Senior Policy Adviser - Constitution

Background The Northern Ireland Office supports the Secretary of State in promoting the best interests of Northern Ireland: ensuring that Northern Ireland interests are represented within the UK Government and that UK government responsibilities are fully and effectively represented in Northern Ireland. We are the centre of expertise on Northern Ireland issues across Government. 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 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 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:
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About The Role:

The Transformation, Constitution, and Rights Group handles some of the Northern Ireland Offices (NIO) most high-profile, complex, and fascinating policy areas. We oversee constitutional legislation, elections, human rights, cultural identity, and devolution. More than just a policy team, we are a friendly, inclusive, and highly collaborative group that genuinely prioritises team culture and individual wellbeing. As part of the Constitution Team, you will sit at the intersection of history, law, and politics in Northern Ireland.

You will monitor constitutional developments across the UK, engaging with the work of external experts and top scholars to ensure the NIO stays ahead of the curve. If successful, you will become a true subject-matter expert on the Good Friday Agreement and the Northern Ireland Act 1998. You won't just study these texts; you will ensure their intent and spirit are accurately reflected in UK Government policy, becoming a trusted advisor to Ministers and senior officials.

You will work closely with other Government departments, advising teams on how to develop policy that works for Northern Ireland, recognising any unique sensitivities, opportunities or challenges. We are looking for strategic thinkers and team players, who have an eye for detail but never lose sight of the big picture.

Duties And Responsibilities:

The main responsibilities of the role include but are not limited to:
Owning your portfolio: shape and drive forward the Government's constitutional strategy for Northern Ireland, taking direct ownership of a distinct and critical range of policy issues;
Advising at the highest levels: navigate politically sensitive, high-profile environments to deliver sharp, nuanced briefings to senior leaders and Ministers;
Representing our ministers: lead on drafting high-quality, precise responses to Parliamentary Questions and Ministerial correspondence, and provide direct support to Ministers during Parliamentary sessions;
Building strong networks: cultivate strong, collaborative relationships across Whitehall, the NIO, and external stakeholder groups to align agendas and drive priorities forward. If you have any questions about the role, please reach out to

Essential Criteria :
The post holder will need to demonstrate the following in their application and at interview:
Policy development skills and the capacity to produce high-quality written briefings for senior leaders and Ministers across Government;
Experience (or show the clear potential) to verbally brief Ministers and senior leaders on complex topics, helping them to easily understand detailed policy;
Good organisational and prioritising skills with the ability to work across a range of tasks, policies and under pressure; A proactive, solutions-focused mindset, with the ability to identify problems, design improvements, and implement them. Desirable Criteria:

Experience of working on constitution or devolution issues would be advantageous but is not essential. We will teach you what you need to know if you have the right core skills! Behaviours:
We will assess you against the following Success Profiles behaviours at SEO level during the application sift:
Communicating and Influencing Making Effective Decisions We will then assess you against the following Success Profiles behaviours at SEO level during the interview process:
Communicating and Influencing Delivering at Pace Making Effective Decisions Seeing the Big Picture

Experience:

Please provide a work history and separate statement of suitability no longer than 500 words outlining how you meet the…