Head of Human Resources & Operations in Belfast

The Northern Ireland Office supports the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in promoting the best interests of Northern Ireland. We ensure that Northern Ireland interests are represented within the UK Government and that UK Government responsibilities are fully and effectively represented in Northern Ireland. 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.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a proactive HR professional to take on a rewarding role at the heart of the NIO. Reporting to the Head of Capability and Culture, you will play a pivotal role in building departmental capability and delivering an exceptional HR service that supports our business and people objectives. This is a multi-disciplinary role covering a wide range of HR responsibilities, including:

• Day-to-day support for recruitment (managing campaigns end-to-end)
• Delivering our talent schemes
• Supporting the line manager capability agenda
• The diversity, inclusion and wellbeing agenda
• HR communications

At the same time, you will provide advice and support across the full employee lifecycle, including performance management, onboarding, offboarding, induction, and flexible working.

Duties and Responsibilities

The main responsibilities of the role include but are not limited to:

• Build and maintain collaborative and productive relationships with business managers, senior management and wider stakeholders
• Lead on end-to-end recruitment, onboarding and offboarding activities for departmental campaigns
• Lead on intranet updates and guidance packs
• Support the development of policy and guidance
• Support work on data for workforce planning and recruitment activities
• Compile Management Information and central HR Returns
• Support budgets and transacting of HR and Finance activities
• Support Performance Management policy and processes
• Ensure accurate and up-to-date record keeping and efficient HR data management, in line with governance and assurance requirements
• Respond to queries relating to recruitment plans and HR processes

Essential Criteria

The post holder will need to demonstrate the following in their application and at interview:

Desirable Criteria:

• CIPD Level 5 qualification or have experience in a HR Generalist role

Behaviours

We will assess you against the following Success Profiles Behaviours for HEO level during the application sift and at interview:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
• Seeing the Big Picture

How to Apply

This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours and Strengths for HEO level. A statement of suitability no longer than 500 words to assess the essential and desirable criteria is required. 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. It may help to use one or more examples of a piece of work you have completed or a situation you have been in.

Security Clearance

This role requires National Security Vetting given the access to sensitive information afforded by the job role. 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.

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.

Interview dates

Date(s) w/c 22th and 29th June 2026

Contact information

If you require any assistance please call (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or email.