Head of Operational Technical Training
Job summary
Reporting to Head of Service Delivery [Workforce planning & Land Registration Academy] this role holder will be responsible for providing visible and empowering leadership for Land Registration Academy [LRA], our national technical training infrastructure team, accountable for ensuring professional planning, design & delivery of technical training across HM Land Registry.
In this role, you will lead engagement alongside the Head of Operational Technical Development across the LRA & senior stakeholders across Service Delivery, particularly the Senior Casework Group & Service Delivery Leads, to optimise content & delivery of technical training, inspiring & motivating our people to continue to strive towards delivering operational excellence for our customers.
You will ensure consistency of approach around the content, quality & effectiveness of technical training and achievement of technical standards/award of technical authorities whilst continuing to evolve & transform by driving a culture of continuous improvement and innovation thereby contributing to improvements in delivery for our customers.
You'll be the subject matter expert & brand ambassador for the Land Registration Academy, it’s vision, direction, delivery and outcomes for the benefit of our customers.
Check out the video below to see what it is like working for our Service Delivery directorate.
Job description
Main duties of the role include:
Leadership and Vision
- Lead LRA, our national technical training infrastructure team within Service Delivery, is accountable for ensuring professional planning, design and delivery of technical training across HM Land Registry creating an environment which encourages a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.
- Act as a role model, brand ambassador and coach for the Land Registration Academy, it’s vision, direction, delivery, people and outcomes for the benefit for our customers, championing professional development.
- Inspire and motivate staff to achieve high standards, fostering a positive, professional and collaborative work environment.
Teaching and Syllabi
- Shape & evolve the design, modernisation & delivery to meet departmental requirements maximising use of available creative technology, our expert people and innovative thinking whilst ensuring the required technical assurance & standards are maintained & continuously improved.
- Continue to develop and invest in the capability growth & development of the LRA team suitably aligned with front line delivery demands to increase resilience within the LRA to enable and deliver improved customer outcomes
- Lead talent management & succession planning activities for the technical career path within LRA
Management and Operations
- Lead & accountable for successful delivery of technical training across Service Delivery, ensuring success via a balanced scorecard of measurement & demonstrating through measurable and visible outcomes a ROI.
- Maximise deployment, expertise & investment in LRA leaders and teaching staff to support delivery of the LRA & Service Delivery Business Plan
- Lead as first line manager for the LRA network of Technical Development Leads with technical business partner relationships/responsibilities aligned to Service lines & Leadership/line management responsibilities across geographically based locations & second line manager for team of Technical Development Manager & SEO trainers.
- Set the foundations for our operational technical capability & technical capability assessments
Engagement and communication
- Work with key internal stakeholders, including Service Delivery leaders, Senior technicians, leaders in People, Strategic Improvement & planning, and Organisation & Employee Development [as our HR L&D partners], maximising collaboration & ease of business to support delivery & learner outcomes
- Collaborate & work in partnership with the Head of Operational Technical Development to:
- - Maximise impact of LRA’s expert people leveraging membership of the technical steering groups and taskforces as a platform for success
- - accelerate & ensure growth & continuous development post Technical Authority.
- - ensure learning loops are in place as part of the LRA continuous improvement culture
- Influence and engage wider Workforce Strategy so that we have the skills for now and in the future (and transparency for our people and support decision making)
- Continue to invest in leadership capability across the LRA cohorts to share best practices and continue to raise standards.
- Develop & enhance two-way appropriate communication with Service Delivery leaders, LRA staff [e.g. Academy Trainer Forums], HR, Practice and Trade Union teams to ensure roles and responsibilities, ambition and to optimise the outcomes of the LRA for benefit of our customers.
- Identify and develop emerging leaders within the LRA staff developing their skills through a range of deliverables which support delivery and prepare them for future opportunities.
Person specification
To be successful in this role you will be able to demonstrate in-depth knowledge and understanding of land registration and the ability to partner & translate this technical knowledge into effective learning solutions, guidance and capability development.
You will bring a strong track record of leading and developing high-performing outcomes through training, learning or capability-focused teams within complex, fast-paced environments. You will be experienced in setting strategic direction for technical training or professional development, ensuring provision meets both current and future organisational needs. You will foster a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement and high standards, acting as a role model for learning excellence while aligning delivery to organisational values and priorities.
You will demonstrate sound judgement in navigating complex and sensitive people and capability matters, using data and insight to make evidence-based decisions that enhance service outcomes. A confident and credible influencer, you will build strong relationships with senior leaders, subject matter experts and operational colleagues to secure buy-in and deliver results through others. You will also be highly analytical, using performance and learning data to identify capability gaps, improve training impact, and ensure a strategically aligned, effective technical learning offer.
