Finance Test Manager

Aviva; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 111,000 - 166,000; Full time

Job summary

Aviva is seeking a Finance Change & Test Manager for a 6-12 month contract in the Bristol/York hybrid setting. The role focuses on delivering large-scale finance transformation initiatives with strong emphasis on testing, business readiness and change implementation.

The candidate will collaborate across business, operations and technology, lead UAT activities, coordinate go-live readiness, and manage risks and governance artefacts in a fast-paced programme environment.

Qualifications

• Experience as Change Manager, Test Manager, Business Readiness Manager, Implementation Manager or Project Manager within large transformation programmes.
• Strong experience managing UAT and coordinating business testing activities.
• Proven experience supporting business change, implementation and go-live readiness activities.
• Experience managing risks, issues, dependencies and delivery plans within a structured project environment.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to engage across business and technology teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate testing activities across the programme, including planning, execution, defect management and business sign-off.
• Manage User Acceptance Testing (UAT) and support broader end-to-end testing activities.
• Drive business readiness activities to ensure successful adoption and implementation of change.
• Coordinate implementation and go-live planning, including cutover, deployment and hypercare support activities.
• Identify, manage and report programme risks, issues, assumptions and dependencies.
• Work collaboratively with business, operational, finance and technology stakeholders to ensure effective delivery of programme objectives.
• Monitor progress against key milestones and proactively address delivery challenges.
• Support programme governance through the production of status reporting, steering committee updates and stakeholder communications.
• Facilitate workshops, readiness reviews and decision-making forums across multiple workstreams.
• Ensure delivery plans, actions and decisions are appropriately documented and tracked through to completion.

Skills

Change management

Test management

Business readiness

UAT coordination

Stakeholder management

Programme governance

Delivery in Agile/Waterfall

Release management

ERP knowledge

Education

PRINCE2

PMP

Agile Certification

Testing Certification

Job description

Job Title: Finance Change & Test Manager

Location: Bristol, York / Hybrid

Duration: 6-12 Months

Inside IR35

This is a contract opportunity for someone who has experience delivering large-scale business and technology transformation initiatives within complex organisations. This role will suit an experienced Change, Test or Transformation professional who can quickly establish themselves within a programme environment and drive testing, business readiness and implementation activities from day one.

You will be comfortable operating across business, operations and technology teams, ensuring that change is effectively planned, tested and deployed. The successful candidate will bring strong stakeholder management skills, a proactive approach to delivery and the ability to manage multiple priorities within a fast-paced transformation environment.

This opportunity would suit individuals with a background in finance transformation, test management, business readiness, implementation or programme delivery who enjoy working across both strategic and hands-on activities.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate testing activities across the programme, including planning, execution, defect management and business sign-off.
• Manage User Acceptance Testing (UAT) and support broader end-to-end testing activities.
• Drive business readiness activities to ensure successful adoption and implementation of change.
• Coordinate implementation and go-live planning, including cutover, deployment and hypercare support activities.
• Identify, manage and report programme risks, issues, assumptions and dependencies.
• Work collaboratively with business, operational, finance and technology stakeholders to ensure effective delivery of programme objectives.
• Monitor progress against key milestones and proactively address delivery challenges.
• Support programme governance through the production of status reporting, steering committee updates and stakeholder communications.
• Facilitate workshops, readiness reviews and decision-making forums across multiple workstreams.
• Ensure delivery plans, actions and decisions are appropriately documented and tracked through to completion.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Demonstrable experience operating as a Change Manager, Test Manager, Business Readiness Manager, Implementation Manager or Project Manager within large transformation programmes.
• Strong experience managing User Acceptance Testing (UAT) and coordinating business testing activities.
• Proven experience supporting business change, implementation and go-live readiness activities.
• Experience managing risks, issues, dependencies and delivery plans within a structured project environment.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to engage effectively across business and technology teams.
• Experience producing programme governance artefacts, reporting and executive-level updates.
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Strong communication, facilitation and coordination skills.
• Ability to operate independently and deliver outcomes within fast-paced environments.
• Knowledge of Finance operations, processes or ERP implementations (e.g. SAP, Oracle, Workday Financials, Dynamics 365).
• Previous exposure to release management, implementation planning or cutover management.
• Experience working within Agile, Waterfall or hybrid delivery environments.
• Professional qualifications such as PRINCE2, Agile, PMP, Change Management or Testing certifications.