Lead Test Engineer

DWP Digital; Sheffield; Hybrid; GBP 76,000 - 91,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading digital services organization is seeking a Lead Test Engineer to ensure quality in Digital Payment Services. You will shape testing and assurance strategies, mentor QA engineers, and maintain high standards in collaboration with teams. The role offers up to £90,267 in salary, hybrid working options, and a comprehensive benefits package including a generous pension and 26+ days of holiday. Join us in our mission to deliver innovative digital solutions for users across the UK.

Benefits

28.97% employer pension contributions

Flexible working hours

Generous leave package

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of QA and test methodologies with hands-on experience.
• Ability to manage and mentor QA and test teams.
• Expertise in integrating Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) solutions.

Responsibilities

• Define how to test and assure quality for Digital Payment Services.
• Improve test frameworks and automation for faster delivery.
• Inspire teams to embrace best practices and mentor QA engineers.

Skills

QA and test methodologies

Automation frameworks and tools

Stakeholder engagement skills

Leadership and mentoring

Compliance with organisational standards

Job description

Lead Test Engineer

Pay up to £90,267 plus 28.97% employer pension contributions, choice of locations, hybrid working, flexible hours, and great work life balance.

DWP. Digital with Purpose.

We are looking for a Lead Test Engineer to join our community of tech experts in DWP Digital Payment Services (DPS).

We're using fresh ideas and leading‑edge tech to build and maintain digital solutions that will be used by nearly every person in the UK, every day and at key moments in their lives.

DWP is the UK's largest government department. We are the UK's largest payer, making around £280 billion in payments every year, a third of all BACS traffic, to support and empower millions of people.

The scale of what we do is extraordinary, and our purpose is unique. We'd love you to join us.

What skills, knowledge and experience will you need?

• Strong knowledge of QA and test methodologies, automation frameworks and tools, with hands‑on experience embedding quality early in the development lifecycle.
• Ability to manage and mentor QA and test teams, fostering a culture of quality and continuous improvement.
• Expertise in integrating Commercial Off‑The‑Shelf (COTS) solutions and ensuring compliance with organisational standards.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement skills, with experience influencing governance boards and cross‑functional teams.
• Up‑to‑date understanding of QA best practices, emerging technologies and regulatory requirements and standards.
• Proven experience in leading test and quality assurance strategies across complex digital services within large‑scale organisations.

You and your role

We're looking for someone to take the lead in shaping how we test and assure quality for Digital Payment Services. You'll make sure quality is built in from the start, whether we're creating solutions in house or working with top industry providers.

Your role is about setting high standards, improving test frameworks and automation so we can deliver faster without losing quality.

You'll inspire teams to embrace best practices, mentor talented QA engineers and be the go‑to expert on testing and compliance. Collaboration is key, you'll work with internal teams and external partners to ensure everything integrates smoothly and is fully tested. You'll also track performance, manage defects and bring fresh ideas and new tech to keep us ahead of the game.

Details. Wages. Perks.

Location: You'll join us in one of our brilliant digital hubs in Birmingham, Blackpool, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle or Sheffield, whichever is most convenient for you.

Hybrid Working: We work a hybrid model – you'll spend some time working at home and some time collaborating face to face in a hub.

Pay: We offer competitive pay of up to £90,267.

Pension: You'll get a brilliant civil service pension with employer contributions worth 28.97%, worth over £21,000 per year.

Holidays: A generous leave package starting at 26 days rising to 31 days over time. You can also take up to 3 extra days off a month on flexi‑time. You'll also get all the usual public holidays.

We have a broad benefits package built around your work‑life balance which includes:

• Flexible working including flexible hours and flex‑friendly policies
• Time off volunteering and charitable giving
• Bring your authentic self to work with 'I Can Be Me in DWP'
• Discounts and savings on shopping, fun days out and more
• Interest‑free loans to buy a bike or a season ticket, so it's even easier for you to get to work and start making a difference
• Professional development, coaching, mentoring and career progression opportunities.

And we have an award‑winning environment and culture:

• DWP have been recognised as 2024 Diversity Employer of the Year at the Computing Women in Tech Excellence awards
• Diverse and Inclusive Leadership at Digital Leaders Awards 2024
• Commended as Best Place to Work in Digital category in the Computing Digital Technology Leaders awards 2025
• Recognised as one of the Best Public Sector Employers at 2025 Women In Tech Employer Awards

Process:

We know your time is valuable, so our application and selection process are just two stages:

Apply: complete your application on Civil Service Jobs. There'll be full instructions when you click through.

Interview: a single stage interview online.

CLICK APPLY for more information and to start your application.