Head of ministry employs inspiring females (5)
I believe the answer is:
muses
'inspiring females' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both people as well as being plural nouns.
Maybe you can see a link between them that I can't see?
'head of ministry employs' is the wordplay.
'head of' says to take the initial letters.
'employs' becomes 'uses' ('use' can be a synonym of 'employ').
The initial letter of 'ministry' is 'm'.
'm'+'uses'='MUSES'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for muses that I've seen before include "In Greek and Roman myth, nine goddesses of the arts" , "Meditates on the nine goddesses" , "Thinks" , "Nine sister goddesses presiding over the arts" , "'Nine daughters of Zeus, inspirations for artists (5)'" .)