JOB DESCRIPTION
Business Area
Fiscal Economy & Trade Group
Role Title
Policy Advisor
Terms of Appointment
One HEO for economic growth, advertised as a two year
FTC with the open of a one year extension
Number of Vacancies
One
Band
Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
Location
Northern Ireland (Belfast)
Erskine House 20-32 Chichester St Belfast BT1 4GF
Occasional Travel between Belfast and London may be
required.
Vacancy Manager
TBC
Applications Invited From External Candidates and Existing Civil Servants on level
transfer and promotion
New entrants to the Civil Service will be expected to join on the minimum of the pay
range.
Existing Civil Servants will have their salary calculated in accordance with the
Department’s pay on transfer / pay on promotion rules.
The national salary range is £35, 335 - £37,847.
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 165 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:https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/northern-ireland-office
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice.
ABOUT THE ROLE:
The Northern Ireland Office is recruiting a Higher Executive Officer (HEO) to support
the engagement, delivery and administrative functions within the Fiscal, Economy
and Trade Group (FET). This role is dedicated to driving growth and prosperity in
Northern Ireland, focused on supporting the economy by working with other
Government departments, the NI Executive and wider stakeholders.
The FET group covers a broad remit within the Northern Ireland Office, leading on a
range of financial issues with HM Treasury and the NI Department of Finance. It
serves as the interface between Whitehall and the Northern Ireland Civil Service
(NICS) on long term reform and short term pressures, including Northern Ireland’s
fiscal position and the economic implications of exiting the EU.
As an integral part of the FET team, you will provide essential support to the delivery
of the group’s work programme. You will lead on the overall monitoring, governance
and core business as usual operations of the wider team. This aspect involves
playing an important coordination role to ensure FET group work and critical issues
are completed to deadlines and that team members have clarity over work
commissions from across the Department and Whitehall.
The successful candidate will also play a policy support role in ensuring the delivery
of, and engagement on, growth oriented programmes such as the Industrial Strategy
and Defence Growth Deal. You will support wider policy advice on how UK
Government funding is delivered in Northern Ireland across sectors including
Artificial Intelligence, Cyber, energy, sports infrastructure and skills.
You will be expected to work with initiative, reacting confidently to emerging issues
while providing surge support on key priority work to contribute to the advice
provided to Ministers. This is a substantive, varied role with tangible delivery and
policy outcomes in an area that will only get more important as we seek to address
the economic challenges facing the Northern Ireland economy.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The main responsibilities of the role include but are not limited to:
● Building effective working relationships with internal colleagues and external
partners to ensure smooth operational delivery.
● Provide advice and briefings to Ministers and senior officials, and support
senior official/ministerial visits and engagements with civic sector groups.
● Monitor media reporting and social media, highlighting any developments in
the related policy areas and reporting to relevant teams across the NIO.
● Providing logistical and administrative support for the in-person delivery of
external engagements and events.
● Represent FET at external meetings and events in Northern Ireland.
● Deliver secretariat functions for a recently formed, cross-Civil Service group
including monitoring the secretariat inbox, ensuring timely responses to
stakeholders and triaging inquiries effectively.
● The role will also require working closely and effectively across the wider
team to proactively identify opportunities to promote and deliver on the UK
Government’s economic growth objectives.
ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:
● Organisational Skills: A track record of excellent organisational skills used to
successfully deliver against competing priorities.
● Communication: Strong written and oral communication skills, and the ability
to influence senior stakeholders.
● Pace: A proven ability to work at pace and under pressure.
● Relationships: The ability to build and maintain effective and responsive
relationships with colleagues and stakeholders, particularly those that are
externally facing.
● Initiative: A proven capability to work independently and with initiative,
reacting confidently to emerging issues.
DESIRABLE CRITERIA:
● A good understanding of the political and economic environment in Northern
Ireland.
● Previous experience of working with Ministers (or equivalent senior
decision-makers) and senior officials.
● Experience working in an economic policy role or a position involving
engagement with Northern Ireland's key industrial and technology sectors
SELECTION PROCESS
The selection process will consist of two stages:
1) SIFT:
EXPERIENCE:
Please provide a CV with details of your education, professional qualifications,
previous skills and full employment history; and a statement of suitability no longer
than 500 words outlining how you meet the essential and desirable criteria.
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 don’t 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 don’t have work-based examples then give examples
from school/college, clubs, volunteering or other activities you have been involved in.
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.
2) INTERVIEW:
If you are successful at the sift stage and invited to interview, you will be asked to
provide examples of how you have demonstrated the behaviours listed below at the
level appropriate to the post.
BEHAVIOURS:
● Communicating and Influencing;
● Delivering At Pace
● Making Effective Decisions;
● Seeing the Big Picture
In the event of a large number of applications, the sift will be scored according to the
lead behaviour: Communicating and Influencing.
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:
● WHO- What it was? How you approached the work/situation? What
the Outcomes were, what did you achieve? or
● STAR- What was the Situation? What were the Tasks? What Action did you
take? What were the Results of your actions?
STRENGTH:
The interview will also consist of two Strength-based questions:
Resilient - You have inner composure, recover quickly from setbacks and learn from
them.
Organiser - You make plans and are well prepared. You seek to maximise time and
productivity.
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.
More information on behaviours, strengths and success profiles can be found here.
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 (www.gov.uk)
The vetting charter - GOV.UK (www.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:
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
Commission’s Recruitment Principles. You have the right to complain if you feel a
department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles.
Please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@sscl.gse.gov.uk) 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:
http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitment/complaints
/
https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/code/
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
MoJ-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com to be removed from the reserve list.
Additional Information
Working Arrangements & Further Information
The NIO offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an
informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base
location, different NIO sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only
be worked in the UK and not overseas). All employees will be expected to spend a
minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.
Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit
everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the
successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.
Flexible working hours
The NIO offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working
hours are 37 hours per week. NIO welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working
patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications
for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance
with the NIO’s Flexible Working policy.
Benefits:
● Access to learning and development
● A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to
enhance your work life balance
● A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity
● A Civil Service pension
● 25 days annual leave, increasing to 30 days after five years service.
● Public Holidays
● Season Ticket Advance
Networks
The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide
advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be
expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of
minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities,
women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.
Support
● A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced
hours or job share.
● Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and
discounts on a range of goods and services.
● For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this
can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare
vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare
support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found
on GOV.UK or Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at
https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
● Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
● Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil
Service Commission's recruitment principles. Should you feel that the recruitment
process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint
in the following order
● To Shared Service Connected Ltd (0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am -
6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com);
●
To
Ministry
of
Justice
Resourcing
team
(resourcing-management-office@justice.gov.uk);
● To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)
As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to providing everyone with the
opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments
throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. We are able to
offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except
in a limited number of campaigns.
For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term
condition, please see our Disability Confident Scheme Frequently Asked Questions
webpage.
You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the
application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please
contact the SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are
at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised
vacancy.
Diversity & Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found.
To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity
and Inclusion Strategy.
Interview dates
Date(s) TBC
Closing Date:
06/04/2026
Contact information
If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am -
6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com