Bruce Robinson
 | Bruce Robinson is Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) and leads 25,000 civil servants. He is also head of the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister and Secretary to the Northern Ireland Executive. In these roles, he is the most senior adviser to the First and the deputy First Ministers. |
As Head of the Civil Service Bruce has primary leadership responsibility for creating, developing and sustaining the NICS as an organisation which serves the devolved administration and the institutions of government and the people of Northern Ireland through the provision of high quality, cost effective services.
Bruce’s main duties and responsibilities are:
- Guiding the strategic direction of the NICS as an organisation
- Accountability for the good management of the NICS
- Leading and facilitation the development and enhancement of the NICS as an organisation
- Representing NI at the highest level both in the UK and abroad
- Chairman of the Permanent Secretary Group, which undertakes corporate personnel management of the Senior Civil Service
- Secretary to the Executive
- Principal policy adviser to the First and deputy First Ministers across the full range of government issues
He took up the post in July 2008, prior to this appointment he was Permanent Secretary in the Department of Finance and Personnel from August 2007, having held the post of DFP Second Permanent Secretary since January 2006.
Bruce Robinson had specific responsibility for the Northern Ireland Civil Service modernisation agenda and ensuring that, alongside public sector reform, the changes being made within the NICS help deliver excellent public services to the citizen.
Communication has been central to Bruce Robinson’s reform strategy, which is rolling out under the ‘Changing for the Better’ banner. He has developed a central communications hub to support reform which draws together the key projects, improving communications between the projects and across all departments, as the roll out continues.
A Chartered Accountant, Bruce Robinson also had a key role in improving financial management across the Northern Ireland block, in particular, improving the performance of departments in meeting forecasts.
Prior to joining DFP, Bruce Robinson was Permanent Secretary at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) from November 2000. During this time he spearheaded the implementation of a number of initiatives to help improve Northern Ireland’s economic competitiveness and productivity, including the roll out of 100% broadband access; the publication of the Strategy Energy Framework for Northern Ireland; and work toward the establishment of an all-island energy market.
Prior to his appointment to DETI, Bruce Robinson had an 18 year career in the Industrial Development Board for Northern Ireland and was Chief Executive between 1995 and 2000.
Throughout his career, he has gained significant experience of working with major international corporations on foreign direct investment projects, as well as with local companies, on programmes to improve their ability to compete in international markets. He also worked for a period in Tanzania on economic development projects and lecturing in financial management.
An Economics graduate of Queens University Belfast, Bruce Robinson joined the Civil Service in 1982, he is married with four children.
