Lead Test Automation Engineer

Bank of England; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 49,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial institution in Leeds is seeking a proactive Test Automation Lead to oversee a team of engineers and enhance the testing framework for a critical payments platform. This role invites applicants passionate about quality engineering and offers flexible working arrangements to fit personal commitments. Candidates should possess proven test automation experience and strong mentorship capabilities. The role plays a key part in maintaining operational resilience and quality assurance for the Bank's services.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits package

Pension plan

Annual leave

Private medical insurance

Qualifications

• Experience leading automation teams delivering enterprise-grade solutions.
• Knowledge of middleware systems like Kafka and IBM MQ.
• Strong analytical skills to learn complex processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of automation engineers in developing testing strategies.
• Design and maintain test scenarios for various testing types.
• Collaborate with developers and product teams.

Skills

Test automation experience

Proficiency in Eggplant Functional

Experience with SOAP UI

Knowledge of Karate framework

Familiarity with scripting languages

Coaching & mentoring skills

Education

Degree in Information Technology or Computer Science

Tools

JMeter

LoadRunner

SonarQube

Job description

Location

Location: Leeds

Full Time
Permanent

Job Description

Are you passionate about leading high‑performing teams and driving excellence in test automation? Join the RTGS Technology domain, where you’ll play a pivotal role in ensuring the quality and resilience of one of the UK’s most critical financial services. As a hands‑on Test Automation Lead, you’ll lead a team of 8–10 engineers, shaping automation strategy, delivering robust test frameworks, and contributing to the flawless functioning of our new payments platform.

Flexible Working Options

This role is open to flexible working patterns, which may include:

• Job share
• Flexible start and end times
• Part time
• Adaptable calendar to fit personal commitments (e.g., school run, appointments)
• A 50% in‑office attendance requirement, spread flexibly across the month
• Compressed hours (subject to approval and team policy)
• Working from abroad policy (subject to approval and team policy)

Opportunities in Leeds

We’re excited to be growing our presence in Leeds, a city we’ve been connected to for nearly 200 years! Our modern, accessible office in the City Centre offers a supportive, flexible working environment. The majority of roles, including this one, are now available in Leeds, giving you the chance to build a meaningful career outside of London while contributing to our mission from a dynamic and growing location. You’ll work collaboratively with London‑based colleagues in a hybrid model, with regular opportunities to travel into the London office to meet and connect together in person.

Want to learn more? Discover what makes our Leeds office such a dynamic place to work by visiting our Leeds page for more details.

A Day in the Role

Your day will start with team leadership—coaching and mentoring automation engineers, reviewing progress, and aligning priorities with RTGS senior management. You’ll design and maintain automation scenarios for functional, system, integration, end‑to‑end, and security testing using frameworks like Karate. You’ll analyse test results, identify bottlenecks, and recommend optimisations. You’ll also lead performance testing using JMeter and LoadRunner, contribute to the performance test strategy, and drive process improvements. Collaboration is key—you’ll work closely with developers, architects, and product teams, and actively participate in recruitment to grow the team.

Role Requirements

You will have experience leading automation teams and delivering enterprise‑grade testing solutions—or you’re eager to step into a leadership role while remaining hands‑on. If you’re passionate about quality engineering and automation, we’d love to hear from you.

Minimum Criteria

We’re looking for someone who has the following key skills and experience:

• Demonstrable hands‑on test automation experience using various leading automation tools.
• Proficiency in using testing tools such as Eggplant Functional, API testing tools like SOAP UI, Postman.
• Experience writing System, Functional, E2E, API, security, and UI test scripts using Karate framework.
• Strong knowledge of testing methodologies, tools, and techniques.
• Knowledge of middleware systems/message queuing systems like Kafka, IBM MQ and ACE.

