Public Appointments
The Government believes that it is important that people from a wide range of backgrounds take up public appointments so that the Boards of public bodies reflect the rich diversity of our society and better understand the needs of the communities they serve. Appointments are made on merit and applications are welcome from all sections of society.
If you are interested in a public appointment, please access our 'Guide to Public Appointments in Northern Ireland' (PDF 625 KB) for further information.
To find out how appointments to public bodies are regulated, take a look at the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland website 
'All Aboard Issue 7' (PDF 824.38 KB, 4 pages) is the news-sheet of the Central Appointments Unit. Its main purpose is to provide information on the public appointment vacancies that are expected to arise during the second half of 2008.
You can also view public appointment vacancies in England and for public bodies that operate throughout the UK
Get on board
Get on board (PDF 29.91 KB) is a short course which has been designed specifically for people interested in serving on the Boards in Northern Ireland.
More information is available on the Belfast Metropolitan College website.
Latest Vacancies
- Architects Registration Board: Lay board member
- Appointment of Chair to the Board of National Museums Northern Ireland (PDF 101 KB)
Customer Service Standards
The Central Appointments Unit is committed to providing the best possible service to our customers. We describe what we aim to achieve in our Customer Service Standards. These standards are reviewed periodically to see if they can be improved upon.
Annual reports
The Public Appointments Annual Report consists of two volumes:
- Public Appointments Annual Report Volume 1 provides information on the public appointments and reports on progress during the financial year
- Public Appointments Annual Report Volume 2 lists the individuals who held public appointments in Northern Ireland for that year.
The Women and Equality Unit
The Women and Equality Unit in the Department of Trade and Industry has put together a practical information guide on how to organise a seminar with the aim of increasing female representation in public life. Access "Get A Public Life" for details.
for details.
