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AboutUs - Who's Who - Permanent Secretary

Dr Malcolm McKibbin - Permanent Secretary

Dr Malcolm McKibbin was appointed as the interim Permanent Secretary of the Department for Regional Development (DRD) in August 2010.

Prior to this appointment Malcolm served as the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Agriculture and Rural Development




Role

The Permanent Secretary of the Department for Regional Development is the Minister's principal adviser across the full range of his Ministerial responsibilities.

In terms of the Department's corporate governance arrangements the Permanent Secretary acts as Head of Department and chair of the Departmental Board, as well as being the Accounting Officer.

Departmental Board

The Departmental Board exists to lead the Department's strategic planning and assist the Permanent Secretary in meeting corporate governance responsibilities for the Department.  

The Board provides corporate leadership to the organisation as a whole, takes ownership of the Department's performance, provides support for the Head of  Department and provides advice to the Minister.

The key aspects of the Board's role include:

  • taking forward the department's agreed strategic aims;
  • advising on the allocation of its financial and human resources to achieve those aims;
  • managing departmental resources and monitoring the achievement of performance objectives;
  • setting the Department's standards and values;
  • maintaining a transparent system of prudent and effective controls;
  • assessing and managing risk; and
  • leading and overseeing the process of change and encouraging innovation, to enhance the Department's capability to deliver.

Accounting Officer

As Accounting Officer, the Permanent Secretary is responsible for ensuring that:

  • the Departmental accounts are properly presented;
  • correct financial procedures are followed and accounting records maintained;
  • public funds are managed with propriety and duly safeguarded;
  • departmental assets are controlled and safeguarded;
  • all relevant financial considerations are taken into account, and brought to the Minister's attention, when considering policy proposals;
  • a sound system of internal control is maintained in the Department to support the achievement of its policies and objectives;
  • the impact of the Department's activities on others is properly identified and, where appropriate, taken into account; and
  • the Statement of Internal Control is accurate and appropriate.

Education

Malcolm graduated from Southampton University in 1978 with an honours degree in Civil Engineering and joined the Department of the Environment.  Further academic studies at the University of Ulster resulted in the award of a Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1987 and a Master of Business Administration degree in 1991.

Career History

Prior to his appointment as the interim DRD Permanent Secretary, Malcolm served as the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Agriculture and Rural Development since 2007.  Immediately prior to that he spent much of his career working throughout NI in Roads Service and was its Chief Executive for 5 years.  He has also held senior posts in the Department of Finance and Personnel where he was the Deputy Secretary in charge of the Central Procurement Division and in the Department of Regional Development where he led the development of the Regional Transportation Strategy.