This is a digital accessible version of the publication "working as a central government employee - socially beneficial jobs on modern terms". The publication can also be downloaded as a pdf (does not meet the legal requirements for accessibility) or to order in print.

The publication "Working as a central government employee - socially beneficial jobs on modern terms" as a pdf or to order in print

Working in the central government sector means that you are benefiting society for all those who live, stay and work in Sweden, and that you are part of developing Sweden's relations with the rest of the world. The task of the central government sector is to perform the activities and apply the laws that parliament and the government have decided on in an accessible, lawful and effective manner.

The central government sector consists of organisations with extremely varied and qualified work. Every day, about 270,000 government employees work on higher education, fighting crime, protecting our borders, international activities, IT development, tax, financial and social security issues, helping people find jobs, planning infrastructure, environmental and sustainability issues, cultural matters and many other development activities.

About the conditions described on this page

Most of the conditions that are described in this publication have been agreed by the Swedish Agency for Government Employers and the trade union organisations OFR/S,P,O, Saco-S and Seko, in central collective agreements known as the villkorsavtalen and the affärsverksavtalen. For those who are employed within the framework of other government agreements, other conditions apply in some cases. Special conditions apply to those in senior management positions.

This edition was revised during the autumn of 2020 and covers the current central collective agreements in the central government sector. Conditions may have changed after this date through new agreements. Employers and union representatives in the various organisations may also agree on local variations of the conditions. To make sure of which agreements you may be covered by and of any variations and changes that have been made, you should check what applies at your workplace. Please note that temporary rules may apply in certain areas due to covid-19.

Contents

1. As a central government employee
2. Develop with work leadership and teamwork
3. Collarboration for the future
4. Work environment and wellness
5. Pay
6. Working hours
7. Holiday and other leave
8. If you become ill
9. If you are injured at work
10. Pensions
11. Leaving employment
12. For zealous and devoted service realm
13. Some words from a central government employee

1. As a central government employee

The citizens are your employers

As a central government employee, you work in public service on behalf of our citizens via parliament and the government. Activities are controlled by the public sector legislation that applies to both government agencies and public service companies. The five largest central government employers are the Police, the Swedish Armed Forces, the Social Insurance Agency Försäkringskassan, the Swedish Public Employment Service and the Swedish Prison and Probation Service. The central government sector that employs the most people is education, in the form of universities and university colleges.

The central government sector's values

Regardless of whether you are a researcher, police officer, investigator, museum employee, fighter pilot, dance teacher, tax expert, IT specialist or have some other government employment, there is a common set of values for the entire central government sector that is based on legislation and regulations.

Values for government employees are based on six principles:

• Democracy. All public power comes from the people.
• Legality. The exercise of public power is subject to the rule of law.
• Objectivity. Courts and central government authorities must take into account everyone's equality before the law and observe objectivity and impartiality.
• Freedom of opinion. Swedish democracy is based on freedom of opinion.
• Respect for equal values, freedom and dignity.Public power shall be exercised with respect for everyone's equal value and for the freedom and dignity of the individual.
• Efficiency and service. Efficiency and resource management shall go hand-in-hand with service and accessibility.

Administration by the rule of law

The rule of law is fundamental to all central government sector activities. The public must be able to rely on the decisions made by the authorities being based on applicable laws. They must also feel certain that everyone is treated equally before the law and that the central government sector is objective and impartial. The Instrument of Government (Regeringsformen) states that all case-handling shall be independent, that is to say that decisionmaking bodies such as parliament and the government shall not decide in individual cases or in the application of the law.

Secondary employment and service responsibility

To maintain the general public's confidence that the central government sector performs its duties under the rule of law and regards everyone as equal before the law, there are rules about secondary employment for government employees. These rules mean that you cannot have any secondary employment in addition to your main employment that might affect confidence in how you and your colleagues perform work for the central government sector. In such a case, the reputation of a government agency could be damaged. For the same reason, there are also rules covering service responsibility. As a government employee, you may make decisions that affect people's lives. This kind of authority carries great responsibility. For this reason, employers may give government employees who neglect their obligations a warning or a salary deduction. If there is reasonable suspicion that a crime may have been committed in the course of work, the employer has an obligation to inform the police.

