Lead Test Engineer - Companies House - SEO

Manchester Digital; Cardiff; Hybrid; GBP 41,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading digital company as a Lead Test Engineer, offering a competitive salary and flexible working options. You will lead testing efforts, mentor junior staff, and play a crucial role in the transformation of our Digital Services team, contributing to the delivery of high-quality digital services.

Benefits

Flexible working with no core hours

30 days annual leave

8 bank holidays

Civil Service Pension scheme with 28% contribution rate

Qualifications

• Experience with Agile methodologies, including certification or practical experience.
• Expertise with automation testing frameworks like Java, Selenium, and Playwright.
• Proven skills in coaching, with experience in automation testing.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor other testers in test automation and functional testing.
• Identify and implement test frameworks to improve testing confidence.
• Design and execute non-functional test cases using standard techniques.

Skills

Coaching

Mentoring

Problem Solving

Collaboration

Automation Testing

Education

Professional certification (e.g., ISTQB, ISEB)

Tools

Selenium

Java

TypeScript

Playwright

Cucumber

Job description

Lead Test Engineer - Companies House - SEO

Base salary is £41,571 - £45,784 with an additional DDaT allowance of £4,350 - £11,000 available.

Published on 5 June 2025. Deadline 29 June 2025.

This is an exciting opportunity in the Digital Services team. You’ll be joining our team at a time of transformation and you will be part of shaping the future of our department. We use Agile Methodologies and promote a culture of continuous improvement.

We are looking for enthusiastic Lead Test Engineers with great technical skills, able to coach and mentor other testers and lead test automation, functional, and non-functional testing areas.

You will be part of our lead tester group, working collaboratively with your squads, overseeing the testing journey with management responsibilities. You will act as an advocate for quality and champion behavior-driven development.

This role offers the chance to enhance the test community by exploring new tools and approaches, helping the organization deliver better services. It is a rewarding position within the Test Team, contributing to the success of existing and future services provided by Companies House.

We currently employ a hybrid working approach. Remote contracts are available only to successful candidates not within a commutable distance to our Cardiff, Belfast, or Edinburgh offices. If you are nearby, you will receive a hybrid contract aligned to one of these locations.

Companies House offers a flexible, welcoming culture that promotes work-life balance and well-being. Our benefits include flexible working with no core hours, 30 days annual leave, 8 bank holidays, 1 privilege day, and enrollment in the Civil Service Pension scheme with an average contribution rate of 28%.

• Identify and implement test frameworks to improve testing confidence (currently migrating from Selenium/Java to Playwright & TypeScript).
• Proficiency in various coding languages (expertise in at least one).
• Lead delivery practices, focusing on complex problem-solving and influencing senior team members.
• Design and execute non-functional test cases using standard techniques.
• Advise on current functional testing techniques and peer-review work.

Further information on Test Engineering and the skills expected of a Lead can be found here.

Person specification

We are seeking candidates with the following experience, assessed during the sift, technical stage, and interview:

• Professional certification (e.g., ISTQB, ISEB) or equivalent practical experience in testing.
• Automation testing expertise with frameworks like Java, Selenium, Cucumber, and desirable experience in Playwright and TypeScript.
• Proven coaching and mentoring skills, especially in automation.
• Experience with Agile methodologies, including certification or substantial practical experience.
• Experience in Non-Functional testing practices such as Security, Performance, and Accessibility.
• Knowledge of at least five of the following: API, AWS, Burp, Concourse/Jenkins, Docker, JMeter, Karate/Rest API, MongoDB, Kafka, Oracle, Playwright, Postman/SOAP UI, SQL, TypeScript, Unix systems, Git, XML.

Behaviours

Assessment during selection will focus on:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
• Seeing the Big Picture

Technical skills

Assessment during the selection process will also include your technical skills.