Head of Department for the Substance Abuse Center Aarhus

Do you want to lead the social-educational efforts for citizens with opioid dependence and drive cultural development in a multidisciplinary environment?

Do you have a strong social-educational leadership profile and are you drawn to working in a multidisciplinary setting?

Rusmiddelcenter Aarhus (RCA) is seeking as of January 1, 2027 an experienced leader who can drive, implement and develop the social-educational treatment for adults with opioid dependence, and who thrives in a field with strong professional and political attention.

About the job

As department head you will have managerial responsibility for the social-educational treatment of adults with opioid dependence (SEL § 101) as well as responsibility for the authorities area in RCA. You will be the direct supervisor for two teams with a total of 15 social-educational staff. Together with RCA’s treatment-responsible doctor and health-care leader, you will be part of a close and well-functioning triple-led governance of RCA’s overall substitution treatment (SEL §101 and SUL § 142).

A central part of the job as a consolidated leadership team is to ensure and strengthen cross-disciplinary collaboration so that tasks are organized in the best possible way according to the citizens’ needs. This also means that the leadership team focuses on culture work among the staff to ensure a professional and safe working environment.

You will furthermore be part of the Rehabilitation of Specialised Interventions’ overall leadership team with a total of 8 department heads and the center director.

Responsibilities

Your primary task is to support quality in task execution as well as work environment-related and organizational development in your own teams and across RCA.

• You will play a central role in supporting employees in creating good, meaningful and coherent pathways for our citizens. You do this by bringing professional knowledge, legislation and practice into play and by supporting a shared professional direction in task execution.
• You will help create coherence across social-educational, health-care and medical interventions so that the citizens experience a holistic approach based on their needs.
• You actively contribute to developing a culture and a work environment that supports employees’ well-being, professionalism and the possibility of succeeding with the core task.
• You are responsible for further developing our authorities’ initiatives in collaboration with a skilled employee.
• You collaborate with staff and support professional reflection – including ensuring that we continually learn from our experiences.

Your profile

It is an advantage if you recognize yourself in some of the following

• You have a social-educational educational background or similar and have management experience.
• You work structurally, are verbally strong, present and transparent in your actions and decisions.
• You have knowledge of or interest in treatment of substance dependence or similar treatment initiatives.
• You have experience with the citizen group and know that the job sometimes involves unpredictable episodes requiring you to maintain an overview.
• You have energy and experience to be curious and supportive while being able to set direction and be clear about the framework.
• You have good collaboration skills and can view interventions in an organizational perspective and act accordingly.
• You have an interest in engaging in close cross-disciplinary collaboration.
• You can support a professional and organizational direction that staff can act on safely, proactively and reliably in.
• You have experience with or interest in culture work and organizational development.

Why you should choose us

As department head at RCA you will

• Have the opportunity to develop yourself as a leader through supervision, sparring and leadership training.
• Become the leader of a skilled and engaged staff group that is passionate about making a difference.
• Have a challenging job in a developing environment with a high professional level and strong cross-disciplinary collaboration
• Have a high degree of influence on the development of your own area as well as the center’s overall direction.
• Become part of a leadership team characterized by trust where sparring and development of leadership competencies are highly valued.

Salary and terms of employment

Salary and terms of employment are determined in accordance with the applicable collective agreement between Local Government Denmark and the negotiating organization. Final salary determination is made after negotiations with the competent trade organization based on qualifications.

The position is a permanent role with an average weekly working time of 37 hours. The primary workplace is at Sumatravej 3 in Aarhus C.

The position is at all times contingent on a satisfactory public criminal record certificate.

Application

Applications for positions in Aarhus Municipality are submitted electronically. Click on 'Search the job' to fill out and send your application. All fields marked * must be completed. Only after you have received a confirmation by email have we received your application.

The application deadline is Thursday, November 19, 2026.

First interview will take place Tuesday, November 24, 2026. Second interview will take place Wednesday, November 25, 2026.

Further information about the position can be obtained from center director Helene Bygholm Risager, phone 2920 8403, or health-care leader Rikke Bülow Therkildsen, phone 4185 6198.

About us

RCA is Aarhus municipality’s free advisory and treatment service for adults (over 18) who have an alcohol or drug problem. Substance misuse treatment is multidisciplinary and often includes a social-, health-, and medical-care component. The treatment approach is evidence-based and often carried out in close collaboration with relatives and other municipal and regional initiatives. We are a total of 100 staff at RCA.

RCA is part of Rehabilitation and Specialised Interventions, which handles tasks within substance misuse treatment, brain injury area, supervision, health initiatives and psychological help for young people.