The principle of public access to official records a pillar of Swedish democracy

The principle of public access to official records applies to the administration of government. This principle means that the public and the mass media have the right of access to activities, with the exception of information that is subject to secrecy. Among other things, access includes the right to inspect public documents.

Freedom of expression and the right to inform

As a government employee, your freedom of expression also applies in respect of your employer. You can write articles or letters to newspapers or express yourself on radio, TV or other media about any subject you wish. This also applies to matters concerning your workplace, as long as you do not make yourself out to be a representative of the organisation in question. As a government employee, you also have the right to inform. This means that you may also divulge certain secret information for publication in the mass media, for example, to authors, news editors or databases, provided that there is an authorisation to publish. Those who receive information that is provided for publication based on the right to inform are subject to an obligation of confidentiality regarding the informer's identity. The government agency in question may not investigate who has provided the information to the media.

Central government sector employment is regulated by constitutional law

Most central government sector work sets strict requirements for competence, qualifications and experience. According to the Instrument of Government, central government sector appointments are based on reasonable grounds such as length of service (by the central government sector) and skills. This has been a constitutional principle since 1809. The principle has since been further developed through the Public Employment Act (LOA), which puts the emphasis on skills.

 

2. Develop with work, leadership and teamwork

Leadership and teamwork are important for the development of both the individual and the organisation so this is a priority area for central government sector employers. Development brings new and different working methods. Central government sector employers therefore endeavour to offer employees good opportunities for competence development.

For central government sector employers, questions of leadership and teamwork are of great significance for developing their organisations. It is therefore important for managers in the central government sector to take responsibility for driving development that contributes to effective, attractive and innovative organisations with a good work environment and engaged team members. In order to meet future challenges and changing conditions, the central government sector employers' therefore base their acquisition of new competence on an inclusive mindset. A mindset that means that the experience and competence of managers and employees shall be nurtured through an organisational culture that stimulates the development of ideas and creativity and where the dialogue between employee and manager creates the conditions for active teamwork.

The requirements for quality, efficiency and service to the public drive development of the central government sector organisations towards new technical solutions and evolving working methods. To be able to address and make use of the potential of new working methods, employees need to be given the opportunity to develop their competence. Central government sector employers aim to offer this in various ways, including training, as well as participation in working groups, projects and networks. It can also happen through developing collaboration between colleagues with different kinds of experience or exchanges between different tasks.

3. Collaboration for the future

It is natural for a government employee to be able to influence his or her organisation and the work environment. All employees' commitment is needed for the organisation to function well and be a workplace that offers a good work environment.

To facilitate such development, the Swedish Agency for Government Employers and the central union organisations have signed a central framework agreement called Samverkan för framtiden. At the heart of the agreement is the dialogue between manager and employee, where you as an employee have the opportunity to contribute your competence to the employer's decisions. In this way, better insight is created, as well as greater commitment to the organisation's need for change and development.

Changing roles for collaboration

The central framework agreement makes it possible for the local parties, the employer and the union organisations, to agree that issues covered by the Co-determination Act (MBL) shall instead be handled directly between manager and employee. Through this collaboration agreement, the parties' role is now to focus on jointly supporting the managers' and employees' collaboration in developing the organisation.

The ultimate responsibility for the organisation and finances naturally rests with the employer, which makes the final decision. But through collaboration between manager and employee, the decision becomes well grounded and endorsed, which both favours the organisation and increases commitment for participation.

 

4. Work environment and wellness

A good work environment is important for making a workplace attractive. The employer is responsible for the work environment, but as an employee you also have a responsibility and an important role in actively contributing to work environment activities.

