BD&O Test Manager

Phoenix; City of Edinburgh; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading savings and retirement company based in Edinburgh is seeking a Test Manager to oversee testing activities. You will develop test strategies, manage resources, and ensure high-quality deliverables. Ideal candidates will have experience in test management and a strong understanding of pension systems. This permanent role offers a competitive salary of £55,000 - £90,000 plus benefits.

Benefits

Discretionary bonus

Private medical cover

38 days annual leave

Excellent pension

12x salary life assurance

Career breaks

Income protection

3x volunteering days

Qualifications

• Proven experience in test management within complex projects.
• Experience with third-party suppliers and system integrators.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Plan, coordinate, and manage all testing activities.
• Develop and maintain test strategies aligned with project objectives.
• Monitor and report on test progress, risks, and issues.

Skills

Test management experience

Understanding of pension administration systems

Testing methodologies (Agile, Waterfall)

Communication skills

Leadership

Education

Degree in Computer Science or IT

ISTQB Advanced Test Manager certification

Tools

JIRA

HP ALM

Selenium

Job description

Job Description

Job Type: Permanent

Location: Edinburgh, London, Telford or Birmingham

Flexible working: All of our roles are open to part-time, job-share and other types of flexibility. We will discuss what is important to you and balancing this with business requirements during the recruitment process. You can read more about Phoenix Flex here.

Closing Date: 18th November

Salary and benefits: £55,000 - £90,000 plus discretionary bonus, private medical cover, 38 days annual leave, excellent pension, 12x salary life assurance, career breaks, income protection, 3x volunteering days and much more.

We’re Phoenix Group, we’re a long‑term savings and retirement business. We offer a range of products across our market‑leading brands, Standard Life, SunLife, Phoenix Life and ReAssure. Around 1 in 5 people in the UK has a pension with us. We’re a FTSE 100 organisation that is tackling key issues such as transitioning our portfolio to net zero by 2050, and we’re not done yet.

Role Purpose

The Test Manager is responsible for planning, coordinating, and managing all testing activities across projects or programmes to ensure high‑quality deliverables. This role involves defining test strategies, managing resources, and ensuring adherence to testing standards and best practices.

Key Responsibilities

Test Strategy & Planning

• Develop and maintain test strategies, plans, and schedules aligned with project objectives.
• Lead end‑to‑end testing across functional, integration, regression, and user acceptance phases.

Execution & Management

• Oversee test execution, defect management, and reporting.
• Ensure timely delivery of test results and sign‑offs.
• Coordinate with development teams, business analysts, and stakeholders to resolve issues.
• Collaborate with external partners to align testing activities, environments, and data requirements.

Quality Assurance

• Implement and enforce testing standards, tools, and methodologies.
• Monitor and report on test progress, risks, and issues to senior stakeholders.
• Drive automation initiatives to improve efficiency and coverage.
• Support defect triage and resolution, ensuring timely closure and quality assurance.

Resource & Stakeholder Management

• Manage test teams, including task allocation and mentoring.
• Liaise with business analysts, project managers, product owners, and external vendors.

Risk & Issue Management

• Identify testing risks and develop mitigation plans.
• Escalate critical issues promptly to senior management.

Skills & Experience

• Proven experience in test management within complex projects/programmes.
• Strong understanding of pension administration systems, workflows, and regulatory requirements.
• Experience working with third‑party suppliers, system integrators, and internal IT teams.
• Strong knowledge of testing methodologies (Agile, Waterfall, Hybrid).
• Hands‑on experience with test tools (e.g., JIRA, HP ALM, Selenium).
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment.
• Capable of leading and motivating teams under tight deadlines.
• Able to work independently and escalation issues appropriately.
• Familiarity with governance frameworks such as Change Management processes.

Qualifications

Degree in Computer Science, IT, or related field (or equivalent experience).

ISTQB Advanced Test Manager certification (preferred).

Key Competencies

• Leadership and team management.
• Analytical and problem‑solving skills.
• Attention to detail and commitment to quality.

Find out more about

• Guide for Candidates: thephoenixgroup.pagetiger.com/guideforcandidates
• Find or get answers from our colleagues: www.thephoenixgroup.com/careers/talk-to-us