The person chosen to head the international drive to transform Northern Ireland's economy will be offered a pay package of £150,000 sterling, it was announced today.
The search has begun for the chief executive of the super-agency due to be set up early next year. The successful candidate will be expected to draw economic investment to Northern Ireland from around the world to create thousands of new jobs.
The new economic development agency - to be known as Invest Northern Ireland (INI) - will draw together separate, and sometimes competing, organisations including the Industrial Development Board and the small-business agency LEDU.
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment has appointed consultants to help with the recruitment and adverts have begun appearing in national newspapers and will be in Northern Ireland morning and evening newspapers this week.
Enterprise Minister Sir Reg Empey said today: "The chief executive of Invest Northern Ireland will have an extremely high profile. The person appointed will act as an ambassador for Northern Ireland and will have the job of leading the transformation of our business and economic culture on an international stage."
He said the new agency would have the resources and influence to make a real difference to the region's economy. Legislation to establish INI went through its initial stages in the Assembly before the summer recess.
PA