My name is Jonathan Mudford, I'm both a Delivery and a Resource Manager within HM Land Registry's in-house information technology (IT) function, Information Systems (commonly called IS).
I joined HM Land Registry in 2004 following a seven-year stint at university. I did a year of Computing and Informatics and had a gap year before switching to studying a BEd in Primary Teaching for three years. I then did a final two years in IT. All this, just to try and work out what I wanted to be when I grew up! I started as an IT Tester before becoming a Test Manager. This is where I discovered that my sometimes "off-the-wall" ideas could help people and processes to be delivered at a faster pace.
As I write this blog, I can see the rolling foothills of Dartmoor and hear the lapping waves between the coastlines of Devon and Cornwall. OK, maybe I can't quite see all of that (I am on the ground floor after all!), but Plymouth is a fantastic city to live in. Having been born here, I sometimes take for granted the fantastic beaches that are within easy reach and the wide expanse of moorland; they offer so many opportunities for maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
I'm responsible for strategic resource matters for around 180 IT staff. They provide the support for hundreds of IT infrastructure servers, desktops, and mobile devices or, as I like to call it, anything with wires and lights. I also share leadership of an IT Infrastructure Delivery Centre whose purpose is to deliver new technologies or upgrades quickly and to a high level of quality.
A large part of my Resource Manager role revolves around recruiting people to fill the vast variety of roles that we need to balance the demand to deliver new services, and to maintain the high quality and assurance of our existing IT infrastructure. This year I've had the pleasure of finding and bringing in many new people to IS, as well as promoting a fair few internal staff. The technical roles and skills range from IT Security to Software Testing & Development and from Finance to Contract Support and Service Management. When I glance around the office as I write this, it's quite staggering to consider just what a diverse skillset my colleagues have, for example:
- Database Administration (DB2, Postgres, MongoDB)
- Network Administration (Switches, routers, firewalls)
- Security Administration (Active Directory, LDAP)
- Desktop Support (Office 365, Office 2013, PCs, MACs, iPads)
- Service Management (Incidents, Problems, Changes)
- Software Development (Java, Python, Ruby, Delphi, PL1)
- Software Testing (Ruby, Cucumber, Quick Test Professional)
- WebOps (Linux, Jenkins, Puppet).
While the technical skills are important, we place a large emphasis on wider skills too. We really want to attract people who are skilled collaborators with outstanding communication skills and have a team approach to work. Check out our top tips blog for information on the application process and how to highlight your achievements.
I enjoy being on many of the interview boards as this gives me a chance to meet all the people who want to work for us. I also get to highlight some of the benefits of working here. From training and development support, we help you grow your skills and support your career progression. We encourage staff to attend relevant training courses to expand their knowledge and skills. We hold regular stand-up sessions in the office so we can share what we're up to as a team. We make sure staff get regular catch ups, so you're happy with your progress and that you're on track to achieve your work and personal goals.
Some of the extra benefits of working here include the on-site gym, catered canteen, a vibrant open plan office (which is constantly being improved and transformed), nursery and childcare assistance, flexible working, parking and great transport links. There's also a very active and valued Sports and Social Society. So you'll not only get challenging work, but you can get involved in activities that interest you. Oh, and let's not forget the fact that you get to work with me!