A number of work environment surveys have shown that the central government sector offers a good work environment with great opportunities to influence one's own work situation. Surveys of the work environment in the central government sector performed by the Swedish Agency for Government Employers and the Work Environment Authority have shown that:

• Government employees can, to a greater degree than in the labour market as a whole, decide when various work tasks shall be performed. Government employees also decide more often about the planning of their own work.
• Government employees are more satisfied with their working hours than employees in the labour market as a whole.
• A very large majority of government employees are generally satisfied with their work.
• A majority of employees in the central government sector state that the job gives them good opportunities to develop themselves and learn new things.

Good work environment and good influence

In the central government sector, work environment activities are performed in collaboration between the employer, the employees and the unions.

There are no general work environment solutions that apply to all central government sector workplaces. What can and should be done depends on conditions at the individual workplace. As an employee, you have a number of important tasks: assist in work environment activities, follow the rules that exist and also report non-conformity and suggest improvements.

As a government employee, you also have access to an occupational health service. Your employer is also likely to support various wellness activities with subsidies. Ask what applies in your workplace.

 

5. Pay

In the central government sector, salaries are set individually. This means that your pay is based on your work results. But other factors also contribute, such as the degree of difficulty and job responsibilities that the job entails. Market factors, such as supply and demand in the labour market can also affect pay. As an employee, you have the right to know the basis on which your salary is set and what you can do to influence your salary.

With individually determined salaries, it is thus not just the working tasks and duties that are assessed but also the employee's skills and results based on the organisation's mandate and targets. This means that you should be able to influence your salary not just by taking on more difficult and more responsible duties but also by performing your duties well. The idea behind individually determined salaries is that there is a connection between pay, motivation and results. Pay shall stimulate commitment. Against this background, it is important that the reason for the salary is perceived as objective in relation to work results.

Two ways to agree on a new salary

The central pay agreements between the Swedish Agency for Government Employers and the central union organisations contain general pay principles that form the basis for determining salaries both when someone is first employed and when salaries change during the course of employment.

During the course of employment, salaries can be determined either in traditional negotiations between the employer and the union organisations or through pay-setting dialogue. Pay-setting dialogue are a form of salary determination that means that an employee's salary is decided in a direct interview between manager and employee. Pay-setting dialogue have increased greatly in the central government sector but cannot be applied to all pay agreements.

 

6. Working hours

Working hours shall be determined and regulated according to each organisation's needs, but it is also important that working hours are determined in a way that promotes a good work environment and counteracts ill health. For this reason, employees need to have the opportunity to influence how their own working hours are determined.

Within each agency and authority, the employers and the union organisations have working hours agreements. The purpose is to adapt working hours in the best way to suit the organisation's needs. This also means that working hours and how they are distributed can be different for different employees, depending on what duties they have.

How working hours are determined

What full-time employees who work office hours in the central government sector have in common is that their average working hours are normally 39 hours and 45 minutes per week. For organisations that apply Affärsavtalet, there are 40 working hours per week. Working hours can be regulated or unregulated.

Regulated working hours

Your working hours may be arranged so that you have fixed working hours and start and finish at the same time every working day, but there are other ways of regulating working hours. In organisations that must work around the clock, different working schedules are common. Working hours can vary from week to week and also during the 24-hour period. Partially flexible working hours flexitime is are common in many central government sector organisations. This may mean that employees can start or finish work within certain predetermined time frames, taking into account other colleagues and working tasks.

Non-regulated working hours

Non-regulated working hours are applied to a certain extent by many central government sector workplaces. This means that you as an employee have the employer's consent to allocate your own working hours to cover your tasks and duties.

Some organisations have collective agreements for non-regulated working hours for large groups of employees. The employer and employee can also have an individual agreement on non-regulated working hours. Non-regulated working hours are mainly applied in cases where the achievement of results and performance management are more relevant for the organisation than focusing on how many hours you work and when these fall during the day. Employees who have non-regulated working hours have no compensation for overtime work.e.

