Head of the Advisory Department – Special Educational Needs Support

Do you want to help create the best conditions for equal education? At the Swedish National Agency for Special Needs Education and Schools (SPSM), we work to ensure that all children, students, and adult learners with disabilities reach their educational goals. We run our own special schools in various locations across Sweden. We also provide support to preschools and schools nationwide to co-create learning environments that are developmental and accessible. Additionally, we distribute state grants and develop teaching materials.

We hope that you, with your background and competence, can contribute to increasing our diversity. You can read more about what we offer at www.spsm.se/ledigajobb (https://www.spsm.se/ledigajobb).

Within the operational area of Special Educational Needs Support, we work to ensure that our support creates conditions for all children, students, and adult learners with disabilities to access equal education and other high-quality activities in a safe environment. We complement the special educational resources of municipalities and schools. The support we offer can concern individual learning, teachers' work, or operations and organization.

1 position(s).

RESPONSIBILITIES

The operational area Special Educational Needs Support includes support to schools and principals through:

• Advisory services
• Professional development
• Special educational assessments
• Promoting and producing teaching materials
• State grants
• Quality dialogues

Currently, we are engaged in intensive development work within the agency to strengthen support for schools and school principals. As Head of the Advisory Department, you lead 9 units with approximately 140 employees located in various offices across the country.

You lead the work through trust-based leadership and management, where the needs of target groups are central. You support your employees in monitoring the units' interventions to systematically analyze results and deepen understanding of the target groups and their conditions. You also contribute to systematically drawing lessons from completed work and building upon SPSM's shared knowledge base, which is based on research and proven experience.

Your responsibilities also include clarifying and developing the comprehensive special educational support for those we exist to serve. As a manager, you are responsible for the department's operations, personnel, economy, and work environment. Together with your managers and employees, and in collaboration with employee organizations, you work to achieve the goals according to the operational plan.

You are part of the operational area's management group. Your assignment includes contributing to the operations of the operational area and the agency as a whole, as well as driving issues concerning the Advisory Department's work and responsibilities. The work requires close collaboration with other operations within the agency.

The assignment involves:

• Leading and developing operations within the department and operational area
• Being responsible for external contacts and collaborations with other actors
• Monitoring, evaluating, and analyzing special educational interventions and their effects

The location is Härnösand, Malmö, Örebro, Gothenburg, or Stockholm.

Travel is included in the position.

QUALIFICATIONS

We are looking for you who have:

• An academic degree with a focus on pedagogy, political science, social sciences, or another education deemed equivalent by the employer
• Experience as a manager of managers in a politically governed organization
• Strategic work experience in a management group

It is meritorious if you have:

• Experience as a manager in state operations
• Experience within the special educational and/or disability policy field
• Experience leading remote employees
• Experience in change management

As a leader, you have a good ability to find solutions together with others. Your leadership is characterized by curiosity and being a good support for your employees' development and engagement. You base your work on the operations' goals and the support we aim to achieve for those we serve, and you are clear in your communication and expectations. You dare to make decisions for the benefit of the operations and point out development needs.

We place great emphasis on your personal qualities.

Employment type: Permanent employment.

A probationary period of 6 months applies.

An extract from the criminal record must be presented prior to employment.

In the event of a societal crisis, you may be directed to work between the agency's operational areas based on your location.

Regarding the recruitment process, we have taken a stand on recruitment channels and marketing. We decline all offers of advertising and recruitment assistance on this occasion.