Search is on for new CEO of Belfast City Council

An advert in tomorrow’s News Letter describes the post as “a rare and career-defining opportunity to serve as a Chief Executive of a capital city”.

The advert says the new chief executive will be “highly skilled and experienced in managing large and complex organisations”.

The council announced its current chief executive, Suzanne Wylie, would be standing down over three months ago, but said that she would remain in post until this month.

On September 20 it announced that Ms Wylie was leaving the organisation to take up a new post as chief executive and head of the Public Service for the States of Jersey. She will take up the post in February.

Starting her career with Belfast City Council in 1988 as an environmental health officer, she rose through the ranks to become director of health and environmental services and later chief executive.

During her time in the position she played a key role in many of the council’s achievements, including brokering support for the £850m government investment in the Belfast Region City Deal, which aims to boost innovation, digital transformation, infrastructure and tourism.

Her successor will have to work with a council which often makes headlines due to deep political divisions. At present the breakdown by seats is Sinn Fein 18; DUP 15; Alliance nine; SDLP six; Greens four; People Before Profit three; UUP three; independent one; PUP one.

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