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Government Affairs Advisor– Defence Policy

Stockholm,
Sweden
Closing date: 8 October 2024

Saab is a place where teamwork makes things fly. Literally. Join us and experience our supportive and friendly workplace.

Your role

Your primary role is to develop, lead, and implement Saab’s defence policy priorities and advocacy objectives. This involves following and identifying defence policy initiatives that may impact Saab’s business conditions and taking appropriate action to these changes. You will also provide insights and analysis to offer strategic guidance to senior leaders, relevant parts of Saab’s organisation, and other stakeholders.

The role requires you to independently initiate and develop your work while coordinating closely with the government affairs team. You must collaborate effectively with other parts of Saab to ensure alignment between core business priorities and public policy goals. Working against deadlines and on short notice is essential.

Additionally, as a key figure in collaborating with both external and internal actors, you are expected to identify and develop areas for improvement in Saab’s work. Analytical and cooperative skills are of essence to succeed in the role, as you have to work with both internal and external stakeholders to understand how to create mutual benefits.

Sweden is Saab´s largest market and the location for the majority of Saab´s employees. Saab´s business conditions and opportunities are affected by the decisions made by Sweden as a customer, regulator and as a supporter in business opportunities in different markets. Swedish Government Affairs (part of Group function Government Affairs) is tasked to follow and analyse the Swedish decision-making system, and to elaborate the company´s public policy and positions in current issues.

Swedish Government Affairs main tasks are to:

  • Follow and analyse the development in security and defence policies, with a focus on Sweden and its relations with other countries and regional organizations.
  • Assess and communicate on public initiatives, e.g., new proposals and regulations, and to develop Saab’s position in order to capture opportunities or mitigate risks.
  • Provide strategic guidance on political affairs to the executive management and to all parts of the Saab Group.
  • Develop, lead and implement government affairs activities such as advocacy efforts, outreach programs and key initiatives supporting Saab’s strategic and business goals.
  • Coordinate and facilitate market and export support engagement.
  • Engage with key stakeholders, including political representatives, senior government officials, regulators, industry association and alliance partners to promote and advocate the company’s public policies.

Group Government Affairs is headed by Senior Vice President Jonas Hjelm and consists of two departments; Swedish Government Affairs and the NATO and EU Office. The current job opportunity is placed at Swedish Government Affairs and reports to the Head of Swedish Government Affairs, Per de la Gardie.

Your profile

This position comes with high demands, requiring at least 8 years of relevant experience and a solid academic background, preferably holding a master’s or bachelor’s degree in a related field. You should demonstrate high competence in both spoken and written Swedish and English. Candidates should have proven analytical expertise in security and defense policy, whether within Sweden, the EU, or globally, and experience in developing public policy is a significant advantage.

The role requires a strong drive for high-quality output and the ability to take initiative throughout the analytical process. Experience from defence and security is necessary as well as working in politically driven organizations, coupled with a well-established personal network within this sector, is essential. It is highly desirable if you have held roles within the Government Office, an agency, political engagement, or think-tanks, and have an established network in these areas.

Additionally, the position requires extensive cooperation both within Saab and with external stakeholders, so being cooperative and adept at collaboration is crucial.

This position requires that you pass a security vetting based on the current regulations around/of security protection. For positions requiring security clearance additional obligations on citizenship may apply.

What you will be part of

Behind our innovations stand the people who make them possible. Brave pioneers and curious minds. Everyday heroes and inventive troubleshooters. Those who share deep knowledge and those who explore sky-high. And everyone in between. 

Joining us means making an impact together, contributing in our own unique ways. From crafting complex code and building impressive defence and security solutions to simply sharing a coffee with a colleague, every action counts. We encourage you to take on challenges, to create smart inventions and grow in our friendly and tech-savvy workspace. We have a solid mission to keep people and society safe.

Saab is a leading defence and security company with an enduring mission, to help nations keep their people and society safe. Empowered by its 22,000 talented people, Saab constantly pushes the boundaries of technology to create a safer and more sustainable world.

Saab designs, manufactures and maintains advanced systems in aeronautics, weapons, command and control, sensors and underwater systems. Saab is headquartered in Sweden. It has major operations all over the world and is part of the domestic defence capability of several nations. Read more about us here

Kindly observe that this is an ongoing recruitment process and that the position might be filled before the closing date of the advertisement.