Become part of the leadership of one of Denmark's most ambitious cultural and library organizations

Kulturmaskinen and Odense Libraries seek a strategically strong senior manager who, through leadership of six department heads in the library area, can create coherence between strategy, operations and development.

Just over a year ago we brought Kulturmaskinen and Odense Libraries together into one organization. The organizational framework is in place. Now we must strengthen the shared culture, build even stronger cross-organizational relationships, and translate our goals into value for citizens.

We are not an organization that is facing a change. We are in the middle of it. Therefore we are looking for a leader who can both develop what already works and help to write the next chapter in our shared organization.

We are about 190 employees with a wide range of professions. Here, librarians, cultural mediators, technicians, project managers, communications officers, IT specialists and administrative staff work side by side for a common purpose : to create value for citizens through culture, knowledge and communities.

The organization contains 15 addresses spread across eight libraries and seven cultural institutions. We are behind some of Odense’s biggest cultural events, including OFF – Odense International Film Festival, OFFSpring, Magic Days and the Skræk Festival.

At the same time, we are in the midst of a number of exciting projects. We are, among other things, developing a new children's library with support of 4 million DKK from the Nordea Foundation, and our creative workshops for clay and textiles have just moved into new and modern premises that create new possibilities for communities, learning and creativity.

We are also experiencing significant growth. In the last two years, both visitor numbers and lending at the libraries have increased by around 15 percent. We are proud of this development and want to sustain and build on it.

As one of the country’s six central libraries, we solve national tasks on behalf of the state and contribute to the development of libraries throughout Denmark. At the same time, Kulturmaskinen has been designated as a network and reuse-site and plays a central role in the development of the city’s and region’s cultural life.

About the position

You report to the head of office Annette Wolgenhagen Godt and, together with her and the organization’s two other functional leaders, you form part of the leadership of the overall culture and library organization.

Together we set the course for the organization’s continued development and ensure that our strategy and core narrative are translated into concrete practice.

You will become part of a politically governed organization where culture and libraries contribute to realizing the municipality’s goals and priorities. This requires you to navigate the interplay between political goals, professional perspectives and organizational priorities and to create momentum through dialogue, collaboration and clear leadership.

Your tasks

• Lead and support the six library department heads and develop a strong leadership community.
• Set the direction for the continued renewal of the library area in close collaboration with the organization’s other leadership.
• Ensure that the positive development in visits and lending continues, and that the libraries develop as attractive meeting places for learning, literature, culture and community.
• Create strong connections between libraries, cultural institutions and other partners.
• Contribute to the development of both local and national library initiatives through the central library function.
• Translate political goals and strategies into priorities, actions and results in the culture area.

We are looking for a leader who

• Has solid leadership experience and preferably experience with leading through others.
• Has strong competencies in strategic leadership, organizational development and change management.
• Creates results through clear leadership, trust and strong relationships.
• Has the courage to make decisions and the ability to implement them.
• Can balance operations, development and employee well-being.
• Sees opportunities across the organization and actively works to bridge disciplines, tasks and people.

It is an advantage if you have experience from the library sector or another cultural institution. You can also bring experience from other sectors if you have the desire and ability to understand the libraries’ special role and opportunities in society.

We particularly emphasize that you

• Can create space for ideas, initiatives and professional development among the organization’s many skilled employees and leaders.
• Believe that the biggest changes are created at the intersection of high professionalism, strong relationships and bold leadership. You are persistent and engaged, and you are motivated by moving people, the organization and tasks.
• Thrive in an organization where generosity toward colleagues, citizens and partners is a fundamental value.

We offer

• A central leadership role in one of Odense’s largest cultural organizations with more than 1.4 million visitors per year.
• The opportunity to leave a lasting mark on the development of a new culture and library organization.
• The opportunity to work at the intersection of culture, literature, democracy, learning and social development.
• Responsibility in an organization with local, national and international outlook.
• A strong leadership community with a desire to create new and room to experiment.
• Skilled, engaged and passionate employees who make a difference for citizens every day.

Application

The application deadline is 15 November 2026. The position is intended to be filled by 1 January 2027.

The first and second interviews will be held on 20 and 25 November 2026 respectively.

The position will be paid according to the applicable collective agreement. The expected salary level will be stated before a potential interview and depends on experience and qualifications

If you have questions about the position, you are very welcome to contact the head of Kulturmaskinen and Odense Libraries, Annette Wolgenhagen Godt, at [email protected], and we will agree on a time when we can speak.