Test Manager

Role purpose:

We are looking for a key partner to join us on this journey who will be the start of our QA practice, helping us build quality into our processes through automation The ideal candidate will be an experienced senior QA engineer who is ready to take a step up into a lead role.

This role will report to the Head of IT Operations, and empowered to establish and lead the QA practice, including people, process and technologies. You will be able to partner with engineers, Business Analysts and Architects, develop test strategies that meet the business functional requirements whilst also championing and elicit the "-ilities". This role will also continually develop and embed testing principles, processes and methodologies to ensure the business approach to system testing is robust and appropriate.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead the development and embedding of system testing processes, methodologies and strategy to support major IT/Business projects and BAU change
Develop and grow the QA test practice, advocating for automation and quality processes to be baked into the SDLC.
Partner with technical teams to manage testing requirements.
Assist in release planning and deployment of core systems.
Own and Manage IT Test tools and processes.
Coordinate technical and non-technical subject matter experts to achieve testing goals.
Identify, document and coordinate defect management. Analyse patterns and provide input to development/scrum teams to ensure timely resolution of identified faults.
Ensure all testing conforms to the agreed processes, methodologies and strategy.
Maintain testing documentation for risk and audit purposes.
Manage a team of Test Analysts to develop and execute test scenarios and scripts for IT projects.
Provide coaching, development and assistance to IT staff as required on system testing.
Complete personal 1-2-1s and appraisals as required by the business.
Manage risks and issues associated with the testing process and escalate as necessary.
Reporting regularly on progress to relevant governance forums and bodies

Experience required:

Proven experience coaching and mentoring QA team members.
Exposure to IT project delivery processes and best practice.
Experience of Test operations on HR, CRM and Web Portals beneficial. Excellent knowledge of testing principles, processes and methodologies with the ability to implement (and embed) in a proportional manner.
In depth knowledge of Test Automation and associated technologies and ability to create an automation test framework from scratch.

Personal Attributes:

Needs to be comfortable hands on.
Ability to deliver optimal testing approaches, based on a balanced view of cost and risk to the organisation.
Ability to cope in a technically complex and fast-changing environment, and to respond calmly and rationally to changing aspirations in a deadline-driven situation.
Comfortable enforcing quality and insisting on Test Priorities at the start of a project and not at the end.
Strong planning and organising skills including the ability to manage several work streams simultaneously.
Excellent documentation skills with the ability to explain outcomes to a variety of stakeholders.
Excellent communication skills with a capacity to present, discuss and explain issues coherently and logically, both in writing and verbally.
Good influencing and persuasion skills with the ability to enthuse and inspire multidisciplinary teams and build successful relationships at all levels.
Clear decision-making ability with the ability to judge complex situations and assess when to escalate issues.
Ability to balance conflicting and changing demands through prioritisation and a pragmatic approach.
Good team player, self-motivated and able to work on own initiative.
Able to resolve differences professionally and effectively when projects are intent on a certain direction that may conflict with IT strategy and direction.
Pragmatic in approach and highly delivery focused.