Senior Policy Advisor, Northern Ireland

Founded 60 years ago and representing some of the biggest names in business, household brands and globally traded corporations that employ people in all sectors and across every region and nation of the UK, the CBI is the voice of business. The CBI represents 850 members who themselves comprise 1,100 separate registered companies and 150,000 trade association members. The CBI in Northern Ireland represents hundreds of local businesses (large, medium and small) across a full range of sectors. This includes indigenous companies in Northern Ireland and those headquartered in other parts of the UK that have operations locally.

The CBI is committed to ensuring a safe, supportive, and inclusive people-centric culture where our people can excel, achieve their full potential, and be their best authentic selves in an environment where ethical values and respectful behaviours are at the very heart of who we are in our everyday interactions.

Role Summary

This role would suit an enthusiastic and motivated policy professional with excellent expertise in the policy environment in Northern Ireland and how this interacts with UK-wide policy, as well as cross-border policy and trade with the Republic of Ireland and the wider EU. You will have a passion for the role that business plays in supporting the Northern Irish economy and an eagerness to learn and develop. You will work closely with the team in CBI Northern Ireland, the CBI UK team, as well as other key internal and external stakeholders, including Ibec.

In your role you will help to influence and develop policy positions that will support our mission of promoting sustainable economic growth both specifically in Northern Ireland and across the UK. To maximise our impact, we have established three principles to guide how the CBI will work with members:

• Be transparent in our decision-making, including the campaigns we choose to focus on, areas we submit policy consultation responses to, or issues we speak out on.
• Be democratic in defining our positions, through how we gather member insights, feedback and consult. We will ensure all members have opportunities to have their voice heard and know the impact that their engagement has had.
• Be evidence-led in our work, ensuring our advocacy is rigorous, factual and plays to our analytical strengths. Where there are nuances across the business community, we will surface these, working closely with our Trade Association network to ensure different perspectives are understood and communicated.

Our priorities are focused, relevant to all parts of the business ecosystem, and driven by the insights members shared with us about the big missions facing the NI economy in the journey to deliver lasting, sustainable growth. Those missions are:

• How to lead the global race to net zero?
• How to respond to the changing nature of the future of work and skills?
• How to manage the transformation being driven by the technological & innovation revolution?
• How to lead the development and implementation of innovative policies that drive NI towards a sustainable, inclusive, and competitive future.

Ensuring our commitment that Northern Ireland's unique needs and opportunities are fully integrated into our national strategies. For each of these missions, the CBI will run a programme of work: engaging and inspiring members, identifying key enabling actions required by the government and building the policy position to support those. In your role, you will need to understand how to apply these missions both in the devolved context in Northern Ireland and the policy interaction with UK-wide government.

Key Responsibilities

Working with businesses to develop the CBI's policy positions:

• Demonstrating a strong grasp of the key policy challenges facing businesses and in particular the impact on those operating in Northern Ireland. This will include the political environment in which they are seeking to influence, and the impact of Northern Ireland's unique position under the Windsor Framework.
• Working with CBI members to continually develop policy positions, including managing competing business and commercial interests to produce messages with broad support.
• Working on discrete projects (e.g. policy briefs, reports, and consultation responses), using project management skills to track progress, manage risk and measure success.
• Working with colleagues across the wider CBI to extend the CBI's policy work.
• Drafting and presenting papers for senior-level boards and committees.
• Drafting internal briefings for meetings, demonstrating awareness of political context at both UK and Northern Ireland level.

Maintain relationships with relevant stakeholders:

• The post holder will build and maintain productive relationships with external contacts including relevant officials within UK, NI and RoI governments, MLAs, MPs and wider business and non-governmental stakeholders with an interest in the policy area.
• This will include representing the CBI at meetings to influence policy as well as preparing and delivering presentations.

Work effectively with businesses and colleagues across the CBI:

• Engage effectively and collaboratively with senior representatives from the business community and colleagues across the CBI, including account managers and staff in CBI other devolved and regional offices, as well as CBI headquarters.
• This work includes involving CBI members in policy formation, keeping them up to date with policy developments or changes which relate to their specific interests, and producing high-quality analytical work which support CBI campaigns.
• Take ownership of specific projects or events and build partnerships to deliver. They will work closely with the membership team to secure new members and help retain existing ones.
• Keeping the team and senior management team informed on key issues will also be essential.
• Seek innovative ways to maximise our member service and contribute to the organisation's commercial goals.

Knowledge & Experience

What an individual must know or understand to be able to fulfil the role's requirements:

• Knowledge of the policymaking process in UK/NI government, both at devolved and Westminster levels. Knowledge of policymaking in the Republic of Ireland would also be advantageous.
• Demonstrable interest in politics and public policy.
• Familiarity with the workings of business and commercial pressures.

This role is pay band 5. To apply, send your CV and covering letter to recruit@cbi.org.uk. The closing date for all applications is Friday, 11 July 2025 at 17:00.