SIB Specialist Strategic Support for our Partners – Strategic Support Unit (SSU)

The Strategic Support Unit in SIB is a unique ‘demand-led’ service within the NI public sector, providing a team of specialist advisers who are available to provide expert assistance to both central and local government, and their sponsored bodies.

The SSU comprises a number of experienced Associate Advisers who are accountants and economists, architects, civil engineers, social policy specialists, transport specialists, business case compilers, and procurement and commercial experts.

Our assignments tend to be short-term projects requiring specialist input, strategic advice, and expertise, with clear agreed terms of reference and deliverable outcomes.
SIB’s work in supporting public sector partners through the use of specialist Associate staff has been ongoing since 2011, and the unit now comprises 24 team members. The projects vary both in nature and scale across the public sector with over 100 assignments being completed annually by the team.

The overarching aim of the SSU is to provide short-term specialist support within the public sector, promoting best value for money for the public purse and helping our partners to achieve their project outcomes. We do not bid for work, however, as a self-funding unit within SIB, all services are hard charged at full cost recovery, with budgets agreed at the commencement of each new engagement.