Head of Department for the Special Education Area Across Two Schools

Would you lead the special educational area at two independent schools—and help create a strong shared direction with great respect for the schools' differences?

At Ejstrupholm School and Nørre Snede School we are seeking a department head who can create direction, coherence and quality in the special educational efforts. The schools are located only about 5 km apart and share a principal, but are independent schools with their own local identity, culture and history.

You will be the closest supervisor for staff in the special educational area at both schools and a central sparring partner for staff, management colleagues, parents and external partners in complex student cases. The position is newly established, and you therefore have a special opportunity to shape how the function, the special educational area and cross-school collaboration should develop.

You must be able to move confidently between professional leadership, staff leadership, operations and complex student cases—and at the same time have an overview of the whole of both schools. You must be able to stay calm in complexity, make clear decisions and create followership, even when considerations and perspectives point in different directions.

Your task is not to make the schools uniform, but to create a common direction and use the differences constructively, so that staff and students experience closeness, quality and coherence.

Examples of your tasks

• Ensure clear, accessible and presence-based staff leadership with a focus on wellbeing, professional development and professional collaboration at both schools.
• Set professional and pedagogical direction based on a resource-oriented view of children, students' participation opportunities and good transitions.
• Support complex student cases through professional sparring, clear actions and constructive dialogue with staff, parents and partners.
• Create coherence and quality across the special and general education areas and contribute to shared school development and sustainable leadership practice.

We are looking for a leader who

• Has a relevant pedagogical basic education and solid knowledge of special pedagogy, inclusion and relational work.
• Has leadership experience or clear leadership professionalism with responsibility for people, professional direction and complex processes.
• Has an eye for people, professionalism, operations and organization and can prioritise in a busy daily life.
• Communicates clearly, respectfully and credibly—even in difficult conversations and disagreements.
• Can create followership, stay calm under pressure and at the same time be clear in their decisions.
• Works structurally and translates knowledge, observations and data into concrete actions.
• Sees collaboration in the management team as a prerequisite for success and contributes loyally and curiously to collective decisions.
• Has or wishes to commence a relevant leadership education.

We offer

• A full-time leadership position with the opportunity to set direction for an important area.
• A strong leadership community where you get sparring and do not stand alone with the complex tasks.
• Committed staff with extensive knowledge about the students and strong professional ambitions.
• A close collaboration with PPR (Pedagogical Psychological Counseling) and other professionals around children, youths and families.
• Opportunity to influence and develop the new common leadership function in practice.

About the schools

Ejstrupholm School has about 230 students and is led by a shared principal, deputy principal and pedagogical leader. We work with a mentalizing approach and are curious about the child behind the behavior. The school is locally anchored with a focus on strong relationships, professional development and shared responsibility for ensuring that all students feel part of the community.

Nørre Snede School has about 350 students and is led by a shared principal, deputy principal and department head for the lower school and SFO (After-School Care). Our motto is We see each other . We place emphasis on strong communities, relationships and systemic thinking—and on the idea that we do not have your and my children, but our children.

The schools are only about 5 km apart, but each has its own local identity and culture. You must therefore be able to see the value in difference and at the same time create coherence across.

At both schools you will meet staff who want the students and each other, and who expect a leader who is professionally curious, present and clear.

As department head you will be part of the Ikast-Brande Community School – a strong and binding leadership community across the municipality's schools and youth services. Here, school leaders, leaders in the youth area, school consultants and the school chief collaborate to set a shared direction and develop strong school and leisure services for all of the municipality's children and youths.

You will have a solid professional sparring space and the opportunity to actively contribute to the municipality's overall school development. At the same time you will be part of a close, cross-professional collaboration with among others PPR and the Family Department to create cohesive solutions close to the child, the family and school practice.

Salary and employment conditions

The position is a permanent full-time role with expected start no later than January 1, 2027.

Salary and employment terms are determined according to applicable collective agreement and the principles of Ny Løn (New Pay).

Applications with relevant education documents, references and attachments must be received no later than Friday, October 30, 2026 at 23:59 .

The first round of interviews is expected to be held on Tuesday, November 10, 2026 and the second round on Monday, November 23, 2026 . In connection with the second interview round, a personality profile analysis and reference checks may be included.

Upon employment, Ikast-Brande Municipality will obtain a child protection clearance with the applicant’s consent.

Want to know more?

You are very welcome to contact the school principal Karl Plougstrup-Petersen at tel. 40 32 96 77. We place a high value on you visiting both schools, and visits can be arranged directly with Karl. Since Karl – maybe like you – is on autumn vacation, he cannot be reached by phone from October 8 to October 18. However, you are welcome to send an email to [email protected] with your name and phone number, and Karl will get back to you after the holiday to arrange a time.

It is also possible to contact the school chief Thomas Garsdal at 20 90 59 04.

Read more on the schools’ Aula websites.

Department: Nørre Snede School

Application deadline: 30 October 2026

Location: Skovgade 7, 8766 Nørre Snede