The Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA) represents over 45,000 members from across the civil and public services and the voluntary sector. NIPSA members can be found in a wide variety of jobs from architects to zoologist and all grades and professions within. Members are employed in areas such as:

The twelve Northern Ireland Civil Service Departments

-NI Assembly
-Various Non Departmental Public Bodies; e.g. National Museums Northern Ireland, Equality Commission, Sports Council, Tourism Board
-Northern Ireland Housing Executive
-Twenty Six District Councils
-Health and Social Care Trusts
-Education and Library Boards
-Community and Voluntary Sector

NIPSA is split into two groups:
-Civil Service Group
-Public Officers Group

Control of NIPSA policy is vested in the Annual Conferences, for each Group. There is a separate Conference for each group and then the main NIPSA Conference. Between Annual Conferences the management and control of NIPSA is vested in the General Council. The General Council of 25 members is elected annually by individual postal ballot of the members. NIPSA Conference then elects the three Officers, President, Vice-President and Honorary Treasurer, from amongst the 25 members elected to the General Council.

The structure of NIPSA is based around the 200 (approx) Branches and each individual member is allocated to the Branch that is appropriate to them based around their employer organisation. Branches are entitled to nominate and send delegates to the relevant Group Conference and to the main NIPSA Conference as well as tabling motions for these Conferences.

Branches are also responsible for representing members with Employers and for conducting negotiations either directly or via a Departmental Committee, Agency Panel, Employing Authority Panel or on the basis of Occupational Groups.
Each individual member of NIPSA through his or her Branch has a direct say in the policy and processes of NIPSA and in the relationship between NIPSA and their employer.