Skellefteå municipality's unusual job posting—where applicants chose their title, salary, and responsibilities—drew 535 applications. Philip Bärring has been chosen as the municipality's democracy developer. "I'm thrilled to be selected and to work on something I'm passionate about in such a vibrant municipality," he said in a press release.
Bärring, 29, from Stockholm, will move from Linköping to Skellefteå. He has bachelor's and master's degrees in cultural anthropology, focusing on Sweden's political culture and civil society. He recently worked as a research assistant at Stockholm University.
He will implement citizen councils—a direct democracy initiative to strengthen public influence—and facilitate dialogue between citizens and officials, analyse public opinion, and provide data for decision-making. "I believe in this approach and its use in the public sector, so this position was perfect," he said.
The job is permanent with a six-month probation period.