Job Specification - Test Lead

Job Title: Test Lead
Contract Length: 12 Months
Start Date: September / October (TBC)
Location: Remote with occasional office attendance
Engagement Type: Outside IR35 (subject to assessment)
Security Clearance: BPSS / CTC

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Test Lead to lead the testing function within a large-scale, multi-organisational transformation programme. The successful candidate will be responsible for defining and implementing the overall testing strategy, ensuring consistent governance, quality assurance, and delivery across multiple workstreams and suppliers.
The Test Lead will provide leadership to the wider testing team, oversee all testing activities across the programme lifecycle, and act as the primary point of contact for testing governance with internal and external stakeholders. This role requires extensive experience managing complex testing environments involving integrated platforms, multiple delivery partners, and both Agile and Waterfall methodologies.

Key Responsibilities

Test Strategy & Governance

• Develop, own, and maintain the Programme Test Strategy.
• Define testing approaches across the programme including:
  • Manual testing
  • Automated testing
  • Integration testing
  • End-to-end testing
  • User Acceptance Testing (UAT)
  • Regression testing
  • Non-functional testing
• Establish standards and governance processes for test planning, execution, reporting, and quality assurance.
• Define and maintain test RACI matrices and governance frameworks.
• Ensure testing approaches remain aligned to programme objectives and delivery timelines.

Test Management & Leadership

• Provide leadership and direction to programme testing resources.
• Support recruitment and onboarding of additional Test Managers where required.
• Matrix manage Test Managers and ensure consistent adoption of testing standards and methodologies.
• Monitor utilisation and effectiveness of test resources across multiple programme workstreams.
• Provide guidance and support to testing teams across the programme lifecycle.

Test Planning & Delivery

• Oversee test planning across multiple projects and critical delivery paths.
• Manage:
  • Test environments
  • Test data strategies
  • Test coverage
  • Test schedules and cycles
  • Defect management processes
  • Test traceability
• Ensure test execution aligns with programme milestones and delivery commitments.
• Act as a surge resource when required, supporting test preparation, execution, and reporting activities.

Quality Assurance

• Provide assurance and oversight of all key testing artefacts.
• Review and approve:
  • Test plans
  • Test scenarios
  • Test scripts
  • Defect reports
  • Test execution reports
  • Test completion reports
• Ensure testing activities maintain high standards of quality, consistency, and traceability.
• Verify that testing outcomes can be clearly evidenced against business and technical requirements.

Stakeholder & Supplier Management

• Represent the testing function within programme governance forums.
• Serve as a primary point of contact between programme leadership, delivery teams, and external suppliers.
• Build effective relationships with senior stakeholders and supplier test teams.
• Coordinate testing activities across multiple organisations and delivery partners.
• Facilitate issue resolution and risk mitigation throughout the testing lifecycle.

Test Exit & Acceptance

• Author, review, and approve all Test Exit Reports.
• Ensure agreed exit criteria and quality thresholds are achieved.
• Assess defect tolerances and determine readiness for progression through programme stages.
• Ensure mitigation plans are in place for defects carried forward.
• Support programme readiness reviews and quality gate assessments.

Continuous Improvement

• Promote testing best practice throughout the programme.
• Identify opportunities to improve testing efficiency through automation and process optimisation.
• Support transition of testing processes and artefacts into BAU support teams.
• Ensure lessons learned are captured and incorporated into future delivery phases.

Experience Required

Essential Experience

• Significant experience leading testing functions within large-scale transformation or technology programmes.
• Proven experience authoring and implementing programme-level Test Strategies.
• Experience operating within complex multi-supplier environments.
• Track record of managing multiple concurrent test phases across different programme workstreams.
• Experience representing the testing function within senior governance and stakeholder forums.
• Experience leading and managing testing teams and Test Managers.
• Experience delivering both client-side and supplier-side testing engagements.
• Experience testing integrated solutions and cross-platform data flows.
• Experience managing risk-based testing in environments involving varying levels of technical maturity.
• Experience working within both Agile and Waterfall delivery methodologies.

Desirable Experience

• Experience within public sector programmes.
• Experience working within highly regulated or security-conscious environments.
• Experience supporting large-scale operational or service mobilisation programmes.
• Experience transitioning testing services into BAU operational support models.

Technical Skills & Knowledge

Essential

• Strong understanding of software testing methodologies and frameworks.
• Experience developing and implementing test governance models.
• Strong knowledge of:
  • Functional Testing
  • Integration Testing
  • End-to-End Testing
  • Regression Testing
  • User Acceptance Testing
• Experience with Jira and Zephyr test management tools.
• Understanding of API testing and integration validation techniques.
• Experience managing defect lifecycles and quality metrics.
• Knowledge of test automation frameworks and practical implementation approaches.

Desirable

• Basic understanding of SQL and relational database concepts.
• Experience testing transactional software platforms.
• Familiarity with RESTful APIs and integration testing methodologies.
• Knowledge of enterprise software ecosystems and third-party integrations.
• Experience supporting data migration and data validation testing.

Qualifications & Certifications

Essential

• Degree educated, preferably within a technical, computing, engineering, or related discipline.
• ISEB/ISTQB Practitioner Certification in Software Testing (or equivalent).

Desirable

• iSQI Certified Agile Tester (CAT).
• Advanced ISTQB certifications.
• Agile qualifications (Scrum, SAFe, AgilePM).
• PRINCE2 Foundation or Practitioner.

Key Competencies

• Strong leadership and team management capability.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills.
• Strategic thinking with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders across complex organisations.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Risk and issue management expertise.
• Ability to work effectively within fast-paced programme environments.
• Strong decision-making and governance experience.

Key Deliverables

• Programme Test Strategy
• Test Governance Framework
• Test Management Plan
• Test Environment Strategy
• Test Coverage and Traceability Matrix
• Defect Management Reporting
• Test Progress Reports
• Test Exit Reports
• Quality Readiness Gate Inputs
• BAU Test Transition Documentation

Clearance Requirements

Candidates must be eligible to obtain and maintain BPSS and CTC clearance and be able to work within secure programme environments where required.