Working hours-dependent compensation

Overtime

The employer can ask employees with regulated working hours to work overtime if needed. An employee may work no more than 150 hours of overtime during the course of a year, but there are exceptions. The employee receives compensation as money (overtime pay) or leave (compensation leave). With overtime work at night or during a weekend, the overtime is normally counted as working hours that qualify for a higher hourly rate.

On stand-by or on call

Some positions may involve being on stand-by or on call. Those who are on stand-by shall be available at the workplace. An employee who is on call may be in another place but must be prepared to come to the workplace if needed.

 

7. Holiday or other leave

All employees in Sweden are entitled to five weeks' holiday. As a government employee, the collective agreement gives you more days of holiday. Within the central government sector, there are different agreements that regulate holiday issues. Which agreement applies depends on which organisation you work for.

As a government employee, you are entitled to paid holiday time during your first year of employment. To receive full holiday pay, you must be employed all year. Särskilt villkorsavtal för vissa tidsbestäma anställningar (VASA), your age decides the number of days' holiday.

The chart shows number of days' holiday for employees based on age and union affiliation.

Age	Number of days' holiday for employees covered by Villkorsavtal Seko, Villkorsavtal OFR/S,P,O or Villkorsavtal T-Saco-S	Number of days' holiday for employees covered by Affärsverksavtalet (AVA) Seko, AVA OFR/S,P,O or AVA-T Saco-S	Number of days' holiday for employees covered by Särskilt villkorsavtal för vissa tidsbegränsade anställningar (VASA)
Up to and including the year of your 29th birthday	28 days	28 days	28 days
From and including the year of your 30th birthday	31 days	31 days	28 days
From and including the year of your 40th birthday	35 days	34 days	28 days
Holiday supplement	During your holiday you receive a holiday supplement in addition to your normal pay. If you have a whole month's holiday, you receive a holiday supplement corresponding to about 10 per cent of your normal monthly pay.	During your holiday you receive a holiday supplement in addition to your normal pay. If you have a whole month's holiday, you receive a holiday supplement corresponding to about 15 per cent of your normal monthly pay.	Depends on which agreement is otherwise applied by the employer.

You can save holiday

Regardless of whether your holiday is regulated by any of the agreements, you must take at least 20 of the year's days of holiday during the year. You can save the remaining days up to a maximum of 30 saved days of holiday.

Becoming a parent

With parental leave, compensation is usually paid by the social insurance agency Försäkringskassan. To make parental leave easier, central government sector employers pay supplementary remuneration. As the parent of a young child, you also have the opportunity to work part-time.

As a new parent, you can receive a parent's allowance from Försäkringskassan while you are at home with your child. The amount is a maximum of 80 per cent of salary up to ten price basis amounts*. Government employees receive a supplementary allowance from their employer for up to 360 days while receiving a parent's allowance. This is called a parent's allowance supplement and means a total allowance corresponding to 90 per cent of salary. For employees who are subject to the Särskilt villkorsavtal för vissa tidsbegränsade anställningar (VASA), no parent's allowance supplement is paid

Other types of leave

Other types of leave that apply in the labour market include the opportunity to take leave for studies or to care for a close relative and the right of immigrants to take leave to learn Swedish. For these types of leave, no salary is paid, but sometimes an allowance may be paid by Försäkringskassan, for example. As a government employee, you may be able to take paid leave for certain other purposes, such as visits to a doctor, acute dental care or the funeral of a close relative. Leave may also be granted for other purposes, but without pay.

When your child is ill

When you need to take leave because your child is ill, you can receive a temporary parent's allowance from Försäkringskassan. The allowance is 80 per cent of your salary up to 7.5 price basis amounts.

If you are a government employee and have an income over this price basis amount ceiling, your employer pays a supplement to temporary parent's allowance for up to ten days per year. The supplement means that altogether you receive an allowance corresponding to 80 per cent of your entire salary during these days.

