The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland has opened recruitment for a Deputy Chief Commissioner and a Commissioner, with the process launched by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. A GOV.UK notice confirms applications close at 12 noon on Friday, 28 November 2025.

For readers across the North of England, this isn’t distant admin. Councils, universities, charities and employers here regularly work in Northern Ireland or serve customers there. When ECNI sets the bar on equality practice, it shapes expectations for suppliers and partners from Manchester to Newcastle.

Application packs for both posts are available on the Cabinet Office public appointments website, with full details on responsibilities and terms. Candidates can also request alternative formats by emailing ecni2025@nio.gov.uk. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted, the notice states.

Ministers say the competition will follow open and fair process. In the government’s words: “Appointments will be made on merit and with regard to the equality provisions set out in the Northern Ireland Act 1998.” That commitment matters in a society where trust in public appointments must be earned.

ECNI is the independent body that promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discrimination across Northern Ireland. It advises employers and public bodies, supports individuals, and oversees duties on public authorities to have due regard to equality under the 1998 Act.

The Deputy Chief Commissioner supports the Chief Commissioner on strategy and governance, deputising when required. Commissioners provide scrutiny and direction at board level. The roles demand sound judgement, independence and the ability to weigh complex evidence in public life.

For business owners and HR teams trading into Northern Ireland, the Commission’s guidance often becomes the practical benchmark. From recruitment practice to service design, decisions taken in Belfast can ripple through contracts, compliance and workforce policies here in the North.

The call is open to all suitably experienced candidates, with the government welcoming applications regardless of ethnicity, religion or belief, political opinion, gender, sexual orientation, age or disability. It’s a clear signal that leadership should reflect the communities ECNI serves.

To apply, head to the Cabinet Office public appointments site and search for “Deputy Chief Commissioner – Equality Commission for Northern Ireland” (role 9025) and “Commissioner – Equality Commission for Northern Ireland” (role 9027). The GOV.UK announcement also signposts both listings.

With the deadline fixed for 12 noon on 28 November 2025, prospective candidates have a tight window. For the North’s civic leaders, equality specialists and seasoned non-executives, this is a chance to bring grounded experience to one of these islands’ most consequential equality watchdogs.