Appointment details

Commissioner - Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission

Summary

• Organisation: Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission
• Sponsor department: Northern Ireland Office
• Location: Northern Ireland
• Sectors: Public Administration
• Skills: Change Management, Communication, Regulation, Consumer Advocacy
• Number of vacancies: 4
• Time commitment: Adhoc
• Remuneration: £7,500 per annum
• Length of term: Three years
• Application deadline: Midday on 1 May 2026

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Timeline for this appointment

1. Opening date

   8 April 2026

2. Application deadline

   Midday on 1 May 2026

3. Sifting date

   22 May 2026

4. Interviews expected to end on

   5 June 2026

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the appointment

Introduction from the Minister

Thank you for your interest in becoming Commissioners to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC).

I am seeking outstanding individuals who can make a real contribution to the NIHRC’s ongoing work and bring expertise and fresh thinking to some of the challenges in the coming months and years. These include, in particular, but not exclusively, a track record in and commitment to human rights and their application to marginalised or vulnerable groups, the operationalisation of the dedicated mechanism to oversee the commitment to no diminution of relevant rights in Northern Ireland, set out in Article 2 of the Windsor Framework, and the NIHRC’s subsequent work in supporting the mechanism’s ongoing functions.

The enclosed information will, I hope, answer many of the questions you may have about the role and work of the NIHRC. I will be looking to appoint individuals who can bring vision, influence and innovation to the role; someone who will work collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders for the benefit of all the people of Northern Ireland.

I welcome applications from all suitably experienced individuals regardless of ethnicity, religion or belief, political opinion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability and gender. I particularly welcome applications from those with a disability and those from a black or ethnic minority background as these groups are currently underrepresented. I want to encourage the widest possible pool of talent for these important appointments.

I hope that you will feel able to submit an application and, once again, thank you for your interest in these positions. 

THE RT HON HILARY BENN MP

SECRETARY OF STATE FOR NORTHERN IRELAND

Appointment description

All Commissioners will be expected to:

• ensure the Commission fulfils its functions in accordance with its statutory remit as defined in legislation;
• ensure that the Commission’s activities are conducted in an efficient and effective manner;
• ensure that strategies are developed for meeting the Commission’s overall objectives in accordance with Government’s policies and priorities and the wider context;
• monitor the Commission’s performance to ensure that it fully meets its aims, objectives
• and performance targets;
• demonstrate a commitment of the principles of independence, participation, effectiveness, inclusion and partnership under the Commission’s work;
• ensure that the Commission’s control, regulation and monitoring of its activities provide value for public money within a framework of best practice, regularity and propriety;
• appoint the Chief Executive should this vacancy arise and ensure that his/her performance is regularly assessed against clear objectives and targets;
• attend Commission meetings regularly and any sub committees as required; and
• act as a representative of the Commission e.g. at events, seminars or other functions.

Organisation description

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (the ‘NIHRC’) was created by the Northern Ireland Act 1998, as part of the Belfast / Good Friday Agreement. Its powers and duties stem from the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007.

The NIHRC was established in 1999. It is a public body independent of Government. It operates as an executive non-departmental public body sponsored by the Northern Ireland Office.

Appointments to the NIHRC are made by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. The NIHRC is a National Human Rights Institution with ‘A’ status accreditation from the United Nations (UN). Its powers are set out in legislation and its responsibilities as a National Human Rights Institution are in compliance with the UN General Assembly Resolution 48/134 (The Paris Principles).

The NIHRC’s functions include keeping under review the adequacy and effectiveness in Northern Ireland of law and practice relating to the protection of human rights and promoting understanding and awareness of the importance of human rights in Northern Ireland. The NIHRC also plays a key role in the dedicated mechanism, established under Article 2 of the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol to the Withdrawal Agreement with the European Union, working with the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland and the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission.

Person specification

Essential criteria

Outstanding individuals are sought to become Commissioners of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. The successful applicants will be individuals who have a commitment to protecting, respecting and promoting human rights. They should have an understanding of and commitment to working in partnership with a wide range of stakeholders and be able to apply personal expertise in contributing to the work of the Commission. They should also be committed to the need for good governance in public bodies.

Candidates for these roles will need to demonstrate:

• the ability to build productive and respectful relationships with fellow Commissioners, senior stakeholders and diverse communities;
• knowledge of human rights law and in depth understanding of the considerations that influence the environment in which the NIHRC works (including understanding of its statutory remit) and an ability to make a personal contribution to the work of the Commission;
• the ability to analyse information and exercise judgement across a broad spectrum of policy and high level human rights issues; and
• a practical understanding of and commitment to the Nolan Principles including accountability and personal integrity. 

Application and selection process

About this appointment

Some public appointments are made by the Prime Minister, or the Crown on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. Others are made by Secretaries of State or other ministers and are of interest to the Prime Minister.

Public appointments made by or of interest to the Prime Minister

How to apply

In order to apply, you will need to create an account or sign in. Once you are logged into your account, click on ‘apply for this role’ and follow the on-screen instructions by the closing date of 1 May 2026 at 12 noon. 