If you wish to reduce your working hours

All parents in the labour market are entitled to reduce their working hours by up to 25 per cent of full time until the child reaches the age of eight or has finished his or her first year of school.

As a government employee, you also have the opportunity to apply to reduce your working hours to care for a child up until the end of the school year in which your child reaches the age of ten. Your employer decides whether to approve this leave or not. Parental leave means that your salary is correspondingly reduced.

 

8. If you become ill

If you become ill and are unable to work, you receive compensation after 14 days from Försäkringskassan corresponding to part of your normal salary. As a central government employee, the collective agreement can also give you compensation from your employer.

The first 14 days

Sick pay is 80 percent of your salary. From the calculated sick pay, a deduction is made that corresponds to 20 percent of your expected sick pay during an awerage working week.

If you are ill for longer than 14 days

After the sick pay period, you can receive a sickness allowance from Försäkringskassan. The sickness allowance is about 80 per cent of your salary up to a ceiling of 8 price basis amounts (current price basis amount is decided annually).

For central government employees, the employer supplements the sickness allowance from Försäkringskassan. During day 15 to 365, government employees receive a total of about 90 per cent of their normal income.

With longer absences due to illness, the employer supplements the sickness allowance from Försäkringskassan.

The chart shows compensation during absence due to illness

Compensation during absence due to illness	Under the price basis amount ceiling	Over the price basis amount ceiling
Days 1-14	The employer pays sick pay – 80% of salary qaualified deduction is made from this amount.	The employer pays sick pay – 80% of salary qaualified deduction is made from this amount.
Days 15-365	About 80% from Försäkringskassan and 10% supplement from the employe.	About 90 % from the employer.
Days 366 –	About 75% from Försäkringskassan.	About 75% from the employer.

Compensation for health care expenses

Compensation for health care expenses may be given by some central government sector employers depending on your local agreement. This means that you may receive compensation from your employer in connection with illness, such as certain compensation for your expenses when you go to a doctor or physiotherapist or when you are admitted to hospital. You may also receive compensation for certain medicines, provided that they are covered by society's high-cost protection.

 

9. If you are injured at work

The work environment should naturally be designed so that you as an employee are not put at risk of ill health or an accident at work. But no matter how good the work environment is, injuries can occur. If you should suffer an occupational injury, you may be entitled to compensation for loss of income and aches and pains.

An occupational injury means an injury or illness caused by an accident or other injurious effect at work. A number of infectious diseases can also be regarded as occupational injuries.

If you should be injured at work, it is important that you follow the rules and routines of your workplace so that the incident is brought to your employer's attention.

Serious accidents or serious nearaccidents

According to the Work Environment Act, the employer shall without delay inform the Work Environment Authority of accidents or other injurious incidents at work that have caused death or serious injury or have affected a number of employees. The same applies to near-accidents that have involved a serious risk to life or health.

Accidents

For an accident to be regarded as an occupational injury, it must be connected with work. This applies to accidents both at the workplace and if work is being performed at another place. Accidents that occur during business travel can be regarded be regarded as accidents at work. Also, accidents that occur during the direct journey to or from work can also be regarded as accidents at work.

Occupational illnesses and infection

Illnesses and infections that relate to something at work can in some cases be regarded as occupational illnesses.

Compensation from Försäkringskassan and the employer

If you suffer an occupational injury, you may be entitled to certain compensation under the general occupational injury insurance. The compensation is paid by Försäkringskassan. As a government employee, you may also be entitled to supplementary compensation through the Avtal om ersättning vid personskada, PSA. This can cover loss of income, aches and pains, health care expenses and compensation for disability. In the event of death, surviving relatives may be entitled to compensation under the Agreement on Government Service Group Life Insurance, TGL-S and surviving relative's pension, according to the pension provisions.

 

10. Pensions

As a government employee, you receive a collectively agreed occupational pension through PA 16, which consists of part I and part II. This supplements the state pension that everyone who works in Sweden is entitled to. You have the right to decide for yourself how part of the agreement's pension shall be managed.

