There has been a Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service since Sir Ernest Clark was appointed the first holder of that office in 1921. As of 2017 and according to the Executive Office, the Head of the 23,500-people strong NICS "has primary leadership responsibility for creating, developing and sustaining the NICS as an organisation which serves the devolved administration, the institutions of government and the people of Northern Ireland through the provision of high quality, cost effective services." The incumbent is also Permanent Secretary of the Executive Office and Secretary to the Northern Ireland Executive, making the office-holder the "most senior adviser to the First Minister and the deputy First Minister". List of Heads of the Northern Ireland Civil Service 1921–1925: Sir Ernest Clark 1925–1944: Lt-Col. Sir Wilfred Spender 1944–1953: Sir William Dalgliesh Scott 1953–1961: Sir Douglas Alexander Earsman Harkness 1961–1965: Sir Richard Frederick Roberts Dunbar 1965–1970: Sir Cecil Joseph Bateman 1970–1976: Sir David Charles Beresford Holden 1976–1979: Sir Robert Hill Kidd 1979–1984: Sir Ewart Bell 1984–1991: Sir Kenneth Bloomfield 1991–1997: Sir David Fell 1997–2000: Sir John Semple 2000–2002: Sir Gerry Loughran 2002–2008: Sir Nigel Hamilton 2008-2011: Sir Bruce Robinson 2011–2017: Sir Malcolm McKibbin 2017–2020: Sir David Sterling December 2020 – 2021: Jenny Pyper (Temporary interim Head) September 2021 – Present: Jane Brady References 1921 establishments in Northern Ireland Civil service positions in the United Kingdom Lists of political office-holders in Northern Ireland