Vacant job

Do you want to work in a supportive and preventive capacity and make a concrete difference for the residents of Södertälje?

Södertälje Municipality is now looking for an engaged budget and debt counselor for our preventive work – a pathway for citizens who need early, accessible, and coordinated support. We are looking for someone who sees not just numbers and economics, but also the human being behind them. You have a holistic view and understand that financial problems often have underlying causes and rarely arise in isolation. The role combines individual counseling with outward-facing and collaborative work to strengthen residents' financial conditions in both the short and long term. The work involves an important role in the borderland between economics and social work, where you meet people in various life situations – often with complex issues related to, for example, mental illness or social vulnerability. The position is located within Support for Adults, where we work closely with residents using early interventions and a preventive perspective. Within the unit, in addition to two colleagues working in the same field, there is a team preventing evictions, two working with mental (ill)health, and a group leader. The Domestic Violence Center, with both authority functions and outpatient care, along with a group leader, is also located in the unit, as well as a division manager, totaling 24 people.

Your responsibilities

• Provide budget and debt counseling according to the Social Services Act.
• Support individuals and households in creating structure and long-term sustainable solutions for their finances.
• Work with debt adjustment and maintain contact with the Swedish Enforcement Authority (Kronofogden) and creditors.
• Conduct dialogue and negotiate with collection agencies, where good negotiation skills are crucial.
• Work preventively through early interventions and guidance.
• Give lectures and hold information sessions on personal finance and debt.
• Collaborate with other work groups and operations within and outside the municipality.
• Contribute to the development of working methods within the unit and actively keep yourself updated on changes in the external environment that affect the assignment.

Who are you?

• Have a genuine interest in people and an understanding that financial problems often have underlying and interconnected causes.
• Are sensitive, empathetic, and professional in meetings with people in vulnerable life situations.
• Have good collaboration skills but can also work independently.
• Are motivated to stay updated on changes in legislation and societal development.
• Are confident in dealing with various actors, including handling counterparts in negotiations.

Requirements:

• Relevant university degree in economics or social work.
• Good knowledge of personal finance, debt adjustment, and relevant legislation.
• Knowledge of mental illness and/or social vulnerability.
• Good familiarity with the Social Services Act's other interventions and support.
• Experience in lecturing, training, or holding information sessions for groups.
• Experience in counseling, support, or social work.
• Good command of Swedish, both spoken and written.
• Valid driver's license (Category B).

Qualifications that are meritorious:

• Experience working as a budget and debt counselor, preferably within municipal operations.
• Experience in preventive work and early interventions.
• Experience in collaboration between different operations, for example within social services, labor market, healthcare, or civil society.
• Multilingual.
• Experience working in operational systems and documenting according to current routines.

We place great emphasis on your personal qualities.

We offer

Meaningful work with both an individual and societal perspective. An important role in the municipality's preventive work. Engaged colleagues and good collaboration. Secure terms according to collective agreements and wellness benefits.

Employment type

Permanent position, full-time. Start date according to agreement.

Other

Selection and interviews may take place continuously during the application period.

Södertälje Municipality works with competency-based recruitment methodology to counteract discrimination and promote diversity in the workplace.

We have many positions where we conduct a register check. A certificate of good conduct (criminal record and suspicion register) from the Swedish Police Authority may therefore need to be presented by the candidate before a decision on employment is made.

An employment with us may involve placement in a security classification. A security clearance with register check according to the Security Protection Act (2018:585) may therefore be conducted before a decision on employment is made. For some of our security-classified tasks, Swedish citizenship is required.