How much pension you will receive is the most common question among future pensioners. The amount of your total occupational pension is governed by many different factors, such as how you worked, age, salary, the size of contributions set aside and the return on capital. It is therefore only possible to make make estimates about future pension.

Part I - Retirement pension for those born in 1988 or later

If you are employed in the central government sector and were born in 1988 or later, you are covered by PA 16 part I. The pension that you earn in Part I can be compared to savings, where your employer pays premiums every month for your retirement pension benefits. The premiums are based on your salary.

Part I includes different defined contribution pensions: optional retirement pension, mandatory retirement pension and flex retirement pension. The pensions are managed partly by a mandatory fund manager and partly based on your own choice (optional retirement pension). If you are newly employed in the central government sector, you will receive specific information about the choice of fund managers when you start your new job. For those who do not wish to choose a fund manager, the premiums will be managed by the so-called nonchoice. The flex retirement pension can be used to finance reduced working hours towards the end of one's working life.

In PA 16 Part I, the employer pays premiums for your occupational pension throughout your employment in the central government sector although only until the age at which, according to the Employment Protection Act (LAS), you are entitled to remain in employment.

PA 16 can also give the opportunity to set aside further provisions according to the specific terms of the agreement. Such provisions are determined by the respective employer, sometimes by agreement with the local union organisation, sometimes by agreement with the individual employee.

Sickness pension

If you have a long-term illness, you receive compensation from your employer according to Villkorsavtalen or Affäsverksavtalen. For those who receive sickness or activity allowances from Försäkringskassan, a sickness pension can be paid according to PA 16. The PA 16 sickness pension supplements the compensation received from Försäkringskassan.

Pension for surviving relatives

If a person covered by the agreement dies, the family receives a limited term survivor's pension according to PA 16. The pension is paid for a maximum of six years and not after what would have been the deceased person's 75th birthday.

Part II - Retirement pension for those born in 1987 or earlier

If you are employed in the central government sector and were born in 1987 or earlier, you are covered by PA 16 Part II. The defined contribution retirement pension in Part II is earned between the ages of 23 and 65. The defined benefit retirement pension is earned between the ages of 28 and 65.

Part II includes both defined contribution and defined benefit retirement pensions. The defined premium can be compared to savings where the employer pays premiums each month. The premiums are based on your salary. This part includes various defined premium pensions: individual retirement pension and supplementary retirement pension. The pension is managed partly by a mandatory fund manager and partly based on your own choice. If you are newly employed in the central government sector, you receive specific information about fund managers when you start your new job. For those who do not wish to choose a fund manager, the premiums will be managed by the socalled non-choice. The defined benefit retirement pension applies to employees with a salary above a certain level. Benefits are based on total length of employment in the central government sector and your salary in the year before leaving employment. PA 16 can also give the possibility to set aside further provisions according to specific terms of the agreement. Such provisions are determined by the employer, sometimes by agreement with the local union organisation, sometimes by agreement with the individual employee.

Partial pension

For those covered by Part II, there is also the possibility of applying for a partial pension. It is the employer who decides on this partial pension. If the employer consents, employees who are aged between 61 and 65 can reduce their working hours by up to 50 per cent of full-time. The employer compensates 60 per cent of the lost income with a partial pension. The loss of income means that the employee's statutory state pension will usually be lower, but pension according to PA 16 is unaffected.

Sickness pension

If you have a long-term illness, you receive compensation from your employer according to the provisions of the conditions agreement. For those who receive sickness or activity allowances from Försäkringskassan, a sickness pension can be paid according to PA 16. The PA 16 sickness pension supplements the compensation received from Försäkringskassan.

Pension for surviving relatives

If a person covered by the agreement dies, the family receives a limited term survivor's pension according to PA 16. The pension is paid for a maximum of six years and not after what would have been the deceased person's 75th birthday.