The selection panel reserves the right to only consider applications that contain all the elements listed below, and that arrive before the published deadline for applications.

For your application to be properly considered by the Selection Panel, you must upload:

• A supporting statement of no more than 1000 words summarising your proven ability related to the essential criteria and person specification. Your statement should provide specific and detailed examples to demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria (including what you did to achieve a specific result);
• A full CV (including education and professional qualifications, career history, and relevant achievements and responsibilities).
• Diversity / Equality Information; and
• Information relating to any outside conflicts of interests or reputational issues.

Completed applications should be submitted by the closing date of Friday 1 May 2026 at 12 noon.

Further information on how to do this is set out below. However, should you be unable to submit an online application, or have any issues then you should contact us at the earliest opportunity by email or telephone at nihrc2026@nio.gov.uk.

Overview of the application process

All applications received by the closing date will be acknowledged and put before a duly constituted Advisory Assessment Panel including an independent member. It is expected that candidates selected at shortlisting stage will be interviewed by the panel in early June 2026, but this timescale may change at short notice. Interviews may be held in person in Belfast, Northern Ireland or remotely by video conferencing. 

If you require any further information about the process, you should contact the competition coordinator by email at nihrc2026@nio.gov.uk.

Advisory Assessment Panel (AAP)

• Gillian Morton (NIO Director and Panel Chair)
• Alyson Kilpatrick (NIHRC Chief Commissioner)
• Jim Beatty (Independent Panel Member)

Advisory Assessment Panels (AAP) are chosen by ministers to assist them in their decision-making. These include a departmental official and an independent member. For competitions recruiting non-executive members of a board (apart from the Chair), the panel will usually include a representative from the public body concerned.

AAP’s perform a number of functions, including agreeing an assessment strategy with ministers, undertaking sifting, carrying out interviews in line with the advertised criteria and deciding objectively who meets the published selection criteria for the role before recommending to ministers which candidates they find appointable. It is then for the minister to decide who to appoint to the role.

Additional information for candidates

Equality and diversity

We collect data about applicants’ characteristics and backgrounds, including information about people’s educational and professional backgrounds, so that we can make sure we are attracting a broad range of people to these roles and that our selection processes are fair for everyone. When you submit your application, your responses are collected by the Cabinet Office and the government department managing your application. The data is used to produce management information about the diversity of applicants. You can select “prefer not to say” to any question you do not wish to answer. 

The information you provide is not used in the selection process. It will be removed on receipt and is not seen by the Advisory Assessment Panel who will be assessing your application. We only use this information to monitor the diversity of candidates we attract and those we appoint.

Disability confident

As a Whitehall department, the Northern Ireland Office has adopted the Department for Work and Pensions sponsored Disability Confident scheme, which has replaced the Guaranteed Interview Scheme or Two Ticks scheme that was widely used in Great Britain.

Disability Confident is a voluntary scheme that supports the Government’s commitment to halve the employment gap between disabled and non-disabled people by encouraging employers to think differently about disability and to take positive action to improve how they attract, recruit and retain the expertise of these candidates supporting their journey into leadership roles in public life.

We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to help you attend your interview. We aim to create an accessible and supportive experience that allows every candidate to demonstrate their full range of talents and perspectives. You may wish to contact the competition coordinator (see contact details above) about your individual requirements should your application proceed to this stage in the process.

We will also offer an interview to a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants that meet the minimum criteria set out in the advert and who has asked that their application is considered under the scheme - you must be able to provide sufficient evidence to demonstrate relevant skills and experience for each of the selection criteria set out in the essential skills section. This does not mean that all disabled people are entitled to an interview.

The aim of this commitment is to encourage positive action for disabled people, encouraging them to apply for positions in public life by offering them the assurance that, should they meet the minimum criteria as advertised for the positions, they will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities at the interview stage.

It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as an urgent appointment or if we receive a higher volume of applications that far exceeds the number of those expected then we may need to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered. This will include the number of interviews offered to disabled people that meet the minimum criteria for the job.

Reasonable adjustments

If you have a disability and require reasonable adjustments then you may wish to contact the competition coordinator about your requirements at the interview stage, should you proceed in the process.

Principles of public life

The Seven Principles of Public Life (also known as the Nolan Principles) apply to anyone who works as a public office-holder.

1. Selflessness

Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.

2. Integrity

Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.

3. Objectivity

Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.

4. Accountability

Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.

5. Openness

Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.

6. Honesty

Holders of public office should be truthful.

7. Leadership

Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour and treat others with respect. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.

Management of outside interests and consideration of reputational issues

In the interests of transparency and openness, applicants are asked to consider whether their appointment may give rise to a conflict of interest and state this clearly as part of your application. You should provide information regarding interests that you, or your immediate family, have that might be construed as being in conflict with the role of Commissioner to the NIHRC. 

