Agile Test Lead

Avance Consulting; Warwick; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking an Agile Test Lead to oversee testing across multiple SCRUM teams for a significant SCADA system migration project. This role involves ensuring that testing processes are meticulously planned and executed, promoting best practices, and managing defects effectively. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in system testing, familiarity with Agile and Waterfall methodologies, and proficiency in tools like JIRA and Power BI. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to a transformative project that enhances operational efficiency and digitalization in the electricity transmission sector.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience leading system testing in Agile and Waterfall environments.
• Strong skills in test planning, estimation, and defect management.

Responsibilities

• Ensure testing is planned, estimated, prepared, and executed consistently.
• Monitor test preparation and execution, maintaining quality and documentation.

Skills

Test Planning

Defect Management

Agile Methodologies

Waterfall Methodologies

JIRA

Excel

Power BI

Problem-Solving

Communication

Teamwork

Tools

JIRA

Power BI

Excel

Oracle MFT

Mulesoft APIs

Job description

Client is in the process of migrating the Electricity Transmission business processes from the current shared SCADA system to a new OSI Aspentech/DGM provided Monarch SCADA System.

The new ET SCADA system will monitor/control approximately 350 electricity substations.

Each substation comprises around 150 assets, including connectors, circuit breakers, and switch gears.

Each substation has an estimated 2,000 sensors that feed the health status and values of assets back to the SCADA system.

The new SCADA will be integrated with other business systems to minimize manual data handling, meet regulatory objectives, enhance digitalization, and improve efficiency while maintaining safe systems of work.

The programme uses a mix of SCRUM delivery until the end of SIT, with other testing stages such as non-functional testing, UAT, etc., following Waterfall methodology. There are four SCRUM Teams across five functional areas (MWP, MRTF, MTNC, SVC & PNA combined as the EMS team), comprising DGM, NGET business SMEs, test resources, and resources from other suppliers.

SIT scope includes integration, data alignment, data validation, configuration validation, and process-based tests (functional scenarios).

Key responsibilities:

The Agile Test Lead (ATL) operates across all SCRUM teams, ensuring testing is planned, estimated, prepared, and executed consistently according to standard processes, quality, and timelines.

The ATL promotes testing best practices among SMEs and acts as an interim defect manager as needed.

The role involves monitoring test preparation and execution, ensuring adherence to testing and defect management processes, maintaining quality, and appropriately documenting evidence.

The ATL works closely with SCRUM team PMs, POs, embedded testers, and interfaces with the SIQ team and other SMEs to ensure proper scope, resources, and capacity planning.

The ATL manages defect processes, produces reports and dashboards using JIRA, Excel, and Power BI, and collaborates on test plans and outcomes.

The role includes ensuring SCRUM is implemented correctly, facilitating team alignment, and supporting dependency and capacity management.

The ATL monitors test readiness, hosts defect triage meetings, and escalates issues as necessary.

Key skills/knowledge/experience:

• At least 5 years of experience leading system testing, SIT/FAT/SAT in Agile and Waterfall environments.
• Strong skills in test planning, estimation, design, documentation, and defect management.
• Experience with JIRA, XRAY, JQL scripting, Excel, Power BI, or similar tools.
• Excellent problem-solving, communication, and teamworking skills.
• Knowledge of SCADA, Real-Time Control, NMS, preferably OSI Aspentech/DGM products or comparable industry products.
• Experience with Oracle MFT, Mulesoft APIs, and familiarity with standards like IEC101, IEC104, GI74, IEC 61850, IEEE.