Department Head for the Department 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, sports, and church are different areas, but what they have in common is that they play an important role in the development of Greenlandic society. From the opportunities for children and young people for education to research and competence development, and from culture and sports to the church and the communities that bind people together.

We are looking for an experienced leader who can unite an organization with different professional backgrounds and create results through other leaders and employees. A central task will be to strengthen the shared leadership, ensure clear priorities, and develop a professional collaboration culture. You must have an overview of the entire area of responsibility and ensure progress in both daily operations and the politically decided development tasks.

As the head of department, you will have a central position close to political decisions and at the same time be responsible for ensuring that the decisions are translated into action. You will advise the Naalakkersuisut, set the direction for the department, and create coherence across a broad area of responsibility with significant political and societal attention.

We are therefore looking for a head of department who can both see the long-term lines and make things happen. A leader who understands Greenlandic society and the political reality, and who can unite different professional backgrounds around a common direction.

You will be part of the top administrative leadership in 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, Sports, and Church has a wide range of tasks, from servicing the Naalakkersuisut to overall management of the area of responsibility.

The department works with areas that in various ways have great significance for both the individual and the development of Greenlandic society. The education sector is broad, and in addition, there are research, culture, sports, and church.

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

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

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

Area of responsibility
The head of department is responsible for ensuring high quality in advising and servicing the Naalakkersuisut and managing the daily operations of the department together with the other leadership group.

The head of department is also part of the Central Administration's management group.

As head of department, you are among other things responsible for:

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

We expect you to

• have a relevant higher education at the master's level or equivalent.
• have solid leadership 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.
• be able to document results in developing an organization, implementing changes, and translating political decisions into practice. You have a good knowledge of Greenlandic society and understand the interplay between political and administrative leadership.

Your experience can be gained within or outside the department's areas of responsibility. Insight into the areas is an advantage. In assessing applicants, decisive weight will be given to documented leadership experience and achieved results.

We emphasize 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 better utilize the allocations.
• work strategically and ensure implementation. 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 trustworthy leader. You set a clear direction and prioritize tasks. You are aware of how your own behavior and leadership style affect the organization.
• create coherence and collaboration. You communicate clearly and credibly and ensure collaboration across the department's professional areas. You involve relevant internal and external partners and build good relationships.
• have good language skills in Greenlandic, Danish, and English.

Your leadership task

You must develop a well-functioning leadership group that takes shared responsibility for the department's overall task solutions. You create clear expectations for quality, progress, and collaboration and systematically follow up on agreements and results.

You take responsibility for a workplace 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.

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

Reference relationships

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

On matters concerning the coordination of the department's task solutions in relation to other departments as well as general administrative objectives and guidelines, the head of department reports to the head of department in the Chairman's Department.

Employment conditions

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

The position is currently set at a salary corresponding to 39. The salary with fixed salary components, own contribution to pension, and fixed-term supplement in LR 39 amounts to DKK 99,438 monthly and DKK 1,193,256 annually as of April 1, 2026.

Employment is generally based on collective agreement terms. If the applicant is already a civil servant under the Civil Servant Act for the public sector in Greenland, employment may occur under civil servant terms.

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

The working hours are generally 40 hours weekly. For the position, there is no maximum service time set, and the provisions regarding compensation for overtime and 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 will be retained. The housing is linked to the employment relationship and must be vacated upon termination.

Further information

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

The organizational plan and description of the Department of Education, Culture, Sports, and Church's tasks can be seen 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 undergo a testing process and must be security cleared.

The Self-Government's leadership framework can be read here:

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

Application deadline

Monday, November 30, 2026, at 12:00 GRL.

Interested?

 

If you have questions about the position, please feel free to contact Partner Dorthe Flies from Flies HR at mobile +299583117 or at dorthe@flieshr.dk

Flies HR manages the recruitment process, so all inquiries should be directed here.

If you have further questions about the position, please feel free to contact the head of department in the Chairman's Department, Hans-Peder Barlach Christensen, at hape@nanoq.gl

We look forward to hearing from you. 

Naalakkersuisut

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