Department Head for Rural Affairs

Länsstyrelsen i Västra Götalands län · Vollzeit

Kungsgatan 34, Göteborg, Schweden

The County Administrative Board is a driving force for a sustainable society. We work together with authorities, municipalities, businesses and other stakeholders with a focus on Västra Götaland county and our 1.7 million residents. The County Administrative Board has broad operations and a very important role in several areas of society. This applies particularly to the highly current challenges of regional growth and implementing the green transition, developing civil defense and nurturing democracy. The County Administrative Board is a regional government authority with approximately 1,000 skilled and dedicated employees. We have operations at several locations in Västra Götaland but also in other parts of Sweden as we are responsible for IT operations for all County Administrative Boards. The Rural Affairs Department with approximately 160 employees consists of three units. The Rural Development Unit, the Agricultural Support Unit and the Veterinary and Animal Welfare Unit. The Rural Affairs Department's main task is to work for sustainable, efficient and environmentally adapted agriculture, sustainable rural development, fishery development and veterinary and animal welfare issues. Job Description The Rural Development Unit currently consists of approximately 50 employees distributed across three functions. The unit has broad operations focused on contributing to sustainable and robust food production in the county. Our operations encompass several processes: We conduct advisory and skills development initiatives for rural entrepreneurs in-house, but also through contracted actors in the county. We process and decide on Project and Investment Support for both green and blue sectors, as well as handling support for nature pasture restoration. We conduct certain supervision and assignments to carry out certification training for agricultural entrepreneurs to handle plant protection products. We are now seeking a head for the Rural Environment function. The function currently consists of approximately 10 employees based in Göteborg, Mariestad, Borås and Vänersborg. The County Administrative Board strives for clear, responsive and inspiring leadership, where you as a manager lead with trust and create conditions for active employee engagement and self-leadership. As a department head, you are responsible for driving and developing the function's operations from a holistic perspective that serves the authority's best interests. You do this in close collaboration with your employees and other managers in the unit and department, but also in cooperation with other managers at the authority. Through health-promoting leadership, you create conditions for the development of both operations and employees. The main work tasks of the position are: Drive and develop the function's operations. Lead and develop employees within the function. Lead through change and manage goal conflicts. Participate in the unit's management team to ensure the benefit of the entire unit, department and County Administrative Board. Participate in, develop and manage collaborations both internally and externally. Work locations: Göteborg, Mariestad, Borås and Vänersborg. We offer the possibility of remote work during part of your working time. Travel is included in the position. Our Expectations of You We are looking for someone with relevant university education or education in combination with experience that we consider equivalent. We want you to have at least one year of current experience in a managerial position with personnel responsibility. As a manager, you have previous experience in planning, budgeting and following up operations and personnel. You have experience, interest and ability to drive and develop operations, lead and develop people and lead through change. For us, it is important that you have an interest in and good understanding of rural areas' and agriculture's conditions and challenges, generally and from a socioeconomic perspective. Personal Qualities We are looking for a confident and goal-oriented leader who has the ability to drive and develop operations and lead and develop employees. For you to thrive and succeed in this work, you need to be development-oriented and have strategic ability. Change is a natural part of the work, so you need to be clear in your communication and have the ability to create understanding for the whole and context. For us, it is important that you have a holistic view and the ability to prioritize from a holistic perspective. That you are responsive, have trusting and health-promoting leadership and an inclusive approach. You also need to have a good ability to create and maintain trusting relationships. We would like to see that you have Formal education in agriculture or food production. Several years of experience driving and developing operations with complex assignments. Experience driving digital development and creating conditions and engagement, such as in using AI. Experience with practical development work related to AI. Experience working in public operations. For us, personal qualities are important and we see it as self-evident that you act in accordance with the state's values - Statskontoret and contribute to a good workplace climate. We believe in equal opportunities for all and one of our main assignments is to work for diversity and a staff composition at the County Administrative Board that reflects the county's population. So, last but not least, we hope that you as an applicant, with your background and competence, can contribute to increasing our diversity. We look forward to your application! Good to Know Read more about us on our website Jobba hos oss. Here you will find information about our benefits. We are also on LinkedIn. The County Administrative Board is a preparedness authority and has a special designated responsibility during crises and war/heightened readiness. We have selected recruitment channels and do not wish to be contacted by recruitment firms.