About the workplace
Ersta Hospital is part of Ersta Diakoni and is Sweden's largest faith-based hospital with a clear value foundation – to see the whole person. With roots dating back to 1851, we have provided healthcare in Södermalm, Stockholm, but we welcome patients from all over the country. Here, we offer high-quality, specialized healthcare with both breadth and expertise. We are a university hospital unit and conduct research, education, and development in collaboration with Karolinska Institutet. We are expanding to help more people, and since 2023, the hospital's capacity has tripled, with eight new services launched.
The palliative clinic consists of three units: a specialized palliative care ward for adults, advanced home healthcare, and Lilla Erstagården – the first and only palliative inpatient ward for children and youth in the Nordic countries.
Lilla Erstagården is beautifully situated by Järla Lake and Nacka Nature Reserve. Here, we care for children and young people with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions, both in the early palliative phase and at the end of life. Care is provided in a homely and safe environment, where the entire family is an integral part of the care. We work in a child-centered manner and in close collaboration with the responsible physicians at home clinics. The ward has five beds.
The operation is managed by Ersta Diakoni until February 2027, when the administration will transfer to Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital. The mission and location will remain unchanged after the transition. We are now seeking a unit manager who wants to be a key person in leading the operations forward, focusing on stability, quality, and secure change.
About the role
As a unit manager, you will be responsible for the entirety of a small and highly specialized operation with approximately 30 employees. Together with a nursing leader and a coordinator, you will lead and develop a dedicated and competent team consisting of specialized nurses, nursing assistants, physiotherapists, social workers, sibling supporters, play therapists, and a group of physicians specializing in pediatrics and palliative medicine.
You will play a central role in guiding the operation into the new organization, in close dialogue with Karolinska University Hospital and other care providers. The assignment requires both strategic capability and presence in everyday activities – you are a leader who both holds and supports.
You will have the opportunity to work in a unique operation with full staffing and a well-knit team. There is a stable foundation to build upon and potential for further advancement in clinical quality, research, and national collaboration.
Who are you?
You are a confident and stable leader with both authority and warmth – someone who inspires trust, creates order, and holds the group together even in times of change. You thrive in a smaller context where you are close to both employees and patients, but you also see opportunities to build contacts and collaborations with other healthcare providers, researchers, and organizations.
You have a natural drive and commitment to development and quality, and a genuine interest in pediatric palliative care.
You share Ersta's values of seeing the whole person and our core values; professionalism, trust, and hope.
Your experience
We are looking for a nurse with substantial management experience, preferably within pediatric care or other advanced care. You have a good understanding of care processes and experience leading operations with high demands for quality, structure, and patient safety.
We would particularly like you to have:
• Recent clinical work experience or a clear clinical grounding
• Comfort with change management and experience driving processes through various phases
• Experience or interest in transition management and collaboration between healthcare providers.
Additional information about the recruitment
We utilize tests in our management and leader recruitments.
We apply a probationary period as standard.
Contact person: Sara Banegas, Operations Manager,
[email protected]
Application deadline: November 16, 2025
Please note that we do not accept applications via email.
We warmly welcome your application!