Head of Urban Development and Planning at Hvidovre Municipality: Create momentum from political vision to concrete urban development

Hvidovre Municipality strengthens collaboration in the technical area and is seeking three new managers: Together with the rest of the leadership team you will create a better coherence between planning, regulatory work, municipal building projects and urban development.

As Head of Urban Development and Planning, you will lay the foundation for delivering our ambitious urban development program. Together with your fellow heads you will ensure that relevant professional disciplines and considerations come into play early, so that the solutions fit together from political visions to planning and realization. With the Urban Development and Planning Department you will have a professionally strong department that brings together common priorities and manages a stable and secure ongoing planning operation with urban development in the municipality.

“We have big ambitions for Hvidovre’s urban development, and we must succeed in turning them into reality. You will play an important role in bringing together disciplines and interests around solutions that can be implemented. You must both lead your own department and, together with the rest of the management team, take responsibility for ensuring that the technical area solves the tasks in context,” says Jakob Karlshøj, Center Director for Planning and Environment.

Lead the department and create momentum in urban development Urban Development and Planning encompass various professional disciplines and experienced employees. You will lead nine town planners and be responsible for the department’s professional direction, prioritization, quality and progress. You report to Jakob Karlshøj, Center Director for Planning and Environment, and are part of the executive community across the Center for Planning and Environment and the Center for Traffic and Properties.

You will especially

• Drive complex and strategic urban development processes in collaboration with landowners, developers, citizens and the municipality’s other professional areas, including the program for the Sports Vision – ‘we move Hvidovre’ – from the first development steps to the planning basis and realization.
• Ensure progress and quality in municipal and local planning and in the department’s contribution to private and municipal development projects.
• Develop the organization and the task solution , including workflows, distribution of responsibilities, capacity and possibilities to handle an growing and more complex portfolio.
• Link Planning, Building, Roads and Parks and other professional areas , so that relevant stakeholders are involved early, and the solutions work in practice.
• Deliver qualified political advisory and servicing and translate political ambitions into understandable priorities and actions.

A workplace where collaboration is central In Urban Development and Planning you will meet strong professional strengths and close collaboration across geographers, architects, landscape architects and engineers. You will become the leader of a strong and cohesive team with an established, positive culture.

“We have a really good team. We are different – but we fit well together professionally and personally. There is a really good atmosphere and well-being,” says Helene Busch Nielsen, urban planner in Urban Development and Planning.

The current manager continues after a voluntary reduced schedule as a professional resource. You will therefore have access to extensive knowledge about the municipality’s plans, projects and collaboration relationships.

Leadership experience with both professional expertise and presence

You have relevant experience with physical planning and urban development, documented leadership results and experience working in a politically governed organization. Your educational background can be in architecture, urban planning, social sciences or another relevant advanced degree.

We place particular emphasis on the following

• Connect tasks, capacity and priorities: You create overview, anticipate consequences and prioritize so the ongoing operations and long-term strategic urban development projects hang together.
• Have political judgment: You qualify decisions with specialists, clearly communicate planning opportunities and consequences and translate political decisions into action.
• Take joint leadership responsibility and create followership for the development: You are curious and simultaneously able to maintain a high level of planning expertise and be interested in – and give space to – other professional disciplines in the city’s development work. Together with your colleagues you bring relevant professional disciplines and considerations into play so responsibilities are clarified and solutions function for the municipality as a whole. You meet people at eye level, involve employees, explain your decisions and hold to necessary priorities.
• Lead professionally strong employees with clarity and presence: You set direction, create clear frameworks for tasks, responsibilities and professional development, and give town planners and other professionals a clear responsibility. At the same time you are available for sparring, follow up on tasks and results and step in when needed. With a relational and positive approach you support an experienced workforce with attention to well-being, competencies and capacity.

Therefore you should apply Hvidovre Municipality combines big ambitions for the municipality’s urban development with close proximity to decision-making. You will get broad managerial responsibility, a professionally strong planning area and experienced staff to build on. It requires that you can navigate safely between professional planning operations, cross-cutting collaborations, citizens and landowners as well as the political arena. In return, you will gain decisive influence on the realization of the municipality’s ambitious urban development projects.

In addition to a Head of Urban Development and Planning, we are also seeking a Head of Roads and Parks and a Head of Buildings.

Curious? Read more about the position in our detailed job profile – and call or text for a confidential background conversation with Bjarke Müller, partner in Mercuri Urval, at 9135 6901, or Jakob Karlshøj, Center Director for Planning and Environment, at 2511 6255.

Apply for the position no later than November 30, 2026.

First interview round takes place on December 7, and second interview round on December 17. Tests are included in the selection process.

About Urban Development and Planning Urban Development and Planning is part of the Center for Planning and Environment and handles the planning basis for private and municipal construction projects, land-use cases, protection of sites of cultural significance, conservation areas and urban development. The area plays a central role in translating Hvidovre Municipality’s political visions into concrete planning and has a key function in strategic urban development.