Background The Northern Ireland Office supports the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in promoting the best interests of Northern Ireland. We make sure that Northern Ireland interests are represented within the UK Government and that UK government responsibilities are fully and effectively represented in Northern Ireland. We are the centre of expertise on Northern Ireland issues across Government. The Northern Ireland Office employs around 170 staff, with offices in Belfast and London. As a small Department, we adopt a flexible project-based approach to ensure that we have the right people, with the right skills, in the right place to support the delivery of our key objectives. Due to our structure and size, we are able to offer extensive exposure to Ministers and the opportunity to work on a far wider portfolio of policy and responsibilities than might be the case in a larger department. This creates an interesting and stimulating work environment. Our key priorities are set out in our Operational Delivery plan and include: Supporting greater inclusion, tolerance and openness in Northern Ireland Contributing to a safer Northern Ireland, where terrorist and paramilitary groups are less able to cause harm to communities Ensuring that governance in Northern Ireland is responsive, transparent and able to deliver effective public service. Addressing the legacy of the past in Northern Ireland For more information about what we do: Visit: About the Role: This role is in the Transformation, Constitution, and Rights Group within the Northern Ireland Office. The team is responsible for delivering some of the NIOs highest priorities and most complex and interesting policy areas, including: transformation of public services, human rights, identity and cultural issues, and supporting devolution. Day to day, the jobholder will be supporting the team across a range of policy areas and managing diverse stakeholders, across Government departments, the Northern Ireland Civil Service and external stakeholders in civil society across Northern Ireland. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work on a wider portfolio of responsibilities than might be the case in a larger department, with considerable exposure to Ministers and senior officials. Duties and Responsibilities: The main responsibilities of the role include but are not limited to: Support the drafting of quality advice and briefings to Ministers and senior officials, including leading on briefing for Cabinet Committee meetings (e.g. Parliamentary Business and Legislation Committee, the Union and Constitution Committee). Support the team with drafting correspondence, responses to Parliamentary Questions and responses to UK Government write rounds. Support the briefing, both oral and written, for senior official and Ministerial visits and engagements with relevant stakeholders. Liaise with other Government departments on policy issues relating to Northern Ireland, including responding to and coordinating briefing requests. Monitor media reporting and social media, highlighting any relevant developments and reporting to the team. Support the teams budget management. Essential Criteria: The post holder will need to demonstrate the following in their application and at interview: The ability to plan work and deliver results at pace, taking the initiative to solve problems. Strong written and oral communication skills, including the ability to explain complex information clearly, concisely and persuasively to a range of audiences. The ability to develop and maintain effective relationships with colleagues and a diverse range of external stakeholders, and to work collaboratively to achieve results. Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills, with the ability to work effectively across a range of tasks and under pressure. Desirable Criteria: An understanding of the Northern Ireland political system and how it works and an understanding of the work of the Northern Ireland Executive would be advantageous. Previous experience of working with Ministers (or equivalent senior decision-makers) and senior officials would be advantageous. Applicants should use the personal statement section of their application to illustrate how you meet the above essential and desirable criteria. Behaviours: We will assess you against the following Success Profiles behaviours at the Higher Executive Officer (HEO) level during the application sift and interview process : We will assess the following Civil Service Behaviours at sift and interview: ? Delivering at Pace ? Communicating and Influencing ? Making Effective Decisions ? Working Together Experience: Please provide a CV and a statement of suitability no longer than 750 words outlining how you meet the essential and desirable criteria. Both will be used in order to assess any demonstrable experience, career history and achievements that are relevant to the role. Your statement of suitability needs to set out evidence of how your experience meets the requirements set out above. Your layout is entirely your preference; you may choose narrative, bullets, etc. One narrative example may cover the requirements needed. You dont have to explain the whole process, just what you have done and the skills and experience you have used. Share with us what makes you suited to this role and why. What you can do, the skills you have that are transferable and the life experience or passion you have that are linked to this role. If you dont have work-based examples then give examples from school/college, clubs, volunteering or other activities you have been involved in. You will also be asked to complete a CV with details of your education, professional qualifications, previous skills and full employment history. Your CV will not be formally assessed so please put the main evidence of your skills into your personal statement. Your CV will be used to add context to your personal statement. More information on behaviours and success profiles can be found here. Please note that in the event of a large number of applications being received we may run the initial sift on the hero Behaviour Working Together. Interview: You will be assessed against the same behaviours at the interview stage and will be asked to provide examples of how you have demonstrated the behaviours. It may help to use one or more examples of a piece of work you have completed or a situation you have been in and use the WHO or STAR model to explain: Or What were the Results of your actions? Strengths It is difficult to prepare for strength type questions. However, you can think through your answers, focus on your achievements and aspects you enjoy and decide how these can be applied in the organisation and role. While strengths questions are shorter and we do not expect a full STAR response, the panel is interested in your first reaction to the question and information or reasoning to support this. If you do not have work-based examples then please give examples from school/college, clubs, volunteering or other activities you have been involved in. All applications for employment are considered strictly on the basis of merit. Offer Once all interviews have been completed, you will be notified of the outcome by email. Offers will be made in strict merit order to the highest scoring candidate first. The successful candidate will be notified of a start date following successful security checks. Additional information received after the closing date will not be considered. Failure to provide sufficient information in support of an application prior to the closing date will not be considered as grounds for an appeal if an applicant is not shortlisted for interview. Security Clearance: This role requires National Security Vetting given the access to sensitive information afforded by the job role. You can find more information by reviewing the information held in the following links: United Kingdom Security Vetting: Applicant - GOV.UK ( The vetting charter - GOV.UK ( In addition, there is a minimum UK residency requirement set by the Cabinet Office which is dependent on the security level required for the role. This role requires SC and to be eligible to apply for this role you should have been present in the UK continuously for the past 5 years Neither Detached Duty terms nor relocation costs will apply to this post. Further Information: Further information about the post may be obtained from Julie Miller via email to. All applications for employment are considered strictly on the basis of merit. This job description should not be taken as constituting conditions of employment. Please note that due to the high interest in NIO opportunities, feedback cannot be given if you are unsuccessful at the sift stage. Feedback is available on request if unsuccessful following the interview. Complaints: The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commissions Recruitment Principles. You have the right to complain if you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles. Please contact SSCL () in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: Reserve Lists: In the event that the advertised post following interview, identifies more appointable applicants than available posts, we may hold applicant details on a merit/reserve list for a period of 12 months from which further future appointments can be made. Candidates placed on a reserve list will be informed of this. Those candidates who do not wish to remain on the reserve list should contact to be removed from the reserve list. Interview dates Date(s) TBC Closing Date: 10th March 2026, 23:55 hours. Contact information If you require any assistance please call (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail