Job Specification – Post Completion Manager (Residential Conveyancing)
Post Completion Manager – Residential Conveyancing
Department
Residential Conveyancing
Reporting To
Head of Residential Conveyancing / Director
Purpose of the Role
The Post Completion Manager is responsible for the overall management, performance, compliance and development of the Post Completion Department. The role ensures all post-completion matters are processed accurately, efficiently and within required timescales, whilst maintaining compliance with HM Land Registry requirements, HMRC, SDLT regulations, lender obligations, CQS standards and internal risk management procedures.
The Post Completion Manager will lead and develop the post-completion team, implement best practice procedures, monitor departmental performance and act as the primary escalation point for complex registration and compliance matters.
Key Responsibilities
Departmental Leadership and Management
- Lead and manage the Post Completion Department.
- Supervise and support Fee earners and Post Completion staff.
- Conduct regular team meetings and performance reviews.
- Set departmental objectives and monitor achievement.
- Manage workload allocation to ensure service levels are maintained.
- Identify staffing requirements and assist with recruitment.
- Develop succession planning within the department.
- Create a positive and high-performing team culture.
Operational Management
- Oversee the management of all post-completion work across residential conveyancing transactions.
- Ensure SDLT returns are submitted within statutory deadlines.
- Ensure Land Registry applications are submitted within departmental targets.
- Monitor registration backlogs and implement strategies to reduce delays.
- Establish and maintain clear workflows and procedures.
- Manage service delivery standards and departmental KPIs.
- Ensure all post-completion undertakings are satisfied promptly.
Technical Oversight
- Act as the escalation point for complex Land Registry applications.
- Oversee first registrations and complex title registration matters.
- Review and assist with difficult Land Registry requisitions.
- Monitor changes in Land Registry practice and relevant legislation.
- Provide technical support and guidance to team members.
- Develop departmental technical guidance notes and procedures.
- Liaise with fee earners regarding complex title issues affecting registration.
Compliance and Risk Management
- Ensure compliance with:
- HM Land Registry requirements.
- HMRC SDLT regulations.
- UK Finance Mortgage Lenders' Handbook.
- Law Society Conveyancing Protocol.
- Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) requirements.
- SRA Standards and Regulations.
- Internal risk and compliance procedures.
- Monitor requisition rates and identify trends.
- Implement corrective actions to improve quality and reduce risk.
- Investigate and report registration errors or compliance breaches.
- Ensure all lender requirements and undertakings are fulfilled.
Requisitions and Registration Management
- Monitor departmental requisition statistics.
- Analyse root causes of requisitions and cancellation notices.
- Develop action plans to reduce avoidable requisitions.
- Ensure responses to Land Registry requisitions are submitted within required timescales.
- Manage complex and high-risk registration issues.
- Escalate significant risks to the Head of Department where necessary.
Performance Management
- Establish and monitor key departmental KPIs.
- Produce monthly management reports.
- Analyse productivity, turnaround times and quality performance.
- Monitor registration submission times.
- Monitor requisition rates and cancellation rates.
- Implement performance improvement initiatives where needed.
Training and Development
- Develop technical training programmes for post-completion staff.
- Deliver inductions for new employees.
- Identify training needs and competency gaps.
- Coach and mentor team members.
- Create and maintain procedure manuals and technical resources.
- Support career progression within the department.
Continuous Improvement and Project Work
- Review and improve post-completion workflows and systems.
- Work with IT providers and case management system administrators to improve efficiencies.
- Implement automation and process improvement initiatives.
- Assist with departmental and firm-wide change management projects.
- Contribute to business planning and operational strategy.
Client and Stakeholder Management
- Liaise with:
- HM Land Registry.
- HMRC.
- Mortgage lenders.
- Conveyancers and fee earners.
- External legal professionals.
- Resolve escalated client or lender concerns relating to post-completion matters.
- Ensure professional service standards are maintained at all times.
Person Specification
Essential Knowledge and Experience
- Significant experience within a conveyancing post-completion environment.
- Extensive experience dealing with Land Registry applications and requisitions.
- Experience managing or supervising a conveyancing support team.
- Strong understanding of residential conveyancing procedures.
- Experience of SDLT submissions and HMRC requirements.
- Thorough understanding of lender post-completion requirements.
- Experience using conveyancing case management systems.
Essential Skills
- Strong leadership and people management skills.
- Excellent technical knowledge of post-completion work.
- Advanced organisational skills.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities within strict deadlines.
- Excellent attention to detail.
- Strong reporting and performance management skills.
Desirable Qualifications and Experience
- CILEx qualification or equivalent legal qualification.
- Management qualification.
- Experience within a CQS accredited firm.
- Experience implementing workflow automation and process improvements.
- Experience managing high-volume conveyancing operations.
- Knowledge of both residential and commercial registration processes.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
The Post Completion Manager will be responsible for:
- Percentage of registrations submitted within target timescales.
- Departmental requisition rate.
- Requisition response times.
- Registration cancellation rate.
- SDLT compliance performance.
- Team productivity levels.
- Compliance audit outcomes.
- Staff retention and development metrics.
- Achievement of departmental service level targets.
Authority and Decision-Making
The Post Completion Manager is authorised to:
- Manage departmental workflows and resources.
- Allocate and redistribute workloads.
- Approve procedural changes within the department.
- Resolve complex registration issues.
- Manage performance and training plans.
- Implement quality control measures.
- Escalate significant legal, compliance or operational risks to senior management.
Success Profile
An effective Post Completion Manager will:
- Deliver a highly efficient and compliant post-completion operation.
- Maintain low Land Registry requisition and cancellation rates.
- Develop a skilled and motivated post-completion team.
- Ensure lender and regulatory compliance standards are consistently met.
- Drive continuous improvement and operational excellence.
- Provide expert technical leadership to the conveyancing department.
Employee Benefits
· 25 days’ annual leave, in addition to bank holidays
· Additional leave for your length of service
. Healthcare Cash Plan
· 1-day annual leave for your birthday
· 1-day recharge day
· 2 Volunteer days – Paid leave each year to participate in volunteering activities
· The opportunity to buy and sell annual leave
· Annual Christmas company shutdown
· Attendance bonus
· Social Committee events
· Innovation Group contributions to help build better ways of working
· Employee gift scheme for important dates and milestones
· Refer a client incentive
· Refer a colleague incentive
· Continuous learning and development opportunities
· Flexible working – subject to business needs and your role within the Firm
Work Location: In person
