focuses on areas such as innovation and technology management, logistics and supply chain management, cost and performance management, data analytics, and entrepreneurship.
The closing date for applications for the professorship is 20 October 2025. LUT University is in charge of the practical implementation of the application process. The aim is for the new professor and leading specialist to start work on 1 February 2026.
More information:
Kaisa Heino
Manager of strategy and innovation, Ekhva
kaisa.heino@ekhva.fi
+358 40 627 5521
