Head of Department for Nature and Water at Svendborg Municipality

Svendborg Municipality seeks a professionally strong head of department for water and nature

Do you want to help ensure Svendborg Municipality remains a scenic municipality, where we take care of our nature and environment? Do you have a solid grasp of water – whether we are talking about wastewater, rivers, floods or extreme rainfall? And are you a hands-on people leader who loves to lead and create direction, coherence and forward momentum? Then you may be our new head of department for nature and water.

Svendborg Municipality is currently in positive development with in-migration, investment enthusiasm and low unemployment. As our new head of department you will have great opportunity to make your mark on the municipality at an important time, where there is both momentum for the green transition and where we face a number of challenges with adapting the municipality to increasing amounts of water, new environmental requirements and extensive restructuring of agricultural land.

About the job

You will become part of the Department of Climate, Nature and Environment, which consists of a department head, two department heads and a total of 43 skilled and dedicated employees. You will be the line manager for 25 employees distributed in three teams, each with its own team coordinator, within Nature, Green Tripartite and Watercourses, wastewater and coast.

The department is well-running, there is a good atmosphere at the workplace and high job satisfaction. In the last two years the department has grown in recognition of the high expectations for the area – and you will play a decisive role in shaping a number of large projects as well as continuously developing the department's task solution.

You will lead staff with core tasks within

• Operations and authorities tasks within nature and water, including e.g. inspections, nature protection and maintenance of watercourses.
• Planning and permits, including e.g. wastewater, coastal protection and protected areas.
• Execution of larger development projects, including the municipality's new wastewater plan, our long-term cloudburst protection, the restructuring of agriculture in connection with the Green Tripartite and the signature project The South Funen Ridge.
• Preparation of cases and decision proposals for the political level.
• Tasks in continuation of the mandatory cooperation with Ærø and Langeland.

Your overarching functions are

• Hands-on personnel leadership with responsibility for leading and developing the department within the framework set at political level.
• Professional leadership and sparring with employees regarding cases and decision proposals.
• Responsible for the daily operations of three teams in close cooperation with the team coordinators.
• Representative of Svendborg Municipality in a number of collaborations and projects with external parties.
• To ensure that the department focuses on service-oriented advice to citizens and partners.
• To support a good working environment in the department, where well-being, flexibility and efficiency go hand in hand.

About you

We expect that you have relevant experience and insight in one or more areas within water and nature, and we would like you to have leadership experience. It is also an advantage if you have knowledge of the working methods in a politically governed organization and experience with leading project managers.

We expect that you

• have an overview, can prioritise and set direction
• have strong leadership competences and easily gain followers
• emphasize high quality and professionalism in task solving
• are inclusive with regards to staff, citizens and stakeholders and collaborate across disciplines
• lead through dialogue in a trust-building manner, contributing to good well-being and job satisfaction
• have an eye for the outside world, stakeholders and businesses
• have impact and sharp communication skills in speech and writing

We offer

• a good working environment with focus on psychological safety and leadership well-being
• a job with a lot of meaning and influence
• a strong collegial community with opportunities for sparring
• ongoing competence development and opportunities for leadership coaching
• a flexible and attractive workplace where the organisation of work hours follows the tasks – and where there is an option to work from home

About Svendborg Municipality

Svendborg is located in the middle of the country, with half an hour to Odense and under two hours to Copenhagen and Aarhus. With around 60,000 inhabitants, Svendborg is Funen's second-largest municipality.

Svendborg Municipality is in our view a workplace of a perfectly sized scale: We are small enough to be close to each other and have short command chains. And we are large enough to have room for ambition, high professionalism and rich opportunities for development.

We value everyday life and insist that it should be pleasant to go to work. We are busy, but not too busy to help each other.

Our values are not just on paper; we actually use them as a compass every day. We meet each other at eye level, in dialogue and with trust, and together we create a safe framework where we can all solve our tasks independently, flexibly and responsibly.

Salary and employment

The workplace is Svendborgvej 135, 5762 Vester Skerninge, about 15 minutes from Svendborg town centre.

In Svendborg Municipality, the salary range for a department head at this level is between 66,515 DKK and 86,580 DKK per month, including allowances and pension. In the specific position, a salary between 69,000 DKK and 75,000 DKK per month is expected depending on qualifications and experience.

Want to know more?

You can learn more about the position by contacting the head of department in Climate, Nature and Environment,

Rasmus Scheelke at telephone: 2360 2548 or [email protected]

Application deadline

Applications close on 1 November 2026 and we expect to hold interviews in weeks 46 and 48.

Between the first and second interview, a personality profile will be prepared.

The position will commence on 1 January 2027 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Svendborg Municipality has a smoke-free working time. We want smoke-free working time to contribute to a healthy working environment for all employees.

Welcome to Svendborg - the capital of the archipelago!

Svendborg has a superb location in the heart of the most beautiful nature, at the edge of the South Funen Archipelago and with a mini-metropolis that offers it all. We do not hesitate when we proudly call Svendborg the cultural capital of Funen. We have a charming town centre and a lively trading town with theatres and museums as well as a rich association life.

Our day care and primary schools are top-notch with a particular focus on movement and sport, and we have several higher education institutions that will soon be integrated into an attractive educational environment by the harbour. Svendborg is located in the middle of the country with a half hour to Odense and under two hours to Copenhagen and Aarhus. Svendborg, with around 60,000 inhabitants, is Funen’s second-largest municipality.