An appointee to a public body could find that matters or incidents which did not previously attract attention could become matters of legitimate public interest once the person concerned holds a public appointment. Actual or perceived conflicts might include, for example, a situation where a candidate has interests in an organisation that might benefit from a contract with the NIHRC or there may be issues in your personal or professional history (including any convictions or bankruptcy) that could, if you were appointed, be misconstrued, cause embarrassment to Ministers or the Commission or cause public confidence in the appointment to be jeopardised.  It is important that you bring them to the attention of the Advisory Assessment Panel and provide details of the issue/s in your application.  

In considering whether you wish to declare any issues, you should also reflect on any public statements you have made, including through social media and blogs. Due diligence may be carried out on any publicly available information and shared with the Advisory Assessment Panel and Ministers. The panel may explore any issues you declare with you or that have been identified from our due diligence checks before they make a recommendation on the appointment. 

A potential conflict will not necessarily preclude an individual from appointment but candidates must be prepared to have this explored during the recruitment process and before an appointment is confirmed.  

Status of appointment

As this is an office holder appointment, you will not become a member of the Civil Service. You will not be subject to the provisions of employment law.

Appointment and tenure of office

The position will be based in the NIHRC Office which is located in Alfred House, Alfred Street, Belfast.

Candidates may wish to note the following:

• the positions are part-time with an expected time commitment on average of three days per month; and
• the term of appointment is three years.

In line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments, this competition may be used to fill any further similar vacancies that may arise within the next 24 months. 

Remuneration, allowances and abatement

The positions attract an annual remuneration of £7,500 which will be paid in equal monthly instalments.

Travel and incidental expenses will be reimbursed in line with the Commission’s travel and subsistence policy.

Pension and redundancy

These positions are not pensionable.

Application feedback

We will notify you of the status of your application. Feedback will be provided to candidates who have been unsuccessful at the sift and interview stages.

How to complain

If you feel that you have any complaint about any aspect of the way your application has been handled, we would like to hear from you. In the first instance please e-mail the competition coordinator at nihrc2026@nio.gov.uk.

Complaints must be received by the competition coordinator within 1 calendar month from the issue or after the campaign has closed, whichever is the later. Your complaint will be acknowledged within 2 working days of receipt and answered as quickly and clearly as  possible; at the most within 20 working days of receipt. If this deadline cannot be met we will inform you why this is the case and when you can expect a reply.

If, after receiving our response you are still not satisfied, you may ask the Commissioner for Public Appointments to investigate your complaint. The contact details for the Commissioner can be found below:

The Commissioner for Public Appointments Room G/8, Ground Floor

1 Horse Guards Road London

SW1A 2HQ

Email: publicappointments@csc.gov.uk

Tel: 0207 271 0849

The Commissioner for Public Appointments regulates and monitors appointments to public bodies to ensure procedures are fair. Full details on how the Commissioner investigates candidate complaints can be found on the “Investigating Complaints” section of the Commissioners Website. More information about the role of the Commissioner and their Code of Practice is available from website address: https://publicappointmentscommissioner.independent.gov.uk/

Data protection

Your personal information will be held in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. You will not receive unsolicited paper or electronic mail as a result of sending us any personal information. No personal information will be passed on to third parties for commercial purposes. 

When we ask you for personal information, we promise we will:

• only ask for what we need, and not collect too much or irrelevant information;
• ensure you know why we need it;
• protect it and insofar as is possible, make sure nobody has access to it who shouldn't;
• ensure you know what choice you have about giving us information;
• make sure we don't keep it longer than necessary; and
• only use your information for the purposes you have authorised 

We ask that you: 

• give us accurate information;
• tell us as soon as possible of any changes; and
• tell us as soon as possible if you notice mistakes in the information we hold about you. 

The Commissioner for Public Appointments regulates and monitors appointments to public bodies to ensure procedures are fair. We are required by the Commissioner for Public Appointments to retain information about the people who apply for public appointments within his remit, and make this information available to him for audit purposes, if requested to do so. Information you provide in your application may therefore be made available to the Commissioner for Public Appointments and the Commissioner’s auditors on a confidential basis in order to help fulfil the Commissioner’s formal complaints investigation role and for audit purposes. 

Our data protection policy is in line with the requirements of GDPR and data protection legislation and the requirements of the Governance Code on Public Appointments. 

The Commissioner’s requirements relating to the information we collect about applicants are set out below: 

• your initial contact details, including your name and address may be held by the Northern Ireland Office for a period of at least 2 years.  
• if you submit an application form, then for audit purposes, the form and any supporting documentation will be retained for at least 2 years.  
• monitoring information which you provide will also be held for at least 2 years but may be held for statistical purposes for up to 5 years.  

If you would like these details to be removed from our records as soon as this recruitment exercise is complete, please inform the competition coordinator via the email address provided above.  

Attachments

• Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission Appointments 2026 - Candidate Information Booklet

Contact details

If you require any further information about the process, you should contact the competition coordinator by email at nihrc2026@nio.gov.uk.