The purpose of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the NIO (which should be consistently UKGs centre of expertise on Northern Ireland) has remained the same, whether or not the Executive is functioning, since the Assembly met in 1999. That purpose is to ensure that Northern Ireland is secure, with stable and effective devolved institutions, improving community relations and a growing economy. The departments vision is simple; to make Northern Ireland a better place to live, work and invest. It is a small Ministerial Department with big responsibilities - delivered primarily through the purposeful application of expertise, organisation and relationships. To achieve this, the department supports the Secretary of State and wider Ministerial team for Northern Ireland to deliver the Prime Ministers priorities in Northern Ireland. The department ensures Northern Ireland issues are fully and effectively represented at Westminster - and that the Governments responsibilities are fully and effectively represented in Northern Ireland. We do this through ensuring the effective functioning of the devolved institutions; keeping people safe from the threats of terrorism and organised criminality; supporting the delivery of a growing economy; helping to reduce community divisions; building mutual trust and establishing meaningful interculturalism. 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: ns/northern-ireland-office The main responsibilities of the role include but are not limited to: Help maintain sustainable governance in Northern Ireland, including influencing and monitoring developments in the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly closely. Uphold the Government's commitment to Strand 3 of the Good Friday Agreement and reset, strong relations between the UK and Irish Governments, particularly by representing the UK as Joint Secretary of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference. Support and influence Northern Irelands civic/civil society to build strong and resilient communities. Broaden and strengthen the NIO's stakeholder network in Northern Ireland, including by supporting Ministerial meetings and engagements, ensuring insight can be reflected in policy development across government. Oversee UKG co-ordination of commitments made in NI-UKG political agreements. Manage and coach a high-performing team split across two locations. We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: 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. Please view our candidate information pack for full details about the role, key responsibilities person specification, and the criteria you will be assessed against throughout the recruitment process. If you are interested in this exciting opportunity, and feel that you meet the criteria, we would welcome your application.