Subdivision
Sub-department (also department group ; department group or group for short ) is an organizational element in German public administration . It forms the second hierarchy level after the department below the authority management and is led by a sub- department head ( department group leader ; department group leader , group leader ).
Federal administration
Supreme Federal Authorities
In the highest federal authorities , the sub-department stands between the department and the unit in the authority hierarchy . The federal ministries are basically divided into departments and units ( Section 7 (1) GGO ). Subdivisions are only created de jure if it is objectively necessary; as a rule, at least five presentations are summarized for this purpose ( Section 7 sentence 2 GGO ). In fact, almost all departments of the federal ministries are divided into two to four sub-departments. The posts of the sub-department heads are shown in the establishment plan for ministerial directors , in the Federal Ministry of Defense (BMVg) also for brigade generals . Until 2012, the sub-department in the management staff of the BMVg corresponded to the staff department .
Upper federal authorities
In the higher federal authorities, the organizational element between department and unit is generally called a department group , sometimes also called a group for short . It is usually led by a senior government director.
Federal central and local authorities
In the federal authorities that are not directly subordinate to a supreme authority, the structural element comparable to the subdivision is the departmental group .
Other administration
Due to federalism and local self-government in Germany and the resulting organizational sovereignty of corporations , institutions and foundations under public law, there is no uniform regulation for the state and local levels.
In the state ministries of North Rhine-Westphalia , for example, the sub-department is called Group.