Head of Department (Economic Diplomacy and Trade)

Position: Head of Department (Economic Diplomacy and Trade)

Type of employment: Full time (37 hours)

Location: Embassy of Denmark in Bogotá

Deadline for application: 15^th of August 2025

Start of work: As soon as possible

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The Embassy of Denmark in Bogotá is looking for a dynamic and results-oriented Head of Department for Economic Diplomacy and Trade at the Embassy.

About us:

The Embassy of Denmark in Bogotá is part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. The Embassy’s Department of Economic Diplomacy and Trade is an integrated part of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Trade Council. The Embassy also covers Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela, and Bolivia.

Main tasks and responsibilities:

You will be leading the Department of Economic Diplomacy and Trade at the Embassy. Focus is on supporting and guiding Danish companies that are already present in Colombia or are considering entering the market as well as in side-accredited countries such as Panama and Costa Rica. This includes proactively identifying commercial opportunities, engaging with relevant stakeholders, and promoting the increased presence of Danish companies. You will play a key role in fostering business partnerships with Danish companies and selected Colombian partners (GPA-tasks).

The Department of Economic Diplomacy and Trade is part of a close regional cooperation between Danish missions in Latin America, organized in in four sector-teams: Energy Transition, Tech, Health, and Food & Agro. The Embassy in Bogotá is focusing on the first three of these sectors. You will work in a regional setting with other Heads of Department at Danish missions in Latin America. As Head of Department, you will have overall responsibility for the department’s team management, strategy, and results. In addition, you will be assigned one or more of the sector areas – based on your profile and competences.

You will be responsible for the day-to-day work of the Department and its two trade advisors and an intern. You will work in close collaboration with the Political Team and the Strategic Sector Cooperation Team. You will also be part of the Embassy’s broader management group that consists of the Ambassador and the Deputy Head of Mission. Travel internally in Colombia, Latin America and to Denmark is expected.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Independently driving the execution of the Department’s strategy within the Regional Strategy for Economic Diplomacy and Trade for Latin America.
Ensure that the Department’s regional KPIs are met and supervise the day-to-day operations of the department, including two trade advisors and an intern.
Responsible for compliance in the Department (CRM-system, time registration, GDPR, filing, travel budget etc.)
Represent and promote Danish commercial interests through stakeholder engagement, proactive outreach, and targeted sector work.
Business development in close cooperation with the Ambassador, and in coordination with other Danish missions in Latin America.
Profound knowledge or willingness to quickly acquire knowledge of the specific tools and financial opportunities provided by Trade Council’s tool box for support of Danish commercial interests.

Required qualifications:

Must be able to obtain a valid work and residence permit for Colombia.
Minimum of 4-6 years of relevant experience with Danish/Nordic companies in an international context, preferably as a team leader.
Experience in working with relevant actors i.e. private businesses, government agencies, branch-organisations etc in Denmark as well as in Colombia.
Relevant higher education.
IT proficiency and solid Microsoft Office skills, flair for basic CRM data processing.
Excellent communication skills in written and spoken English and Spanish.
Command of a Scandinavian language (Danish, Norwegian or Swedish) is an advantage, but not a requirement.
Experience with green transition projects is an advantage, but not a requirement.
Strong knowledge of how Danish embassies collaborate with Danish companies in a business context is an advantage, but not a requirement.
Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and thrive in a dynamic environment.
Proactive, collaborative, and service-minded personality with strong interpersonal and motivational skills.

Reporting:

You will report to the Ambassador.

We offer:

A dynamic Nordic work environment with great colleagues.
A large degree of responsibility and self-dependence.
On the job-training, e-courses and courses at the MFA of Denmark, Copenhagen.

Employment conditions:

You will be offered a full-time employment.
Your standard working hours will be 37 hours per week, including 30 min. daily lunch.
Possibility of flexitime.
Possibility of working from home (max. one day a week) if work permits.
You will be entitled to 25 days of paid vacation per year.
Your salary will reflect your qualifications, relevant work experience and proven work-related results.
Benefits and other conditions will be based on the Embassy’s Staff Rules
Fixed contract of 1 year with the possibility of renewal
You are responsible for your relocation to Colombia.

Application and recruitment process:

To apply for the position, please send your application (short cover letter, CV, recommendations and references) in English to the Embassy of Denmark at [email protected] marked “Head of Department of Economic Diplomacy and Trade” no later than August 15^th 2025.

The Embassy embraces equal opportunities for all and therefore welcomes applications from all qualified persons regardless of race, sex, religion, age or disability.

Selected candidates will be invited for an interview.

The chosen candidate must be able to present a local or Danish “No Criminal Record” and pass security clearance by the Danish authorities prior to appointment.

Questions:

For any questions regarding the position, please contact the Deputy Head of Mission Nana Hein Winther or Ambassador Jens Godtfredsen at [email protected]