Programme Test Manager

LA International; Manchester, City of Edinburgh; Hybrid; GBP 74,000 - 92,000; Full time

Job summary

LA International is seeking a Programme Test Manager for a 12-month contract with extensions. The role is hybrid, 3 days on-site per week in Manchester or Edinburgh, with a daily rate of £400-£500 via Umbrella.

You will define the programme-wide test strategy and govern master test plans across delivery streams and multiple vendors. You will lead Test Managers and Leads, drive governance, risk and readiness reporting, and ensure robust testing coverage including UAT, migration and production

Qualifications

• Extensive Programme Test Manager experience on large transformation programmes.
• Ownership of testing across multiple workstreams, vendors and locations.
• Experience with data migration testing including reconciliation and production verification.
• Ability to define programme test strategies, integrated plans and quality gates.
• Executive stakeholder management with senior leaders.
• Experience in regulated UK/Irish Financial Services environments.
• Proficiency with Jira, Confluence and Azure DevOps tooling.

Responsibilities

• Define, own and maintain the programme-wide Test Strategy across all delivery streams.
• Develop and govern the Integrated Master Test Plan across platform delivery, customisation, migration, business testing, releases and cutover.
• Lead and quality-assure Test Managers and Test Leads across multiple vendors, locations and delivery teams.
• Establish common standards, quality gates, entry and exit criteria, metrics, reporting cadence and evidence requirements.
• Own programme-level assurance across system, integration, end-to-end, migration, regression, UAT, non-functional and operational readiness testing.
• Lead migration assurance, including transformation validation, reconciliation, controls, exception management, dress rehearsals and production verification.
• Establish cross-vendor defect governance and maintain end-to-end traceability from requirements through testing, defects and acceptance evidence.
• Coordinate test environments and test data, ensuring appropriate security, compliance and data controls.
• Provide concise executive reporting on coverage, defect health, dependencies, residual risk and release readiness.
• Provide evidence-based quality-gate and go/no-go recommendations, driving recovery actions where testing is fragmented or delayed.

Skills

Test management

Programme governance

Multivendor coordination

Data migration testing

Stakeholder management

Regulated finance experience

Tools

Jira

Confluence

Azure DevOps

Job description

Programme Test Manager

12 Month contract initially + Extensions

Based: Hybrid - 3 days p/w onsite. Either Manchester or Edinburgh (whichever is most convenient)

Rate: £400 - £500 p/d - (via Umbrella company)

We have a great opportunity with a world leading organisation where you will be provided with all of the support and development to succeed. A progressive organisation where you can really make a difference. We have a great opportunity for a Programme Test Manager to join the team.

Key Responsibilities

• Define, own and maintain the programme-wide Test Strategy across all delivery streams.
• Develop and govern the Integrated Master Test Plan across platform delivery, customisation, migration, business testing, releases and cutover.
• Lead and quality-assure Test Managers and Test Leads across multiple vendors, locations and delivery teams.
• Establish common standards, quality gates, entry and exit criteria, metrics, reporting cadence and evidence requirements.
• Own programme-level assurance across system, integration, end-to-end, migration, regression, UAT, non-functional and operational readiness testing.
• Lead migration assurance, including transformation validation, reconciliation, controls, exception management, dress rehearsals and production verification.
• Establish cross-vendor defect governance and maintain end-to-end traceability from requirements through testing, defects and acceptance evidence.
• Coordinate test environments and test data, ensuring appropriate security, compliance and data controls.
• Provide concise executive reporting on coverage, defect health, dependencies, residual risk and release readiness.
• Provide evidence-based quality-gate and go/no-go recommendations, driving recovery actions where testing is fragmented or delayed.

Key Skills & Experience:

• Extensive Programme Test Manager experience on large, complex transformation and migration programmes.
• Demonstrable ownership of testing across multiple workstreams, vendors and locations, including offshore teams.
• Strong Policy Administration System experience within Life, Protection, Pensions, Annuities or Long-Term Savings.
• Significant data migration testing experience, including reconciliation, transformation validation, exception analysis, rehearsals and production verification.
• Proven ability to define programme test strategies, integrated plans, quality gates and enterprise-level governance.
• Strong defect governance and management-information discipline, translating complex data into a clear readiness position.
• Experience governing UAT, business acceptance, operational readiness, major releases, cutover and production assurance.
• Strong executive stakeholder management, including engagement with Programme Directors, CIOs, Steering Committees and senior business leaders.
• Experience in regulated UK or Irish Financial Services, with strong audit, traceability and evidence disciplines.
• Proficiency with Jira, Confluence, Azure DevOps or equivalent test management and delivery tools.

This is an excellent opportunity on a great project of work, If you are looking for your next exciting opportunity,

We are committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable and accessible workplace where everyone feels valued and supported. We welcome applications from all individuals, regardless of background or identity, and we encourage candidates who may not meet every listed requirement to still apply. If you require any adjustments or support during the recruitment process, please let us know and we will work with you to ensure a fair and accessible experience.

Please Note: If a high volume of applications is received, only candidates shortlisted will be contacted.