Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Church

Do you want to help set the direction for some of the areas that have the greatest significance for Greenland's future?

Education, culture, sport and church are different areas, but they share a common thread: they play an important role in the development of Greenlandic society. From children's and young people's educational opportunities to competence development and from culture and sport to church and the communities that bring people together.

We are looking for an experienced chief who can bring together an organization with diverse professional backgrounds and achieve results through other leaders and employees. A central task will be to strengthen joint leadership, ensure clear priorities and develop a professional cooperation culture. You must have an overview of the entire policy area and ensure progress in both daily operations and the politically decided development tasks.

As departmental head you will occupy a central position close to political decisions and at the same time be responsible for translating the decisions into action. You must advise the Naalakkersuisut, set the direction for the department and create coherence across a broad policy area with great political and societal attention.

We are therefore looking for a department head who can see the long-term perspective and get things done. A leader who understands Greenlandic society and the political reality, and who can bring together different professional backgrounds around a common direction.

You will become part of the top administrative management of the Naalakkersuisut and will also play an important role in collaboration with municipalities, educational institutions, organizations and other actors across Greenland.

About the department

The Department of Education, Culture, Sport and Church responsibilities span widely, from serving the Naalakkersuisut to the overall management of the policy area.

The department works with areas that in different ways have great significance for both the individual and the development of Greenlandic society. The education area covers a broad spectrum, and in addition there is culture, sport and church.

A central focus is to create good framework conditions for education and skills development throughout Greenland and support that children and young people have good opportunities for education and further development. At the same time, culture, sport and church play an important role for community, identity and cohesion in Greenlandic society.

The department must ensure the basis for a valid and relevant statistics production within the department's area, so that data can be used by Greenland Statistics.

The department also handles the educational part of the administration of the EU partnership agreement in the education sector, including reporting to both Inatsisartut and the EU.

Area of responsibility

The department head is tasked with ensuring high-quality advice and servicing of the Naalakkersuisut as well as managing the daily leadership of the department together with the other management team.

The department head also participates in the Central Administration's management group.

As department head you will among other things be responsible for

• ensuring a basis for decision-making for political leadership and translating political decisions into action and results
• coordinating the department's task execution across its own areas and in collaboration with other departments, agencies, companies and other partners
• actively contributing to good and constructive collaboration both internally and externally
• ensuring implementation of administrative guidelines, procedures and quality requirements
• the overall leadership and development of the department
• organizational and staff development as well as clear communication and reference lines
• activity planning, professional development and efficient use of the department's resources

We expect that you

• have a relevant advanced degree at the master's level or equivalent.
• have solid senior management experience from a politically led organization. You have experience leading through other leaders and with overall responsibility for finances, personnel and results across different professional areas.
• can document results in developing an organization, implementing changes and translating political decisions into practice. You have good knowledge of Greenlandic society and understand the interaction between political and administrative leadership.

Your experience can be gained within or outside the department's policy area. Insight into the areas is a plus. In assessing applicants, emphasis will be placed on documented leadership experience and achieved results.

We value that you

• have political understanding. You have experience working in a politically led organization and understand the interplay between political and administrative leadership.
• ensure professional financial management and proactively seek opportunities to streamline and make better use of the appropriations.
• work strategically and ensure execution. You translate political decisions into clear goals, priorities and responsibilities. You systematically follow up on progress and results and you proactively intervene when tasks stall. You maintain an overview and ensure coherence between development tasks and daily operations.
• are a clear and trusted leader. You set a clear direction and prioritize tasks. You are aware of how your own conduct and leadership style affect the organization.
• create coherence and collaboration. You communicate clearly and credibly and ensure collaboration across the department's areas. You involve relevant internal and external partners and build good relationships.
• have good language skills in Greenlandic, Danish and English.

Your leadership role

You shall develop a well-functioning leadership team that takes joint responsibility for the department's overall task solving. You set clear expectations for quality, progress and collaboration and systematically follow up on agreements and results.

You take responsibility for a work culture characterized by objectivity, respect and equality. You handle disagreements early and constructively. You ensure that different professional assessments can be presented openly, and that decisions made are followed up on.

You are conscious of your responsibility as the top leader and the significance of your own conduct. You seek feedback and take responsibility for your own decisions. You have national and international outlook and collaborate respectfully across professional, linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

Reporting lines

The department head reports to the Minister for Education, Culture, Sport and Church on matters related to the implementation of the Naalakkersuisut's political objectives within the department's area as well as the professional administration and operation of the department.

Regarding coordination of the department's task execution with other departments and general administrative objectives and guidelines, the department head reports to the Secretary of the Chairman's Department.

Contract terms

The position is filled on a fixed-term basis for 4 years, with commencement as soon as possible or by agreement.

The salary is currently set in accordance with 39. The salary components, personal pension contribution and fixed term supplement in LR 39 amount to per 1 April 2026 monthly DKK 99,438 and annual DKK 1,193,256.

The appointment is generally on collective agreement terms. If the applicant is already a civil servant under the Greenlandic Civil Service Act, appointment may be on civil service terms.

There are also rules on unpaid leave for civil servants in the state and employees under a number of AC agreements, which may also include spouses/partners of employees under the Greenlandic Self-Government.

Working hours are, as a rule, 40 hours per week. For the position, there is no fixed maximum period of service, and provisions on compensation for overtime as well as lost days off do not apply.

Housing

No staff housing is provided for the position. If the applicant already has staff housing through employment in the Self-Government, this remains. The housing is tied to the employment and must be vacated upon termination.

Further information

In your application please briefly describe one or more concrete leadership tasks where you have improved an organization's operations, collaboration or results. Describe your own responsibility, the key actions and the achieved results.

Organizational structure and description of the Department of Education, Culture, Sport and Church's responsibilities can be viewed at:

https://naalakkersuisut.gl/Departementer/Uddannelse_Kultur_Idraet_Kirke?sc_lang=da

https://naalakkersuisut.gl/Departementer/Uddannelse_Kultur_Idraet_Kirke?sc_lang=kl-GL

Applicants will have to undergo a testing process and must be security cleared.

The Board of Directors' Leadership Framework can be read here

https://naalakkersuisut.gl/Departementer/Formandens_Departement/Ledelsesgrundlag

Application deadline

Monday, 30 November 2026 at 12:00 Greenland time.

Interested?

If you have questions about the position, you are welcome to contact Partner Dorthe Flies from Flies HR at mobile +299583117 or [email protected]

Flies HR handles the recruitment process, so please direct all inquiries here.

If you have further questions about the position, you are welcome to contact Department Head in the Chairman's Department Hans-Peder Barlach Christensen at [email protected]

We look forward to hearing from you.

Naalakkersuisut

You can find more information about Naalakkersuisut at www.nanoq.gl

Department: Department of Education, Culture, Sport and Church

Application deadline: 29 November 2026

Location: Imaneq 4, 3900, Nuuk, Greenland