Land Registry seeks IT specialists to lead move to digital
The Land Registry is recruiting 13 IT specialists to improve its digital data capabilities. The government had planned to privatise the public agency but dropped the idea after concerns were raised about potential conflicts of interest and a possible threat to public access to data. The registry is now focusing on becoming a "more digital data-driven registration business" with plans to digitise more than 95% of its daily transactions and move towards being a fully digital register. The registry has already launched several digital projects, such as a house price index and an online mapping tool.

The Land Registry is on the hunt for a team of specialists as it seeks to bolster its digital, data and technology directorate.

The organisation - which keeps an up-to-date register of property transactions in England and Wales - was earmarked for privatisation until a government u-turn at the last Autumn Statement saw ministers instead vow to focus on turning the Land Registery into “a more digital data-driven registration business” in the public sector. MPs, unions and campaigners had warned that privatisation could create serious conflicts of interest in the property market and undermine public access to data.

With its future in the public hands now more certain, the agency is working on a new business strategy which it says will help it move “towards a fully digital register”, with plans to digitise “more than 95%” of its daily transactions.

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The Land Registry has already launched a range of large-scale digital projects in recent years, including the UK's first House Price Index - a joint project with the Office for National Statistics and Land Registry's Scottish and Nothern Irish counterparts - as well as MapSearch, a tool giving customers access to a free online mapping tool to check property and land registration.

As part of its ongoing transformation programme, the Land Registry is now seeking to recruit 13 new IT and digital specialists for its Plymouth headquarters, with chief executive Graham Farrant saying the new hires should be “dynamic, resourceful and ambitious individuals” who will help the organisation become “responsive, market-leading and exceptional”.

The senior executive officer-level roles up for grabs - all of which offer salaries ranging from £38,876 - £42,443 - include six technical delivery lead posts; an infrastructure delivery lead; three test managers; and five senior software engineers.

According to a job specification posted online, all recruits will be expected to “aid HMLR in its vision in becoming a more digital data-driven registration organisation”, with test managers in particular tasked with challenging and supporting the agency as it seeks to build in-house skills.

“You will be responsible for developing capability within the test discipline and increasing knowledge and understanding of the importance of building in quality across the wider development community,” the specification states.

All candidates are, it says, expected to have “experience in leading and developing team collaboration, setting direction and vision” and must hold either a formal IT qualification or have “significant experience in an IT field” to be eligible.

Those interested in applying have until October 2 to put their names forwards, with interviews set to kick off on October 23.