---

Job description

Four City and Growth Deals have been announced covering the whole of NI, Belfast Region City Deal, Derry City and Strabane City Deal, Mid South West Growth Deal and Causeway Coast and Glens Growth Deal. There is a total funding package of £1.3bn comprised of £562 City/Growth Deals and £55m of Inclusive Future Fund funding provided by the UK government, which is match funded by the Executive as well as a £100m Complementary Fund provided by the Executive. The DoF Permanent Secretary is the Executive‘s Senior Responsible Officer for the City and Growth Deals Programme. Public Spending Directorate fulfil the sponsor role for the programme, developing and agreeing the Governance and Funding Arrangements, seeking Executive agreement and leading on engagement with partners on agreeing Heads of Terms, Deal Documents, Financial Agreements and implementation plans. DoF chairs, or joint chairs, the various groups established under the Governance Arrangements and provides the secretariat function for these meetings. The Head of City & Growth Deals (Grade 5) leads on the NI City & Growth Deals Programme and provides support to the Public Spending Director and the DoF Permanent Secretary on all aspects of the NI City and Growth Deals Programme. This will include translating the strategic priorities into outcomes, taking ownership of the delivery against these outcomes and taking quick and confident decisions at a strategic level to move things forward..

Responsibilities

• providing advice and guidance on Governance and Funding Arrangements;
• leading engagement with local partners (Councils and Universities);
• leading for central government on development of Heads of Terms, Deal documents, Financial Agreements and Implementation Plans;
• leading engagement with NI accountable departments to develop detailed arrangements to ensure consistency of approach including funding flows, letters of offer etc.;
• liaising and with UKG partners (HMT, DLUHC and NIO) to ensure their requirements are met;
• chairing NI Working Group and provide updates to NI Oversight Group and Delivery Board;
• heading secretariat function for Delivery Board and Oversight Group;
• managing overall funding envelope including interface with NI Budget and In-year Monitoring;
• providing quarterly progress updates to SRO and updates for Executive as required;
• leading on production of public facing annual reports on each Deal, following signing of Deal document.

Skills and Qualifications

Essential Skills

• Direct and personal experience at senior management level of successfully managing working relationships with a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders, including those operating at Chief Executive level or equivalent;
• Direct and personal experience at senior management level of providing effective strategic direction and oversight in a complex and diverse organisational environment, working across local and central government;
• Direct and personal experience at senior management level of effectively leading and managing substantial and complex programmes of work or projects against demanding deadlines, within an environment of competing priorities.

Further Information

Location: Clare House, 303 Airport Road West, Belfast. Work time: Monday to Friday 9.00am - 5.00pm. Salary: £74,912 - £84,122 per annum (under review). NICS Application form only, Vacancy closing date Friday 27th January 2023 at 12 noon. Applications from women, young people (people under the age of 35), people with a disability and people from minority ethnic communities are particularly welcomed for this post. The Northern Ireland Civil Service is an Equal Opportunities Employer. All applications for employment are considered strictly on the basis of merit.

Application Information

Please visit the recruitment service website www.nicsrecruitment.org.uk (Please quote reference number: IRC284814)