Head of Section for Secretariat and Health Policy – be close to the decisions that shape the healthcare system

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

We are seeking a section head for Secretariat and Health Policy in the Health Cluster, who can set direction, create momentum and get people and tasks to work together in a daily life close to the political and administrative top leadership in Region East Denmark. You should thrive with complex agendas, high pace and shifting priorities – and at the same time be a clear and present leader for the staff.

At year’s end, Region Hovedstaden and Region Sjælland will become Region East Denmark. This means that new organizational structures, collaborations and workflows must be created across borders – and that we 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 health care system of the future.

A central leadership task

As a section head you will be part of the management of Secretariat and Health Policy and, together with the current unit head and section heads, 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 and drive cross-cutting processes and create coherence in complex health agendas. In Secretariat and Health Policy we are responsible for servicing health councils and political committees in the health area, supporting the leadership and the units in the center and driving the transformation towards new digital workflows and solving tasks with employee involvement and a good working environment.

You must both 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 deliverables and at the same time create the framework so that employees can succeed in a daily life where agendas and deadlines often move quickly.

Your tasks

As a section head you can among other things be responsible for

• being part of, together with the rest of the management team, leading and developing the unit professionally, organizationally and personnel-wise with a focus on well-being, quality and results
• ensuring high quality and progress in political servicing and executive support
• prioritizing and coordinating tasks in a daily life with many simultaneous deliverables and short deadlines
• supporting the preparation of decision proposals, political items, notes, speeches, presentations and other materials for politicians and leadership
• driving and supporting larger cross-cutting processes and agendas across the Health Cluster and Region East Denmark
• creating good collaborative relations with the Health Cluster's other units, hospitals and the rest of the regional administration
• developing workflows and collaborative forms so that we work efficiently, in a coordinated manner and with high quality

You will have a close managerial interaction with the unit head and the current section head. In the leadership team we have a joint responsibility for the whole and for creating coherence across sections, professional areas and geographies.

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

Leadership in Region Health

As a leader in Region Health 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 board
• actively contribute to the overall leadership group and take shared 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, for example, the hospitals and the other units in the regions
• build trust, direction and engagement through a clear, relational and proper leadership style.

Your profile

We imagine that you

• have a relevant higher education within social sciences or similar
• have experience with a politically governed organization and executive support
• can navigate safely in complex organizations with many stakeholders and different considerations
• can create an overview and prioritize when many important tasks land at the same time
• are strong both analytically and can make complex issues 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 care system in advance. It is also not a requirement that you have extensive leadership experience. What is crucial is that you have political and organizational understanding, influence, and the personality to set direction, gain support and make things happen – even in a complex organization with many stakeholders.

Helping to build something new

With the establishment of Region East Denmark on January 1, 2027, you will become part of Denmark's largest region with around 2.8 million inhabitants 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 is central to this development. We are close to the decisions that shape the health service, and our task is both to ensure strong political and administrative servicing and to create coherence and momentum across the organization.

As of January 1, 2027, Secretariat and Health Policy will consist of just over 45 employees 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.

However, you must be prepared for meetings and tasks across the region – even though we handle many things via Teams, email and phone in day-to-day work.

We are in the management team laying all tracks, and we need someone who has the courage and desire to step forward with us and the staff to help shape how we work with political servicing, executive support and cross-cutting coordination in the new Region Health. Together with you we will agree which professional areas and tasks you will take primary leadership responsibility for, so we can best leverage your experiences and strengths. We can also agree where you prefer to work from.

The practical

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

The position is a full-time role with starting date January 1, 2027.

We will hold 1st interview on November 2 and 3, 2026 and 2nd interview on November 16, 2026. There may be tests between the 1st and 2nd interviews.

As a section head you will be employed according to the agreement for chiefs, with placement like other administrative chiefs at grade 49 plus allowances. There will be an opportunity to negotiate individual allowances depending on the position as well as your experience and qualifications.

Want to know more?

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

Application deadline: October 28, 2026

Location: Center for Health