Northern Ireland Civil Service Board
The NICS Board provides collective strategic leadership for the Civil Service, supporting the Northern Ireland Executive to deliver its priorities. Working together across Departments, the Board provides advice, oversight and challenge to help drive the organisational change needed to support ministers, the Executive and ultimately public service delivery.
NICS Board Minutes 2020 - 2026
Access the documents via the links below:
2026
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
Membership and Role
The Board was reconstituted in February 2023. It is chaired by the Head of the Civil Service and comprises Permanent Secretaries of the nine NICS Departments, the Departmental Solicitor and three Non-Executive Members. The Board has 3 committees:
The People Committee which oversees the implementation of the NICS People Strategy 2025-2030;
The ISNI Committee whose purpose is to create a coherent single point of focus and collaboration on the delivery of the Investment Strategy when published and the implementation of the Enabling Action Plan which will transform the delivery of infrastructure; and
The PfG Committee which supports the Board to drive forward the development and delivery of the Executive’s Programme for Government (PfG).
Each NICS Department is its own separate legal entity and constitutionally, Permanent Secretaries are accountable to the Head of the Civil Service for their individual performance and to their Minister for delivery of ministerial policies. As Accounting Officers, they are also accountable to the Assembly for the management of their Departments. For this reason, unlike a private-sector board, no individual member (or subgroup of members) holds primary fiduciary responsibility. There is no Accounting Officer for the NICS. Policy decisions relating to the NICS are the responsibility of the Minister of Finance.
NICS Board Membership
Non-Executive Members
Additional Representation
Senior Reporting Officer (SRO) leads of Programme boards and others will be invited to attend meetings as appropriate to deal with issues that fall within their areas of responsibility.
Secretariat
Secretariat support to the NICS Board is provided by The Executive Office (TEO).
Jayne Byrne Chief of Staff to HOCS