A FRESH bid has begun to find a head for the regional civil service six months after Arlene Foster and Michelle O'Neill failed to agree on who should fill the role.
A previous recruitment drive last year for the job, which pays a salary of up to £188,000, ended inconclusively with the first and deputy first minister reportedly unable to agree a candidate from a shortlist.
It is understood the three candidates shortlisted in last September's recruitment round – Department of Finance permanent secretary Sue Gray, her Department of Health counterpart Richard Pengelly, and Department of Justice permanent secretary Peter May – will be permitted to reapply.
Former head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service (Nics) Sir David Sterling stepped down last August. The role has been filled since December on an interim basis by Jenny Pyper, former head of the Utility Regulator.
Officially launching the fresh recruitment drive yesterday, a statement from Mrs Foster and Ms O'Neill made no reference to the previous failed effort to fill the post – which also doubles as the Stormont executive’s principal policy adviser.
The ministers said the head of Nics would be "at the very heart of public life".
“We want to recruit a highly skilled leader as our principal policy adviser and leader of the Nics, providing support, counsel and challenge to us, the executive as a whole and to the Nics," they said.
“The issues we face are many and significant, but we are committed to delivering our priorities as set out in the Programme for Government and in New Decade New Approach.”
Applications for the post close on April 15.
