Chief Executive Officer in Belfast

The organisation operates within a public sector framework, working to promote reconciliation, tolerance, parity of esteem and mutual respect in Northern Ireland. It advances cultural and national identity principles as set out in the Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Act 2022, and delivers outcomes aligned to diplomacy, pluralism, and inclusive engagement locally and internationally. The organisation's governance framework is designed to provide assurance to stakeholders, including the sponsor department and the Northern Ireland Assembly, while enabling responsiveness to changing political and social contexts.

To achieve our mission and vision, we will bring expertise and deep networks, backed by research and communication skills to partner locally and internationally on matters of culture and identity.

Vision: Together we contribute to a peaceful and prosperous place where the present means hope and welcome.

Mission: We foster belonging and better connect the work to a new forward looking and respectful Northern Ireland.

Our corporate governance framework is designed to enable us to achieve our outcomes and strategic priorities while providing assurances to key stakeholders including the sponsor department and Assembly.

Long Term Outcomes: The office is a dynamic body responsive to changing political imperatives. It will set standards to support the Assembly's local and international objectives aligned to soft diplomacy with regard to cultural identity. The Office will create partnerships to enable designated public bodies to strengthen their plurality commitments, compliance with and implementation of their statutory duties. The Office will administer grants and research opportunities to further resilience, knowledge and networks on cultural and national identity. The Office will advance mechanisms to strengthen east-west, north-south working relationships including the exploration of the formation of the Castlereagh Foundation.

Values: Our governance procedures aim at all times to reflect our values of openness, honesty, constructive challenge and creativity and trust.

Purpose of the Role: The Chief Executive Officer is the organisation's most senior operational leader and Accounting Officer. The postholder is responsible for providing strategic leadership, corporate governance, and effective delivery of statutory functions. The role ensures the organisation achieves its mission, long-term outcomes and strategic priorities while maintaining the highest standards of public accountability, financial stewardship and ethical leadership.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership and Governance: Act as Accounting Officer in accordance with Managing Public Money Northern Ireland, ensuring propriety, regularity and value for money in the use of public funds. Support and advise the Director of the Office and Chair of the Board in fulfilling statutory duties and strategic objectives. Lead the development, implementation and monitoring of the Corporate Plan and annual Work Programme. Ensure robust governance frameworks, internal controls, and risk management arrangements are in place and operating effectively. Chair the Senior Management Team, fostering collective leadership and organisational resilience. Report regularly to the Board, Audit and Risk Committee, sponsor department and other oversight bodies.
• Policy Advice and Delivery: Ensure the Director of the Office has access to timely, high-quality advice, evidence and analysis to inform decision-making. Oversee engagement, research, policy review, advice and communications to meet statutory duties and organisational outcomes. Lead the development of evidence-based policy advice and formal recommendations to Ministers and senior officials. Support formal representations, scrutiny appearances and provision of evidence to Assembly and parliamentary committees. Ensure policies reflect national and cultural identity principles, promoting reconciliation, tolerance and meaningful dialogue.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Maintain effective relationships with sponsor departments, arm's-length bodies, delivery partners and community stakeholders. Resource and support advisory forums and engagement mechanisms to inform policy and programme development. Support the Director of the Office in promoting the organisation's role and objectives through proactive communications and media engagement. Support the Director of the Office in developing partnerships locally, nationally and internationally to advance cultural identity, pluralism and soft diplomacy objectives.
• Corporate Service, Finance and Risk: Lead and oversee Finance, HR, ICT, estates, procurement and corporate services strategies. Manage annual budgets, in-year forecasting and long-term financial planning. Ensure effective audit, assurance and compliance arrangements, including oversight of internal and external audit. Identify, assess and manage organisational risks, maintaining and reviewing the corporate risk register. Provide strategic leadership in financial risk management, ensuring that financial risks are identified, assessed, and mitigated in line with the corporate risk register.
• People Leadership and Culture: Provide clear leadership, setting strategic direction and organisational priorities. Recruit, manage, develop and appraise senior staff, promoting high performance, innovation and continuous improvement. Foster a positive, inclusive and respectful workplace culture aligned to equality, diversity and inclusion commitments. Ensure staff uphold the highest standards of conduct, accountability and professionalism.
• Additional Responsibilities: Deputise for the Director of the Office as required. Represent the organisation at senior external forums and events. Ensure compliance with health and safety, information governance and data protection requirements. Uphold the Nolan principles of Public Life. Undertake other duties commensurate with the role as organisational needs evolve.

Person Specification: To be considered for the role, candidates must be able to demonstrate, by the closing date for applications, experience in the following criteria.

Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must, by the closing date for applications have: A minimum of 5 years' senior management experience, within the last 8 years, in the private, public or voluntary sectors requiring the management of resources, both human and financial, together with the application of current best practice in relation to governance, accountability, business planning, risk management, audit and financial management. A minimum of 5 years' senior management experience, within the last 8 years, in the private, public or voluntary sector providing detailed policy advice and/or proposals on strategic issues concerning the sector with which an individual is working. Demonstrable evidence of having developed and managed programmes and projects to support the achievement of strategic objectives. Demonstrable evidence of leading and developing a range of professional, highly-skilled, high-performance teams to deliver effective outcomes and performance improvements. Demonstrable evidence of having provided effective and timely advice and information to Board or Director level, in a public, private or community and voluntary sector organisation, in order to provide a rationale for policy development and account for organisational achievement.

Desirable Criteria: Applicants must, by the closing date, have successfully completed the professional examinations and be a full, current member of one of the bodies listed below: Chartered Accountants Ireland, The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Scotland, The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, The Chartered Institute of Public Finance Accountancy, CIPD Chartered Membership. Membership of alternative accounting bodies, recognised as equivalent by the selection panel, will be considered.

This job description is indicative and may be reviewed to meet evolving organisational needs.

In order to apply for this role please contact Grace Fleming at MCS Group to request an application pack. MCS Group is committed to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion for all, being the first recruitment agency in NI to achieve Bronze Diversity Mark accreditation. If you have a disability which means you require a reasonable adjustment to be considered at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact us and we will endeavour to facilitate the request.

Benefits: 25 days holiday plus public holidays.