Department Head for the Business and Trade Department

Department of Business and Resources

The Department of Business and Resources is seeking an experienced and strategically strong department head for the Business and Trade Department. The position is central to the development of the framework conditions for the business community in Greenland and involves close collaboration with Naalakkersuisut, other departments, municipalities, the business community, and national and international partners.

About the department
The Business and Trade Department handles the operational and departmental tasks related to the preparation and management of business legislation. The department is also responsible for the analytical work regarding the framework conditions for industries, including tourism, ice, and water as well as trade.

The department works with business promotion and the development of Greenlandic businesses. Furthermore, the department coordinates industrial projects and large-scale projects in collaboration with other relevant actors.

As the department works closely with political decision-makers, ministerial support and follow-up on Naalakkersuisut's political objectives as well as Inatsisartut's decisions constitute a significant part of the task performance.

The Business and Trade Department is organizationally divided into two offices, each with its own office manager. The department also has a total of 10 case handlers. As department head, you have overall responsibility for management, coordination, and prioritization across the offices. Emphasis is placed on a delegating and inclusive leadership style that can motivate employees and optimize processes.

Department's areas of work
Office for Business Development and Entrepreneurship

• Tourism: Development of a new tourism strategy and tourism law as well as administration of tourism concessions.
• Business Promotion: Development and strengthening of framework conditions and concrete initiatives that support the growth of the business community – including in rural areas.
• Export Permits: Issuance of export permits for the commercial export of Greenlandic goods.
• Service Agreements: Case processing and follow-up on service agreements, including agreements with Great Greenland, Nalik Ventures, Visit Greenland, and agreements on decentralized business promotion.
• Ice and Water: Case processing of applications and licenses as well as development of a new ice and water strategy focusing on export.
• Genetic Resources: Case processing and follow-up on applications regarding research and export of genetic resources with a focus on sustainability and fair benefit-sharing.

Office for International Cooperation and Law

• Trade Policy: Development of Greenland's trade policy framework
• Trade Agreements: Responsibility for negotiating and drafting trade agreements
• Joint Committee: Greenlandic participation in joint committee cooperation with the USA focusing on trade, investments, and tourism.
• Marketing and Business Promotion: Participation in national and international marketing and export promotion efforts.
• Nordic and EU-oriented Cooperation: Participation in Nordic officials' committees as well as the EU's Interreg NPA program.
• Investment Screening: Development and implementation of frameworks for investment screening as well as case processing of specific screening cases.

The Position
As department head, you have overall professional, personnel, and financial responsibility for the department. You must ensure high quality in political proposals, strategies, and decision-making bases as well as actively contribute to Naalakkersuisut's business and trade policy priorities. The position involves extensive collaboration and representation both nationally and internationally.

As department head, you are also responsible for ensuring high quality in the department's legislative preparatory work and legal assessments. You do not need to be a lawyer yourself, but you must be able to set direction, prioritize, and ensure legally sound solutions in close collaboration with professional specialists and relevant partners.

Professional and managerial requirements
It is required that the department head is an experienced leader with strong leadership skills as well as in-depth understanding of and experience with public administration, politically governed organizations, and financial management. Emphasis is placed on:

• Relevant higher education
• Solid management experience and understanding of politically governed organizations
• Strong analytical and strategic competencies
• Ability to translate political objectives into concrete action and management
• Good collaboration skills and impact

We offer

• An exciting and influential leadership position in the Government of Greenland
• Opportunity to shape the development of business and trade in Greenland
• A high professional environment with engaged and competent employees
• Salary and employment conditions in accordance with the applicable collective agreement for managers in the Government of Greenland

Employment conditions
The position is currently salary-fixed corresponding to 38. The salary with fixed salary components and own contribution to pension in LR 38 amounts to DKK 64,048 monthly and DKK 768,576 annually as of April 1, 2026.

Employment will primarily be on collective agreement terms, where applicants who are already civil servants under the civil service laws for the public Greenland may be employed under civil service terms.

For the position, there is no maximum length of service set, and the provisions regarding compensation for overtime and the provisions regarding compensation for lost days off do not apply; the working hours are primarily 40 hours weekly.

Salary and employment conditions, including the right to relocation and moving expenses, in accordance with the collective agreement applicable at the time of commencement of employment between the Government of Greenland and the relevant negotiating organization.

Housing
An unfurnished staff housing may be assigned to the position according to the applicable rules at any time. Housing cannot be assigned to individuals who already have staff housing or another housing owned by the municipality or the Government of Greenland. Rent and deposit are paid according to the applicable rules for the assigned housing. The staff housing is linked to the employment relationship and must be vacated upon termination of the employment relationship.

Rent and housing standards may vary depending on the age of the housing, ownership conditions, etc. There may be a waiting period for the assignment of permanent staff housing, which is why temporary accommodation may occur, including in smaller co-housing arrangements or hotel apartments, for which taxation occurs. It is not possible to keep larger pets such as dogs or cats in staff or temporary housing.