Head of Department for Regions and Democracy in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Interior

Head of Department for Regions and Democracy in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Interior

Are you our new head of department, who will lead the work with large parts of the state governance in welfare areas and the election area? A leader who, with engagement and strong professional expertise, is driven by leading a team of skilled employees in fulfilling tasks including democracy and the health area.

You will become part of our top management, which sets goals and direction for a ministry that plays a central role in the planning of the government's economic and interior policy.

About the position

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Interior has, among other things, the overall responsibility to ensure good framework conditions for municipalities and regions, the annual negotiations on the finances of municipalities and regions, and oversight and governance of the decentralised sector's structure and economy. In addition, the ministry is the supreme supervisory authority for municipalities and regions and responsible for national elections and referendums, where the ministry is the supreme authority.

As head of department, you will, among other things, have the overall responsibility for the ministry's work with the governance of the regional area’s structures and economy, including the annual financial agreements with the regions, the municipal and regional governance, the framework for the municipalities and regions' task performance, including supervision, and the elections area.

You will lead a department consisting of capable and engaged staff and managers. There will be close collaboration on the professional tasks with the department's other heads of department. You will have a close collaboration interface to other ministries as well as to municipalities and regions and their organizations.

In this regard you will,

• take a central role in driving the ministry's policy areas, which include ensuring fair and equal elections
• be the closest adviser to the Minister of Economic Affairs and the Interior in connection with large parts of the interior policy area
• ensure close coordination with other ministries and especially KL and Danske Regioner
• lead the ministry's Center for Democracy and the Office for Structure and Governance, where you set the direction together with the office heads. At the same time you will work closely with the head of the Department for Municipalities and Welfare Analysis and related offices.
• work on development and well-being together with the department's skilled, professionally strong and motivated staff and managers

You will be part of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Interior's top management, where you, together with the Permanent Secretary and three other department heads, oversee the overall leadership and development of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Interior. We lead as a team and adjust our distribution of tasks in leadership when relevant. It is therefore essential that you have an interest in economic and interior policy in a broad sense and are willing to undertake broader leadership tasks in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Interior also outside the interior policy area.

About us

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Interior plays a central role in the government's economic and interior policy.

We are a small department with about 130 employees, which has the portfolio for a number of limited but heavy tasks in the economic and interior policy area, and which supports the minister's participation in the government cooperation in the broadest sense.

The culture is informal with close collaboration across offices and departments. Our employee well-being is high, which we see as a prerequisite for high performance. We place great emphasis on offering our employees good development opportunities – both professionally and personally.

Our values are ambition, a holistic approach and integrity. We strive for the values not to be slogans but to be practiced daily in the organization.

About you

We are seeking an analytical and strategic profile with extensive knowledge and insight into the decentralised sector and experience with state governance of it. You must have a strong leadership profile and solid experience as a leader, have impact and be able to represent the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Interior in negotiations and fora at the highest civil service level.

We also want a head of department with great engagement and good collaboration skills, who is able to create a good working environment and lead, inspire and develop the department's staff and office heads.

We place particular emphasis on your having

• extensive experience with the decentralised sector, including especially the region's areas of responsibility
• solid experience with political decision-making processes and also preferably ministerial service
• qualities enabling strategic prioritisation, decision-making and creating visible results
• leadership experience and well-developed leadership competencies, including the ability to set goals, direction and communicate clearly about it
• a motivating leadership style with a strong focus on developing managers and staff and creating high-quality results through others
• strong qualities to build good relations both internally and externally.

Terms of employment

The position is classified in pay grade 39. Salary and terms of employment are negotiated under the framework agreement for contract employment of managers in the state with placement in salary grade 3. The position is intended to be filled on an indefinite term basis under collective agreement terms.

It is a prerequisite for employment that you can obtain the appropriate security clearance to the required level and subsequently maintain the security clearance throughout your employment.

Further information

If you want to know more about the position, you are welcome to contact the Secretary of the Department, Stig Henneberg, via the department head secretary Charlotte Klitgaard Samsson at tel.: 2495 6906 or email: [email protected].

Expected start date January 1, 2027.

Application

We look forward to receiving your application with CV, degree papers and any attachments via the button “Apply for the position” no later than 28 October 2026.

We view diversity as a strength and encourage all interested applicants regardless of personal background to apply. We look forward to reading your application.

Application deadline: 28 October 2026

Department: Ved Stranden 8 1061 København K

Location: Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Interior