Essential Criteria

We are interested in hearing from candidates who have the following capabilities:

• Familiarity with scripting languages (e.g., Python, JavaScript) and application monitoring tools like Control M.
• Knowledge and experience of using tools like SonarQube, Fortify, Twistlock and Xray for vulnerability scans as part of security testing.
• A broad knowledge of software architecture technologies such as XBRL, HTML, VB, .NET, XML, Java, Web Services, SOA, SOAP, Unix/Linux, SAP, Oracle, SQL, and SharePoint is highly desirable.
• Solid grasp of the Oracle Database architecture and experience in generating Tableau reporting queries.
• Strong analytical skills and confident in learning complex business processes involving the complex integration of several systems.
• Effective collaboration skills to work seamlessly with diverse teams.
• Coaching & mentoring skills to help and shape the automation team

Desirable Criteria

It would also be beneficial, but not necessary, to have some of the following:

• Degree in Information Technology, Computer Science or other relevant fields.
• ISTQB / ISQI / ISEB Foundation level qualification

How this role fits into the wider Bank

RTGS is one of the Bank’s most critical services, central to the UK’s financial stability. This leadership role strengthens our testing capability for the new payments platform—improving reliability, resilience, and assurance across the service. As part of the Digital Assurance & Productivity domain, you’ll help ensure the Bank’s systems and services operate flawlessly for the public good.

Further Information

We don’t expect new joiners to know every tool or technology listed on day one. If you’re curious and committed to learning, we’ll support you to fill any gaps. The role offers flexibility in working pattern; however, as a leader, you’ll need to balance team support with service priorities.

Our Approach to Inclusion

The Bank values diversity, equity and inclusion. We play a key role in maintaining monetary and financial stability, and to do that effectively, we believe we need a workforce that reflects the society we serve.

At the Bank of England, we want all colleagues to feel valued and respected, so we're working hard to build an inclusive culture which supports people from all backgrounds and communities to be at their best at work. We celebrate all forms of diversity, including (but not limited to) age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, race, religion, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status. We believe that it’s by drawing on different perspectives and experiences that we’ll continue to make the best decisions for the public.

We welcome applications from individuals who work flexibly, including job shares and part time working patterns. We've also partnered with external organisations to support us in making adjustments for candidates and employees in the recruitment process where they're needed.

For most roles where work can be carried out at home, we aim for colleagues to spend half of their time in the office, with a minimum of 40% per month. Subject to that minimum requirement, individuals and managers should work together to find what works best for them, their team and stakeholders.

Finally, we're proud to be a member of the Disability Confident Scheme. If you wish to apply under this scheme, you should check the box in the ‘Candidate Personal Information’ under the ‘Disability Confident Scheme’ section of the application.

Salary and Benefits Information

We encourage flexible working, part time working and job share arrangements. Part time salary and benefits will be on a pro‑rated basis as appropriate.

We offer a salary as follows:

Leeds circa £49,360 - £55,530

In addition, we also offer a comprehensive benefits package as detailed below:

• Currently a non‑contributory, career average pension giving you a guaranteed retirement benefit of 1/80th of your annual salary for every year worked. There is the option to increase your pension (to 1/65th) or decrease (to 1/105th) in exchange for salary through our flexible benefits programme each year. The Bank has the discretion to vary standard accrual rates and dial up and dial down rates at any time and to withdraw dial up and dial down options at any time.
• A discretionary performance award based on a current award pool.
• An 8% benefits allowance with the option to take as salary or purchase a wide range of flexible benefits.
• 26 days’ annual leave with option to buy up to 12 additional days through flexible benefits.
• Private medical insurance and income protection.

National Security Vetting Process

Employment in this role will be subject to the National Security Vetting clearance process (and typically can take between 6 to 12 weeks post offer) and the passing of additional Bank security checks in accordance with the Bank policy. Further information regarding the vetting and security clearance requirements for the role will be provided to the successful applicant, and information about how the Bank processes personal data for these purposes, is set out in the Bank's Privacy Notice.

The Bank of England welcomes applications from all candidates, but as a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) approved sponsor, we have a responsibility to comply with the Immigration Rules and guidance. As such, our ability to employ individuals who require sponsorship for immigration purposes is limited. The Bank cannot guarantee that you and / or the role you are applying for will be eligible for sponsorship and that any application made to UKVI will be successful. Eligibility will therefore be considered on a case by case basis.

The Application Process

Important: Please ensure that you complete the ‘work history’ section and answer ALL the application questions fully. All candidate applications are anonymised to ensure that our hiring managers will not be able to see your personal information, including your CV, when reviewing your application details at the screening stage. It’s therefore really important that you fill out the work history and application form questions, as your answers will form a critical part of the initial selection process.

This role closes on xxxx.

The assessment process will comprise of two interview stages.

Please apply online, ensuring that you complete your work history and answer ALL the application questions fully and in detail as your application will not be considered if all mandatory questions are not fully completed.