Head Nurse for new health care positions in Esbjerg and Bramming

Do you want to set the direction for nursing, develop the staff and create a new department with high professional standards and well-being? How do we create the best framework for citizens in need of care, treatment and rehabilitation – and at the same time a workplace where employees thrive and succeed in their professional practice?

You will have the opportunity to answer that as Chief Nurse for a new regional department with health care placements in Esbjerg and Bramming.

From 1 January 2027, the regions will be responsible for establishing and running health care placements as part of the health reform. Esbjerg Grindsted Hospital will establish 109 placements distributed across Fanø, Esbjerg, Varde, Vejen and Billund municipalities. In Esbjerg Municipality, 30 placements will be established in Esbjerg and 10 in Bramming.

You get a unique opportunity to build a new department and create a shared direction for professional development, staff well-being and operations.

Nursing that makes a difference: The health care placements are an offer to citizens with a need for a targeted health care and rehabilitative effort. Tasks range from clinical observations, nursing and treatment to nutrition, rehabilitation and basic palliative care.

You will need to create the framework for a professional environment where nurses, social and health care assistants, therapists and permanently attached physicians collaborate on safe and coherent patient journeys. At the same time, employees should have the opportunity to develop their competencies and experience meaning, influence and professional pride in everyday life.

Your leadership task: Direction, following and well-being: You will have the overall professional, personnel and operational responsibility for 40 health care placements spread across two sites.

A central task will be to bring employees together around a shared culture with clear goals, high professionalism and a good working environment. Through visible and presenceful leadership, you will build trust, involvement and engagement and support a workplace where employees take responsibility and succeed together.

Your key tasks will be to

• Set the direction for the department's professional and organizational development.
• Ensure high nursing professionalism and interdisciplinary quality, patient safety and a rehabilitative approach.
• Create a shared culture and good workflows across the two sites.
• Strengthen employee well-being, collaboration and professional development through dialogue and involvement.
• Balance professional ambitions, resources and operations.
• Develop cooperation with hospitals, general practice and municipal services.

We are looking for a leader who develops both people and professionalism

We imagine that you

• Are a licensed nurse and have leadership experience, preferably from municipal or regional health care.
• Are visible, present and trustworthy and create followership through clear communication and dialogue.
• Can set direction and expectations while involving and developing the staff.
• Are passionate about professional quality, staff well-being and a strong interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Have experience with or an interest in quality development, implementation and change management.
• Can make decisions with a view to both professionalism, the working environment, resources and finances.

You are motivated by creating something new, developing employees' competences and building a workplace where people and professional practice thrive.

We offer: You will have great influence on the establishment of a new department and the opportunity to shape its professional direction, culture and workflows.

You will become part of an engaged management community with close sparring with the department's other functional leaders and the department management. We offer multidisciplinary collaboration, good opportunities for professional and leadership development and an onboarding process tailored to you and your experience.

We value integrity, trust and good collaborative relationships. We take care, take responsibility for the collective and help each other succeed – and we also believe it should be fun to go to work.

Employment: The position is full-time with commencement 1 January 2027 .

Salary and employment terms follow the applicable collective agreement and principles of local pay formation.

If you have any questions, you are welcome to contact Chief Nurse Jane Birkebæk at telephone 21 67 59 05.

Application deadline: 6 November 2026.

Interviews will be held on 10 November 2026.

Region of Southern Denmark provides the starting salary in accordance with Health Cartel's collective agreement for leaders and chiefs (32.26) . The starting salary includes base pay, centrally determined allowances and pension. Additional allowances can be negotiated based on position, experience and qualifications.

See starting salary for positions in Region Southern Denmark.