Senior External Affairs Manager
Job summary
The External Affairs team ensures that the voice of the external environment is reflected in organisational decision-making. The team develops and delivers HM Land Registry's influencing strategy and external engagement plan, aligned to agreed corporate priorities.
The team provides intelligence-led insight and strategic advice by maintaining an overview of HM Land Registry's most influential stakeholders, identifying how these relationships support organisational objectives, and developing a clear narrative of our engagement across government, industry and other key sectors.
We have 2 great opportunities to join our External Affairs team:
1 permanent Senior External Affairs Manger role, focusing on leading and coordinating engagement plans
1 temporary Senior External Affairs Manager role, focusing on managing strategic partnering plans and internal procedures. This role is temporary for 6 months with the possibility of extension and can start from January 2027 onwards.
Job description
Following the publication of our Strategy 2025+, it has put a renewed focus on our relationship with our key stakeholders and the importance of our external affairs function. We are looking for 2 motivated and collaborative individuals with strong stakeholder management, strategic thinking and influencing skills and the desire to shape and influence our evolving external affairs approach.
In these roles you will develop influence-based approaches to achieving strategic outcomes which informs stakeholder engagement and behavioural change plans and activity. You will provide External Affairs leadership to colleagues across HM Land Registry and provide advice on Government Communications Service (GCS) standards and best practice in delivering and evaluating external affairs programmes of work. You will act as a trusted advocate and engage effectively with colleagues and stakeholders at all levels including HMLR Boards.
The role will give exposure to the successful candidate both at a senior level within HM Land Registry and with high-profile external audiences. Outside of the core role of supporting the smooth operating of our various industry and internal groups, there is a real opportunity to shape and influence our evolving external affairs approach, so this role would seek somebody who is motivated by the idea of making change.
Person specification
To be successful in this role, you will need to demonstrate the following throughout the recruitment process.
Essential Experience:
- A track record of communicating and dealing effectively with a diverse and senior set of stakeholders.
- Demonstrable application of excellent organisational and interpersonal skills and ability to forge positive working relationships at all levels.
- Able to use your own initiative, recognising where issue escalation/ intervention is necessary.
- Be able to provide advice and recommendations that demonstrate strong political awareness and analytical insight; and maintain focus on big picture considerations whilst understanding the detail.
- Be able to adapt communication style according to the needs of the audience or observed conventions, and to explain complex policy and stakeholder issues in a clear and succinct manner. Be prepared to question and challenge assumptions.
- Flexible and able to work at pace, sometimes to tight deadlines or under pressure, and to adapt to changing priorities.
- Line management and leadership experience.
Where an individual taking up the responsibility will be based in Swansea Office, the ability to speak Welsh is desirable. This will not be tested in the application or interview process.
HMLR expect everyone to spend at least 60% of their working time in the office.
Please see the attached job description and candidate pack for further information.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
- Making Effective Decisions
- Delivering at Pace
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £47,084, HM Land Registry contributes £13,640 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).#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.
You can find more information on our rewards package on our website.
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 Behaviours, Strengths, Ability and Experience.How to apply:
Please complete the first stage of the online application form and then complete the Civil Service verbal test. If you pass the verbal test, you will then be invited to complete the Civil Service Judgement test. If you pass the Judgement test, you will then be invited to complete the full online application form, in which you will need to complete a CV and Personal Statement.
The closing date for the test and full application form is 11:55pm on 26th October 2026. You must ensure you build in sufficient time to complete the full application form if you pass the online test. It is recommended that you complete the practice test first. For more information about preparing for the Civil Service verbal and Judgement test and access to the practice test, please follow this link:
- Preparing for the Civil Service Verbal and Numerical tests - GOV.UK
- Preparing for the Civil Service Judgement Test - GOV.UK
Please note these tests aren't timed.
Please complete your CV to include your work history. We will be scoring your CV against the following essential experience criteria:
- A track record of communicating and dealing effectively with a diverse and senior set of stakeholders.
- Demonstrable application of excellent organisational and interpersonal skills and ability to forge positive working relationships at all levels.
- Be able to provide advice and recommendations that demonstrate strong political awareness and analytical insight; and maintain focus on big picture considerations whilst understanding the detail.
Complete the Personal Statement section (in no more than 1000 words), using the essential experience, please tell us why you would be suitable for this role. Please give specific examples.
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 23:55 on the advertised date.
Sift
The sift will take place shortly after the closing date.
In case of a high volume of applications, we will complete a pre-sift on your CV.
Interview
If successful at shortlisting stage, you will be invited to attend a face to face, blended interview and deliver a pre-prepared presentation. The interviews will be held in our Croydon or Coventry office.
The blended interview will test the essential experience and behaviours listed in the Job Description, as well as the strengths associated with the role, details will be provided on invitation to interview.
We want to hear your first, unrehearsed, natural response to strength questions, and so we don’t advertise which strengths are being tested. The best way to prepare for strengths questions is to reflect on what you identify as your own personal strengths, and your preferred ways of working.
We expect interviews to take place during the week commencing 9th November 2026.
Candidates can 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.
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 basic (or equivalent) 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 : Vicky Abbott
- Email : Victoria.Abbott@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
External Affairs Manager permanent role Opens in new window (pdf, 166kB)External Affairs Manager temporary role Opens in new window (pdf, 166kB)Candidate Pack 2026 Opens in new window (pdf, 1699kB)Salary range
- £47,084 - £51,402 per year