Recommendation RHI-17: Professional Development
From The Report of the Independent Public Inquiry into the Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) Scheme, published 13 March 2020.
Recommendation
The Northern Ireland Civil Service should take steps to draw on best practice from other jurisdictions to provide more support for professions within the civil service. The Inquiry specifically recommends: (a) the establishment of a project management profession with a named senior leader and a comprehensive programme of professional development; and (b) the development of improved professional opportunities for finance professionals and for economists within the Northern Ireland Civil Service.
In brief (written by this site)
The Department of Finance reported in March 2024 that implementation was in progress, noting that a Head of Profession for Project Management had been appointed in 2021 and project delivery training programmes were being promoted (Department of Finance, Mar 2024). It also stated that a Finance Directors' Forum subgroup was advancing the finance profession as a pathfinder project alongside staff rotation opportunities and induction training (Department of Finance, Mar 2024). The Northern Ireland Audit Office subsequently found in October 2024 that the recommendation had been implemented (Northern Ireland Audit Office, Oct 2024).
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 26 Sep 2026. The record below is the sources' own words.
Government response
These recommendations can be accepted in full.
They have been addressed in work to date through:
• initial steps to establish a project delivery profession which will, once in place, take forward the recommended programme of professional development;
• the introduction of a Learning and Development Framework for the NICS Economist Profession;
• the development and issuing of a new protocol for engaging with HMT.
Further work is required to
• complete the establishment of the Project Delivery profession, including the appointment of a Head of Profession;
• deliver the strategy under development for the NICS finance profession;
• establish a framework for engagement between the neighbouring administrations.
How this response relates to the recommendation
Site note: These are the Northern Ireland Executive's words from Annex A, "Summary of Recommendations and Response", published on this page with the Executive Response to the RHI Inquiry Report Recommendations and Action Plan on 7 October 2021, the day the Executive agreed it. The Department of Finance publishes the response, but it is the Executive's, so the site records it under the Executive. The annex is a PDF that the publisher asks automated readers not to fetch, so the site cites the page that links it.
Site note: Annex A gives this passage once, for the recommendations under its heading "COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATION": recommendations 17 and 18. It is the Executive's response to the group, not to this recommendation alone.
Delivery
Department of Finance says in progress (14 March 2024)
The following development opportunities have been promoted through the P3O network;
• IPA, Major Projects Leadership Programmes;
• Cabinet Office Contract Management and SRO training;
• DoF SRO Masterclasses;
• Advice and guidance published on the DoF Intranet
• Access to Corporate membership of the Association for Project Management (APM)
• Promotion of the Government Online Skills Tool (GOST) - an online skills platform which allows project delivery professionals to manage their career and capability development.
A Head of Profession for Project Management was appointed in 2021.
339 NICS Project Delivery (PD) Professionals have now registered on the Government Online Skills Tool (GOST) 2022/2023 - 105 SROs attended the CDG SRO Masterclass training. April 2023 to date, 41 SROs attended the CDG SRO Masterclass training.
By end of July 2023, 170 SROs have attended the CDG SRO Masterclass training.
1078 NI staff have enrolled with the UK Government Commercial College (GCC) and 852 have now completed Contract Management Foundation training.
The Finance Directors’ Forum have established a key stakeholder sub-group to address short-term and long-term actions. This group have been working in partnership with NICS HR on their new approach to the professions and taking forward the Finance Profession as a ‘pathfinder’ project.
Other actions that have been progressed include staff rotation opportunities to develop individuals and induction training for newly promoted members of the Finance Profession
From: Implementation of the Recommendations of the RHI Inquiry (publication page for three documents)
Site note: This page publishes three monitoring tables: the Department of Finance's of 1 September 2023 and 14 March 2024, and the Executive's table of 19 February 2025 of commitments on the remaining recommendations. None of the three lists every recommendation. The row carries the table's own cell for this recommendation: the "Updates" column, or where that is empty in 2023 the "Status of further work" column, and in 2025 the "Commitment" column. The tables are PDFs that the publisher asks automated readers not to fetch, so the site cites the page that links them.
Earlier statement on delivery (1)
Department of Finance (1 September 2023)
339 NICS Project Delivery (PD) Professionals have now registered on the Government Online Skills Tool (GOST) 2022/2023 - 105 SROs attended the CDG SRO Masterclass training. April 2023 to date, 41 SROs attended the CDG SRO Masterclass training.
By end of July 2023, 170 SROs have attended the CDG SRO Masterclass training.
1078 NI staff have enrolled with the UK Government Commercial College (GCC) and 852 have now completed Contract Management Foundation training.
Work to review and refresh the NICS workforce model (including job families and career pathways) and related governance structures, roles and responsibilities (including the role of the Head of Profession) is a key priority for the People and Organisation strand of Renewal. It is however dependent on funding which is not currently available.
From: Implementation of the Recommendations of the RHI Inquiry (publication page for three documents)
Site note: This page publishes three monitoring tables: the Department of Finance's of 1 September 2023 and 14 March 2024, and the Executive's table of 19 February 2025 of commitments on the remaining recommendations. None of the three lists every recommendation. The row carries the table's own cell for this recommendation: the "Updates" column, or where that is empty in 2023 the "Status of further work" column, and in 2025 the "Commitment" column. The tables are PDFs that the publisher asks automated readers not to fetch, so the site cites the page that links them.
What other bodies have found
In their own words. These do not change the delivery statement above.
NI Audit Office (15 October 2024)
Implemented.
Site note: This is the Northern Ireland Audit Office's assessment, from Appendix 4 of its second report on the Inquiry's recommendations (15 October 2024), the column "2024 NIAO Assessment". The Audit Office monitors implementation at the Inquiry's request; its assessment is shown beside the Executive's own account and does not set the recommendation's status.
Source
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- Northern Ireland Executive
Response - Department of Finance
Delivery statement - NI Audit Office
Finding