Due to the nature of the role regular travel to other HM Land Registry offices will be required, including some overnight stays.
Where an individual taking up the responsibility will be based in Swansea Office, the ability to speak Welsh is desirable.
Please note, due to the nature of the role and the significant leadership duties you will be required to work a minimum of 30 hours per week in this post.
For more information about the role and the full Person Specification, please see the attached Job Description.
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Demonstrable in-depth knowledge and understanding of land registration and the ability to partner & translate this technical knowledge into effective learning solutions, guidance and capability development.
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £61,923, HM Land Registry contributes £17,939 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.#WeAreHMLR
At HM Land Registry our vision is a world leading property market as part of a thriving economy and a sustainable future. We are unique in terms of the economic and social impacts of our work, our ability to make a positive difference to the lives of our customers, our sense of mission, and our great people. They are the foundation of all we have achieved and all we aspire to in the future. We want our people to feel proud to work for HM Land Registry and able to fulfil their full potential.
We have a strong and positive culture, a commitment to inclusivity, an emphasis on continuous learning and development, and flexible ways of working. We offer competitive pay and annual leave, attractive pension options and a wide range of other benefits.
- We have integrity – we value honesty, trust and doing the right thing in the right way.
- We drive innovation – we are forward-thinking, embrace change and are continually improving our processes.
- We are professional – we value and grow our knowledge and professional expertise.
- We give assurance – we guarantee our services and provide confidence to the property market.
Things you need to know
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Experience and Technical skills.To apply, you will need to complete the short application form and copy and paste your CV onto the online application form detailing your qualifications and work history.
Your CV will be assessed against the essential technical and experience criteria detailed in the attached Job Description.
The Technical Criteria section (in no more than 250 words) should be used to demonstrate how you meet the following essential Technical Criteria.
- Demonstrable in-depth knowledge and understanding of land registration and the ability to partner & translate this technical knowledge into effective learning solutions, guidance and capability development.
The Personal Statement section (in no more than 500 words) should be used to outline your wider skills and experience for the role and detail how you meet the essential experience criteria listed below:
- Experience of leading and developing high-performing outcomes through training, learning or capability-focused teams in complex, fast-paced environments, balancing competing priorities and resources to deliver operational and strategic objectives.
- Experience of setting the strategic direction for technical training or professional capability development, ensuring learning provision meets current and future organisational needs
- Able to shape and instil a strong culture of collaboration, learning and continuous improvement, promoting high standards in technical training and supporting the organisation’s values.
In the event of a high volume of applications for this vacancy, an initial sift will be conducted on the lead Technical Criteria listed above and a full sift only carried out on those applications that pass the initial sift stage.
Please review your application form before clicking ‘submit’ – once you have submitted, you will not be able to amend your application. Ensure your application form is received by the closing date for receipt of applications – this is 23:55pm on the advertised date.
The sift will take place shortly after the closing date. If successful at shortlisting stage, you will be invited to attend a Face to Face interview which will include a presentation or short exercise, interviews will take place week commencing 29 June & 6 July 2026. Further details will be provided on invitation to interview.
The blended interview will assess the essential technical skills and experience listed in the Job Description.
The desirable criteria will be only be assessed in the event of a tie break at the interview stage.
Candidates may refer to notes within their interview, but they should be used as a prompt only.
HMLR is accredited to the Disability Confident Scheme, which denotes organisations which have a positive attitude towards disabled people. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum essential criteria at the shortlisting stage may be invited to attend an interview. If you require the panel to consider a reasonable adjustment or there is anything else you would like the panel to take into consideration, you are asked to notify us of this at application stage where possible or during the process as soon as it becomes a requirement.
Visa Sponsorship
Please note that we will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa where a role is in a certain business critical category. This role does not meet that category, and we will not sponsor a skilled worker visa.
You must ensure you have the appropriate right to work in the UK before applying.
You can find more information on how we use your personal data on our website.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Jeff Saunders
- Email : Jeff.Saunders@landregistry.gov.uk
Recruitment team
Further information
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance to the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, please email hrresourcingteam2@landregistry.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from HM Land Registry then you may take your complaint to the Civil Service Commission: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/making-complaint/Attachments
Head of Operational Technical Training JD Opens in new window (docx, 183kB)Service Delivery Candidate Pack 2026 Opens in new window (pdf, 1669kB)Salary range
- £61,923 per year