Director of the university alliance ‘STRIVE U. Sustainable Transition through Interdisciplinary Vision and Education at the University’

About the role

The university alliance 'STRIVE U.' (Sustainable Transition through Interdisciplinary Vision and Education at the University) funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, seeks to appoint a visionary and experienced Director from 1 October 2026 to 31 August 2032. We are looking for an energetic and ambitious Director to lead and serve as the driving force together with a steering group, thereby supporting all eight Danish universities and the University of the Faroe Islands.

Responsibilities

• Developing the administrative framework and processes for STRIVE U., including overall responsibility for all activities in the programme
• Managing the administrative team in the secretariat, including coordinating tasks with the nine universities
• Planning and participating in Steering Committee and Advisory Board meetings and follow-up
• Responsible for providing annual reports on STRIVE U. activities and progress to the Committee on Educational Policy under Universities Denmark
• Overseeing the administrative management of the STRIVE U. grant and the reporting to the Novo Nordisk Foundation
• Facilitating communication, dissemination of activities and results from STRIVE U. to a wider audience

Requirements

• An academic degree at PhD level, preferably with well-established research experience within sustainability and education
• Substantial transferable/relevant experience in a management role, preferably from a university, and an involving approach to leadership
• A proven ability to interact effectively with staff at all levels and with a wide range of internal and external contacts, commanding respect and dealing with highly complex issues
• Speak and write English fluently (non-Danish applicants will be required to demonstrate Danish skills at conversation level)
• Experience with managing budgets and executing project deliverables
• Work independently and in a structured manner and keep an overview of ongoing issues, challenges, and opportunities
• Proactive, flexible, have a solution-oriented mindset and excel in collaborating and creating networks and relationships across professional groups

Qualifications

• PhD level academic degree, preferably in sustainability and education
• Relevant management experience from a university setting
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Fluent in English (non-Danish applicants must demonstrate Danish language proficiency)
• Experience with budget management and project execution
• Proven ability to work independently and manage multiple tasks
• Ability to collaborate and network across various professional groups

Skills

• Strategic planning and implementation
• Collaborative leadership
• Project management
• Communication and stakeholder engagement
• Interdisciplinary education and sustainability focus

Benefits

• Opportunity to build and develop a unique educational programme across a wide range of university partners
• Fixed-term position as a senior executive officer with responsibility for personnel
• Salary and employment conditions as per the Collective Agreement for Academics in the Danish State

Pay

The salary and employment conditions are competitive and cover a broad range of responsibilities. The position is as a senior executive officer with responsibility for personnel in accordance with the Collective Agreement for Academics in the Danish State. It will be possible to negotiate additional supplements based on qualifications.

Schedule

The position is full-time, and the average working hours are 37 hours per week. The employment start date is 1 October 2026.

Contact

To apply, please send an electronic application with attachments (including CV and relevant documentation for your academic degree) via the Job Portal (click on the link "APPLY FOR THE POSITION" at the bottom of the advertisement) no later than 5 August 2026, 23:59 GMT +2.