Jayne Brady to become new NI civil service head

Jayne Brady is currently the digital innovation commissioner for Belfast City Council

Jayne Brady is to become the new head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS), the first and deputy first ministers have confirmed.

It followed a second recruitment process after ministers failed to fill the position last year.

Ms Brady currently works as Belfast City Council's digital innovation commissioner.

She will take over from Jenny Pyper, who took over temporarily in December for seven months.

However, Ms Brady will not manage the department overseen by the first and deputy first ministers.

In March, it emerged that a new permanent secretary role, described as a de facto chief operating officer, is being created within the Executive Office (TEO) to do this.

That will remove the responsibility of managing the TEO from the new Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) head.

Arlene Foster and Michelle O'Neill praised Jayne Brady for the experience she will bring to the role

The NI Civil Service offers a salary of up to £166,000 for its top job although it's not yet known when Ms Brady will officially start in the role.

'Extensive experience'

Confirming the appointment, outgoing First Minister Arlene Foster said it was a "hugely significant appointment" for the institutions of government.

"As leader of some 23,000 civil servants and chief policy adviser to the Executive, the HOCS (head of the civil service) role is central to the development and delivery of public services and Jayne is an experienced and highly skilled leader who has much to bring to the role," she added.

Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said Ms Brady would bring "extensive experience" to the role.

She said: "I also want to put on record my thanks to Jenny Pyper, who stepped up to carry out the role on an interim basis over the past seven months during a time of great challenge for the Executive and civil service as we have responded to the global health crisis."

Ms Brady said she was honoured to take up the role and was "under no illusions" about the scale of the challenges ahead.

She added: "I am looking forward to supporting the Executive in delivering their commitments and priorities during my tenure."