Aaron Devos
HRO Line Manager

What has your career with HM Land Registry been like up until now?

I joined HM Land Registry (HMLR) in 2015 as a Business Administration apprentice. I had finished my A-levels and deferred my university place following a gap year. At that time, I moved to China to teach English, and came back and decided studying at university was not for me, so I applied here. 

After successfully completing my apprenticeship, I was kept on as a Registration Officer, processing different types of casework. Since then, I have progressed to Executive Caseworker Officer, sidestepped and been a Training Instructor, and most recently, promoted to HEO [Higher Executive Officer] Line Manager. I currently oversee a team in Nottingham and Coventry.

What are the most interesting things you have worked on?

I’ve been involved in so many projects. These include creating e-learning material for caseworkers to use in their training, teaching a training course whilst remote working during the COVID-19 pandemic, to delivering a presentation on my team’s performance to the directors and other senior stakeholders. These experiences have allowed me to expand and develop many skills which I’ve since used in other projects. 

I also served as secretary for our local LR Leisure where I organised lots of sports and social events in Nottingham. My contributions were recognised at the LR Leisure Awards where I won ‘Best Newcomer’. 

I’m currently on an accelerated development programme called ‘Step Up To Leadership’ which is a 12-month programme that supports leaders with the aspiration to be a senior leader.

What does the average day in your role look like?

What I love about my role is that every day is different. One day I could help my team with casework referrals. Another day, I could be planning and developing a coaching session to deliver to our caseworkers. I communicate with my team every day where we discuss our performance, review any upcoming changes to our processes and problem-solve together to help increase efficiencies. As I line manage across two offices, Microsoft Teams is a lifesaver, enabling both offices to communicate and work collaboratively effectively. Even though we’re in two separate locations, it feels like we’re all together in one place!

What is the best thing about your role?

The most rewarding thing is seeing colleagues excel and progress into higher-level roles. I really enjoy coaching and developing people. I am always looking for the next opportunity to help others develop themselves. 

Work/life balance is critical to me, and HMLR has flexible working arrangements so I can work around my other commitments. I like to go to the gym in the middle of the day. I usually start work around 7, and head out to the gym between 11-1 and then return to work and finish around 5. 

LR Leisure is another bonus to working at HMLR. They deliver outstanding events across the UK, such as their own festival where I’ve made so many lifelong friends from all over!

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking of applying to work at HM Land Registry?

When preparing your application, carefully review the job description and requirements. Analyse how your skills, qualifications, and experiences align with the position. We use Success Profiles so make sure you check that out before applying! 

If you see a job at HMLR, and you’re thinking you might be the right fit for the role, or you want to challenge yourself – then I just say go for it!