Vacant job

The Swedish civil service consists of approximately 200 authorities that report directly to the Government. Each authority is led by a head appointed by the Government. For certain authorities, the Government also appoints a deputy head referred to as 'Överdirektör' (Senior Director). This position entails an indefinite employment contract with the authority, though typically capped at a specific end date. The initial term as Överdirektör is usually six years. The salary is individual and determined based on the requirements of the role as well as the candidate's qualifications and experience.

The Swedish Prison and Probation Service (Kriminalvården) is responsible for enforcing court sentences, operating prisons, and conducting pre-sentence investigations in criminal cases. The operations must be conducted in a secure, humane, and efficient manner, with the aim of preventing reoffending. The agency must specifically take measures to prevent criminal activity during the enforcement of sentences, prepare inmates for release, combat drug abuse, and tailor the content of enforcement to individual needs. Additionally, the agency assists other authorities with the transport of detained persons.

The agency operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, throughout the country. Each day, the Swedish Prison and Probation Service is responsible for approximately 12,100 inmates and 17,600 probation clients. The operations are currently undergoing significant expansion, presenting the agency with ongoing major challenges. Several measures have been taken in recent years to continuously increase the number of available places, but there remains a need for additional capacity and other measures to enable the agency to fulfill its mandate.

The Swedish Prison and Probation Service is a single-head authority led by a Director General. The Överdirektör serves as the Deputy Director General. The agency has a supervisory board consisting of no more than ten members, including the Director General who serves as chair.

The Swedish Prison and Probation Service has over 22,000 employees and is divided into six geographical regions. Each region is led by a Regional Director. Regional offices are located in Malmö, Gothenburg, Linköping, Örebro, Stockholm, and Härnösand. The agency's headquarters are located in Norrköping.

Qualifications

We are looking for you who is a demonstrably good manager and leader with

• an academic degree or equivalent,
• good knowledge of and experience in management and change work within a government authority or large organization,
• experience from the Government Offices or another government authority,
• good knowledge of and experience in the Swedish civil service, and an understanding of its political steering and decision-making processes,
• good knowledge of the requirements placed on authorities in terms of efficiency, openness, and legal certainty, and
• good proficiency in Swedish and English.

You must also have the ability to

• lead change work and develop operations strategically, efficiently, and in accordance with the rule of law, together with the Director General, in line with the intentions of the Riksdag and the Government,
• engage and motivate employees,
• prioritize in an operation with extensive tasks,
• establish, maintain, and develop collaborations with other relevant actors within the agency's area,
• have a flexible and non-hierarchical working style,
• communicate and represent the agency in a clear, engaged, and trustworthy manner,
• collaborate and work with high integrity, and
• lead and develop operations within the framework of a good administrative culture.

It is meritorious if you have

• knowledge of and experience from work within the judicial system,
• knowledge of the Swedish Prison and Probation Service's operations,
• experience of collaboration with other authorities and organizations, and
• experience of working strategically with steering issues in a management group within an authority.

Other

Only Swedish citizens can hold the position of Överdirektör at the Swedish Prison and Probation Service. The position is security-classified, and a security investigation with register check will be conducted prior to employment.

More Information

More information about the position is provided by Unit Manager Cecilia Eneman. Questions regarding employment conditions and the recruitment process are answered by Michael Östervall at the Office for Leadership Supply to Authorities. You can reach them via the Government Offices' switchboard at 08-405 10 00.

Expression of Interest

You are welcome to register your expression of interest and CV in our recruitment tool by Wednesday, August 19, 2026.