Head of the Advisory Department – Special Educational Needs Support

Do you want to help create the best conditions for an equitable education? At the Swedish National Agency for Special Needs Education, Schools and Training (SPSM), we work to ensure that all children, students, and adult learners with disabilities achieve their educational goals. We run our own special schools in various locations across Sweden. We also provide support to preschools and schools nationwide to collaboratively 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).

About the Business Area

Within the business 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 have access to an equitable education and other high-quality activities in a safe environment. We complement the municipalities' and schools' own special educational resources. The support we offer can concern the individual's learning, teachers' work, or operations and organization.

1 position(s).

Responsibilities

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

• Advisory services
• In-service training
• Special educational investigations
• Promoting and producing teaching materials
• State grants
• Quality dialogues

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

You lead the work through trust-based leadership and management, where the needs of the target groups are central. You support your employees in monitoring the units' interventions to systematically analyze results and deepen the understanding of the target groups and their conditions. You also contribute to systematically drawing lessons from performed 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 combined 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 business plan.

You are part of the business area's management group. Your assignment includes contributing to the entire operations of the business area and the agency, as well as driving issues related to 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 business area
• being responsible for external contacts and collaborations with other actors
• monitoring, evaluating, and analyzing special educational interventions and their effects

The place of work is Härnösand, Malmö, Örebro, Gothenburg, or Stockholm.

Travel is included in the position.

Qualifications

We are looking for someone who has:

• an academic degree with a focus on pedagogy, political science, social sciences, or another education that the employer deems equivalent
• 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 in your employees' development and engagement. You start from the operations' goals and the support we aim to provide for those we exist to 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.
Duration: Start date by agreement.

The position is advertised in several locations. Therefore, the location name in the application form may differ from the advertisement you have read. However, your application will be registered correctly and linked to the correct location.

A 6-month probationary period applies.

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

In the event of a societal crisis, you may be assigned between the agency's business areas based on your place of work.

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.