Independent Test Assurance Lead: UAT & Governance

Talent Smart; Belfast City District; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Talent Smart is seeking an experienced Test Assurance Lead to provide independent testing assurance across a complex technology transformation programme with multiple suppliers and partners. You will lead the client-side UAT activities, coordinating with business stakeholders to ensure effective testing, informed go/no-go decisions and robust evidence for governance.

The role combines governance with hands-on testing to ensure solutions are fully tested, fit for purpose and ready for operational

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years' experience in Test Assurance or Test Leadership within complex technology programmes.
• Proven experience in independent, client-side test assurance and supplier oversight.
• Strong understanding of end-to-end testing lifecycle, including UAT and operational acceptance.
• Demonstrable experience developing and leading business-led UAT.
• Experience establishing test governance, quality gates and entry/exit criteria.
• Strong knowledge of requirements traceability, test coverage and evidence-based assurance.

Responsibilities

• Provide independent assurance of supplier test strategies, plans, methodologies and execution.
• Review testing coverage, environments, test data, resources and supporting evidence.
• Establish and maintain test governance, quality gates, entry and exit criteria.
• Develop and coordinate the client-side UAT strategy, scenarios, schedules and acceptance criteria.
• Engage and coordinate business stakeholders and UAT testers.
• Manage UAT progress, defect triage, prioritisation and retesting.
• Ensure requirements traceability across business, functional and technical requirements.
• Identify testing gaps, quality risks, unresolved defects and readiness concerns.
• Assess operational readiness, service acceptance and testing completion.
• Produce assurance reports and evidence-based recommendations to support programme governance and go/no-go decisions.
• Constructively challenge suppliers and delivery partners where testing quality or evidence is insufficient.

Skills

Independent governance

Supplier oversight

Testing lifecycle

UAT leadership

Stakeholder management

Education

ISTQB Advanced Level Test Manager

Tools

Azure DevOps

Jira

HP ALM

Xray

Zephyr

Job description

Talent Smart is seeking an experienced Test Assurance Lead to provide independent testing assurance across a complex technology transformation programme with multiple suppliers and partners. You will lead the client-side UAT activities, coordinating with business stakeholders to ensure effective testing, informed go/no-go decisions and robust evidence for governance.

The role combines governance with hands-on testing to ensure solutions are fully tested, fit for purpose and ready for operational