 

11. Leaving employment

Employment can come to an end for a number of reasons. The most usual reason is that the employee gives notice in order to start a new job.

If you wish to terminate your employment

The amount of notice you must give depends on how long you have been employed. If you have had more than one central government sector appointment sequentially, the total period of government employment is what counts.

If your employment period is longer than one year, your notice period is two months. If you have worked for a year or less, your notice period is one month.

If your employer gives you notice

The total employment period in the central government sector provides the basis for the notice period. The notice period is determined in collective agreements and by the Employment Protection Act (LAS). The notice period can vary between one month and twelve months.

Agreement on Reorganisation

For employees whose employment is terminated because of shortage of work and for those who had a defined term position that has ceased after at least two years' employment, Avtal om omställning can give support in certain circumstances. The agreement also applies in certain situations for employees who themselves leave an agency that is to be relocated. The support can take the form of discussions, training, financial compensation and individual measures.

Trygghetsstiftelsen is a collective agreement foundation tasked with supporting employees in the central government agreement area that is covered by Avtal om omställning. This means, among other things, that the foundation and the affected employees shall plan measures to quickly get the employees into the labour market again. The work of the Trygghetsstiftelsen is financed by employers through agreement between central parties.

 

12. For zealous and devoted service of the realm

Working in the central government sector is something special. This is shown, among other things, by the tradition that those who have been employed in the central government sector for 30 years are awarded the recognition "For zealous and devoted service of the realm".

What is meant by the expression "zealous and devoted"? This means quite simply that the employee has correctly performed his or her duties in the central government sector for 30 years, or 25 years in connection with retirement. All work in the sector, in whatever organisation, is counted.

The democratic principles that you maintain as a government employee go back along way. The recognition "For zealous and devoted service of the realm" dates from 1803 and shall be looked upon as a symbol of the important duties that government employees perform. It is an expression of continuity with the government employees of earlier times.

The recognition originally only took the form of a gold medal, but today, instead of a gold medal, one can choose a gold watch, a crystal bowl or other piece of fine glass.

 

13. Some words from a central government employee

Patrick Amofah, The National Agency for Public Procurement

For Patrick Amofah it is important to have a job where he feels that he is making a difference for people and for society. And that is exactly what he gets to do as a project manager at the National Agency for Public Procurement.

Tell us what you are working on?

I am project manager for a transnational EU project at The National Agency for Public Procurement, with responsibility for developing methods for social requirements in public procurements. This can be about setting requirements for a supplier to use workers who are far outside the labour market or for good conditions of employment. We have many partners in the project for whom I am the coordinator, and I have supervisor responsibility for a project group of about 20 people. I also go out and give lectures, organise workshops, write reports and much else. We collaborate within the EU on this project, which involves a number of study visits to other countries.

What kind of education do you have and what have you done previously?

I have a master's degree in business economics and worked in the finance department of a company in Ghana, which is where I come from. After that, I had various jobs before I arrived at the Swedish Public Employment Service head office, where I was coordinator for helping large companies employ people from outside the labour market.

 What attracted you to apply for your present job?

It looked like an exciting place to be, to contribute to positive social development and to work on inclusion in the labour market. I really love to make a difference for people and for society, and that's what I am able to do here.

What does it mean to you to work for a better society?

Sweden is facing many challenges and it feels good to be able to contribute to the solutions, like by promoting integration with the aid of procurements for example. It is really important that tax money is used in the right way and I feel I can help to make this happen.

What do you value most about your job?

It is important for me to be able to make a difference for both people and society and I am able to do this in my job. But I also appreciate the contact with other people that I get here. That is very stimulating.

About The National Agency for Public Procurement

The National Agency for Public Procurement has an overall responsibility for developing and supporting the procurement carried out by the contracting authorities and entities. Our task is to work for an effective and socially and environmentally sustainable public procurement to the benefit of the society and the participants in the markets. We provide support to contracting authorities, entities and suppliers.