Head of Department for the startup of the residential care home Ask - a rare opportunity

Department head for the startup of the group home Ask - a rare opportunity

Do you want to lead the establishment of a completely new group home for adults with autism and comorbidity?

And are you motivated by having a large leadership space, setting the direction and building both the staff group, professionalism, structure and culture from day one?

Then the position as department head for Ask may be right for you.

Ask opens 1 March 2027 , and as department head you will have a central role even before the opening. You will have the overall managerial responsibility for the establishment, startup and subsequent operation of the service.

It is a position for someone who can build up, set clear direction and create buy-in , and who thrives with a large degree of autonomous leadership combined with a close leadership community.

Your first big task: To create Ask

Your first task will not be to take over an existing department. You will help to create Ask from the ground up.

In the run-up to the opening on 1 March 2027 you will, among other things, be responsible for:

• planning and carrying out the establishment and startup of Ask
• recruiting and assembling an interdisciplinary staff group of about 18 employees
• overseeing the application for the Social Supervisory Authority's approval of Ask through to completion
• creating the framework for a safe and professional settling-in for the residents
• developing the professional foundation together with the staff team
• establishing clear structures, workflows and areas of responsibility
• creating a strong professional culture with a focus on quality, collaboration and the working environment.

In other words, you will have the opportunity to leave a clear mark on Ask from the start.

About Ask

Ask will be a long-term group home with 15 places spread over two houses and operated under ABL § 105, stk. 1 and SL § 85.

The target group is adults aged 18-67 with autism spectrum disorders and comorbidity, for example anxiety, depression, ADHD, self-harm or other psychiatric issues. The residents have a cognitive functional level within the normal range.

Ask shall create good conditions for residents with complex challenges while also having a clear development perspective.

We shall together with the individual resident work purposefully with

• stability and well-being in everyday life
• life mastery and the greatest possible independence
• opportunities in the long term to live in a smaller, less intrusive offering
• participation in employment, education or meaningful activities
• participation in meaningful communities , both in and outside Ask
• a holistic and coordinated effort
• a high degree of resident involvement.

Ask is a 24/7 facility, and there will be sleeping night shifts.

The location is at Nygårdsvej 43, 8270 Højbjerg,

Your management responsibility

As department head you have the overall responsibility for Ask. This means that you must be professional leader, people manager, safety and working environment lead, and operations manager .

When Ask is established, your central managerial tasks will include, among others, the following:

Professional leadership and quality

• set a clear professional direction for the offering
• support high pedagogical quality and systematic work
• ensure that professional methods and strategic goals are translated into practice
• ensure systematic documentation, follow-up and learning
• support progression and development for each resident.

Staff leadership and working environment

• handle daily staff leadership
• create clarity about goals, roles and expectations
• ensure professional sparring and development
• create buy-in and involve staff in the development of Ask
• work systematically with well-being and working environment
• develop a culture characterized by professionalism, security, responsibility and collaboration.

Operations and strategic leadership

• have responsibility for budget and resource management
• ensure stable and sustainable operations
• work with tariffs, capacity and flow
• translate political decisions and strategies in the administration of Handicap, Life Mastery and Communities into concrete practice
• create coherence with the organization's other efforts, including employment- and education-oriented services
• collaborate with authorities, relatives and relevant internal and external partners.

You report to the center manager of the Center for Development and Autism and will receive administrative and professional support from central support functions including for example finance, payroll and personnel, quality and professional development.

We are seeking a clear and experienced leader who can stand on their own two feet, while also seeing themselves as an active part of a shared leadership responsibility.

You must be able to create direction in an organization where not everything is given in advance. You must have a view for both people, professionalism and operations and be able to hold the line, even when the task is complex.

We particularly emphasize that you

• have a relevant social- or health-professional education
• have leadership experience, preferably from the specialized adult area
• have knowledge about autism and comorbidity
• have experience with structured pedagogical approaches
• can set clear direction and create buy-in
• thrive with change, development and complex problems
• can stand securely in staff leadership, even when difficult decisions must be made
• can collaborate across professional and organizational boundaries.

You manage to balance

• High professionalism and systematics
• Clear leadership and involvement of the staff
• Operational reliability and development.

About the leadership community

As department head you will become part of a newly established leadership group in the Center for Development and Autism. The center was established on August 1, and we are therefore in an exciting phase where we together must create the framework for our collaboration, culture and shared direction.

We believe that skilled leaders should have real leadership space. Therefore you as department head will have substantial freedom to make decisions, practice leadership and put your mark on both the professional development and the culture at Ask. At the same time we emphasize that we as leaders take joint responsibility for the center's overall development and contribute actively to the shared decisions and goals.

We therefore seek a leader who is confident in the leadership role, has leadership experience and thrives with significant responsibility. You must be able to work independently and at the same time want to join a close leadership community where we use each other actively for sparring, development and joint task solving.

As a new leader with us you will become part of a leadership group that is still being built. This provides a rare opportunity to help shape both the collaboration patterns, culture and ambitions for the future leadership community in the center. We value open dialogue, different perspectives and a constructive approach to cooperation, while standing together for the shared direction.

What you get with us

• a rare opportunity to build a new specialized group home from the ground up
• a large and real leadership space
• opportunity to leave your own professional and leadership imprint
• a central role in the development of a new service and a new organization in development
• a close leadership community with opportunities for professional and leadership sparring
• an organization focused on quality, progression and holistic solutions
• focus on residents' opportunities to master their own lives and participate in meaningful communities
• attention to department heads' workload and well-being
• access to administrative and professional support.

Salary and employment terms

Salary and terms of employment are set in accordance with the applicable collective agreement between the Danish Association of Municipalities and the negotiating organization.

Appointment from 1 December 2026.

Weekly hours: Full-time.

The position is at all times conditional on a satisfactory public criminal record check.

Want to know more?

If you have questions about the position, the leadership task or Ask, you are very welcome to contact: Center Chief Jeppe L. Iversen on phone 41856798 or by email: [email protected]

Application

Jobs in Aarhus Municipality are applied for electronically. Click on 'Søg stillingen' to fill in and send your application. All fields with * must be filled in. Only when you have received a receipt by email have we received your application.

Application deadline is 19 October.

First interview: 22 October.

Second interview: 27 October.

The hiring committee consists of employees, future department head colleagues, a representative for the relatives and the center chief.

About us

Center for Development and Autism (CUA) is part of Disability, Life Mastery and Communities in Aarhus Municipality. We take pride in involving citizens, employees and the surrounding community when we develop new initiatives and services. The pedagogical method bases include KRAP, ASK and LA2U.

About Aarhus Municipality as an employer

Aarhus Municipality is among Jutland's largest employers, where 28,000 professionals and passionate colleagues work every day to make visions a reality and to create value for citizens and the society around us. We are an employer that values professionalism and collaboration highly, and we believe that our differences help make Aarhus a city for everyone. Together we work for an sustainable and inclusive city where both employees, citizens, businesses and nature can thrive and flourish. We have ambitions for the city - and for you. Come and be part of it!

As an employee of Aarhus Municipality you turn visions into reality and create development, community and well-being. Here there is respect for professionalism, room for diversity and opportunity to unfold.

Application deadline

19-10-2026

Start date

01-12-2026

Weekly working hours

37

Job category

Leadership

Workplace

Nygårdsvej 43, 8270 Højbjerg

Contact