Second competition launched to find new chief for NI civil service

By Rebecca Black, PA

A second recruitment competition has been launched to find a new head of Northern Ireland’s civil service.

It comes after First Minister Arlene Foster and deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill failed to agree on a permanent appointment last year.

Jenny Pyper was installed as interim chief in December for eight months.

The former head of the civil service David Sterling retired last year.

The role includes serving as the Stormont Executive’s principal policy adviser and leader of 23,000 civil servants.

It comes with a salary scale of £160,563-£188,272 under review.

In a joint statement, Mrs Foster and Ms O’Neill said they want to recruit a “highly skilled leader”.

“The role of Head of the Civil Service is right at the very heart of public life and public service for all our citizens here. The work of the Civil Service influences all our public services, impacting all of us,” they said.

“We want to recruit a highly skilled leader as our principal policy adviser and leader of the NICS, providing support, counsel and challenge to us, the Executive as a whole and to the NICS.

“The issues we face are many and significant, but we are committed to delivering our priorities as set out in the Programme for Government and in New Decade New Approach.”