Programme Test Delivery & Oversight Manager

Our purpose is to give everyone real confidence to put their money to work. With a heritage dating back more than 175 years we have a long history of innovation in savings and investments combining asset management and insurance expertise to offer a wide range of solutions.

Our two distinct operating segments Asset Management and Life work together to provide access to balanced long-term investment and savings solutions.

Through telling it like it is owning it now and moving it forward together with care and integrity; we are creating an exceptional place to work for exceptional talent.

We will consider flexible working arrangements for any of our roles and also offer work place accommodations to ensure you have what you need to effectively deliver in your role.

Were looking for a Programme Test Delivery & Oversight Manager who will be accountable for leading and assuring the end-to-end testing lifecycle across a programme. The role ensures that delivered outcomes are fit for purpose operationally sustainable and aligned to customer regulatory and business requirements.

Importantly this role also defines and governs the programme test strategy provides integrated oversight of all testing activity and ensures that third-party delivery is controlled transparent and delivered to agreed quality standards.

Please note this is a 12 month Fixed Term Contract.

• Define baseline and maintain a robust programme-level test strategy including scope approach environments data entry and exit criteria and quality gates
• Establish and manage an integrated test plan across all testing phases - including SIT UAT OAT NFT performance security and resilience - ensuring alignment to programme milestones and business readiness.
• Provide active oversight and assurance of third-party test delivery ensuring outputs meet agreed standards and risks and issues are proactively managed
• Own defect management governance ensuring effective triage prioritisation resolution and visibility of root causes
• Deliver clear evidence-led reporting to programme and executive governance including transparent articulation of risks issues and residual quality exposure
• Provide clear evidence based recommendations on go-live readiness ensuring risks are understood documented and appropriately mitigated

Our ideal candidate will bring strong programme level testing expertise combining strategic oversight with hands-on control across planning and delivery. You will be confident integrating test lifecycle activities assuring third-party contributions and driving rigorous defect management & quality control. Comfortable operating in complex environments you will use evidence based insight to provide clear assured reporting to senior leaders building confidence while maintaining pace and discipline across the programme.

• Proven track record of leading end-to-end testing across complex multi-vendor transformation programmes
• Extensive experience in testing or QA with significant experience in test management leadership on complex change initiatives
• Evidence of managing multiple test phases and coordinating cross-functional teams and suppliers.
• Strong governance discipline with the ability to operate effectively in a regulated financial services environment
• Experience managing third-party suppliers providing oversight assurance and performance management
• Ability to translate technical test outcomes into clear business risk and decision-making insight
• Strong stakeholder management across business operations and technology functions
• You will be experienced with various tools and technology including but not limited to:
  • Enterprise test management and defect tracking tools such as Jira (with Xray/Zephyr) Azure Dev Ops ALM or Test Rail
  • Integrated QA and automation platforms (e.g. Tricentis qTest Katalon) and an understanding of how these support end-to-end testing and reporting
  • Working knowledge of CI/CD and automation tools (e.g. Selenium Postman Jenkins) and their role in modern testing approaches
  • Producing quality metrics and reporting using tools such as Jira dashboards Power BI or similar.
  • Exposure to non-functional and data testing tools (e.g. JMeter Load Runner SQL-based validation) is desirable particularly within complex transformation or migration programmes
• Ideally you will hold an ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level with Advanced Level Test Management being strongly desirable). Alternative qualifications include but are not limited to:
  • Additional ISTQB certifications (e.g. Test Automation Technical Test Analyst Agile or Expert Level) desirable
  • Relevant QA certifications such as CSTE CSQA or Certified Manager of Software Testing
  • Programme or delivery certifications (e.g. PRINCE2 PMP Agile/Scrum)
  • ITIL or equivalent service management certifications beneficial particularly in environments with third-party suppliers
  • Continuous improvement or quality certifications (e.g. Six Sigma)

Wed love to hear from you if youre…