Head of Section for Secretariat and Health Policy - be close to the decisions that shape the health care system

Do you want to be part of a strong management team close to the decisions that shape the health care system – and help set the direction for political support, management support and secretariat work in Denmark's largest region?

We are looking for a section head for Secretariat and Health Policy in the Health Division, who can set direction, create momentum and make people and tasks work together in a daily life close to the political and administrative top management in Region Zealand East Denmark. You must thrive with complex agendas, high tempo and shifting priorities – and at the same time be a clear and present leader for the staff.

At the turn of the year, Region Capital and Region Zealand will become Region East Denmark. This means that new organizations, collaborations and workflows must be created across – and that we will have the opportunity to think about functions and solutions in new ways. Secretariat and Health Policy will play a central role in making the new organization function and in supporting the political and managerial decisions that will shape the future of the health service.

A central leadership task

As section head you will become part of the leadership in Secretariat and Health Policy and, together with the current unit head and section head, share responsibility for running the unit.

You will play a central role in supporting the unit to ensure good support for our politicians and leadership, drive cross-cutting processes and create coherence in complex health-related agendas. In Secretariat and Health Policy we are, among other things, responsible for servicing the health councils and the political committees in the health domain, supporting the management and the units in the center, and driving the transformation toward new digital workflows and solving tasks with employee involvement and the working environment.

You must be able to lift your gaze and understand the concrete task. This means you must be able to see the political and strategic direction, support the quality of deliveries and at the same time create the framework for employees to succeed in a daily life where agendas and deadlines often shift quickly.

Your tasks

As section head you can, among other things, have responsibility for

• participating, together with the rest of the leadership team, in leading and developing the unit professionally, organizationally and in terms of personnel with focus on well-being, quality and results
• ensuring high quality and progress in political service and management support
• prioritizing and coordinating tasks in a daily life with many simultaneous deliverables and short deadlines
• supporting the preparation of decision proposals, political cases, memos, speeches, presentations and other materials for politicians and management
• driving and supporting larger cross-cutting processes and agendas across the Health Division and Region East Denmark
• creating good collaborative relationships with the other units within Health Division, the hospitals and the rest of the regional administration
• developing workflows and collaboration forms so that we work efficiently, coordinated and with high quality

You will have a close managerial interaction with the unit head and the current section head. In the leadership group we share responsibility for the whole and for creating coherence across sections, disciplines and geographies.

You will become part of the Health Division leadership, which consists of the executive management, 13 unit heads and 18 section heads. You report to the unit head Secretariat and Health Policy, Lise Graae.

Leadership in Health Division

As a leader in the Health Division we expect that you

• can exercise strategic leadership and translate goals and ambitions into action
• are a qualified sparring partner for the political level, the corporate management and the executive
• contribute actively to the overall management group and take co-responsibility for the whole across
• can navigate safely among many stakeholders and partners both inside and outside the region
• are curious about the reality that characterizes, e.g., the hospitals and other units in the regions
• build trust, direction and engagement through a clear, relational and proper leadership style.

Your profile

We envisage that you

• have a relevant higher education in the social sciences or similar
• have experience with a politically governed organization and management support
• can navigate safely in complex organizations with many stakeholders and various considerations
• can create overview and prioritize when many important tasks land at the same time
• are strong both analytically and can make complex problems clear and decision-ready
• can drive processes and create momentum across disciplines and organizational boundaries
• are motivated by developing both employees, task solving and the organization.

You do not need to know all parts of the health system in advance. It is also not a requirement that you have a long leadership track record. What matters is that you have political and organizational understanding, impact and the personal characteristics to set direction, generate followership and make things happen – also in a complex organization with many stakeholders.

Help build something new

With the establishment of Region East Denmark on 1 January 2027 you will become part of Denmark's largest region with about 2.8 million residents and more than 65,000 employees.

The merger is also a historically large organizational change. New structures and collaborations must be established, the health reform must be translated into practice, and political ambitions must become concrete solutions.

Secretariat and Health Policy stands central in this development. We are close to the decisions that shape the health service, and our task is both to ensure strong political and administrative service and to create coherence and momentum across the organization.

As of 1 January 2027 Secretariat and Health Policy will consist of just over 45 staff based in Hillerød and Sorø. You can expect to have a fixed base at one of these locations – depending on your preferences and which professional areas and tasks you take primary responsibility for.

You must however be prepared that there will be meetings and tasks in the region from time to time – even though we in daily life handle many things on Teams, email and telephone.

We are in the leadership process of laying out all tracks, and we need someone with courage and desire to step in and, together with us and the employees, help shape how we will work with political service, management support and cross-cutting coordination in the new Health Division. Together with you we will decide which professional areas and tasks you will have primary leadership responsibility for, so we can make the best possible use of your experience and strengths. We can also agree on where you prefer to work from.

The practical

If you are interested, please send us a motivated application, CV and diploma papers no later than 28 October 2026.

The position is a full-time role with a start 1 January 2027.

We will conduct 1st interviews on 2 and 3 November 2026 and 2nd interviews on 16 November 2026.

There may be tests between the 1st and 2nd interview.

As section head you will be employed under the agreement for managers, with placement as other administrative managers at grade 49 plus a supplement. There will be opportunities to negotiate individual supplements depending on the position, your experience and your qualifications.

Want to know more?

If you have questions, you can contact unit head Lise Graae at mobile 21 77 60 88.

Employer area

Region Zealand and Region Capital will on 1 January 2027 become Region East Denmark as a result of the health reform. Your place of employment will be Region East Denmark with all associated organizational units.

Read more about the significance of the employment area on Region East Denmark's website.

Starting salary for collective agreement employees

The region is obliged to inform you of the starting salary for the position. You will be informed of the base salary, centrally fixed allowances and pension under the relevant collective agreement. In addition to the starting salary, the pay may include any negotiated allowances depending on the position, your experience and qualifications.

See the starting salary on the region's website

About Region Zealand

We are the region's largest workplace with more than 21,000 employees and a budget of 23 billion kroner. We solve tasks within health, psychiatry and regional development and operate a number of social institutions. Click to www.regionsjaelland.dk to read more about the region's tasks, structure and geography. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.