Programme Test Manager

DCV Technologies Limited; Manchester; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

DCV Technologies Limited is seeking a Programme Test Manager to lead end-to-end testing for a protection insurance transformation and migration programme across the UK and Ireland. You will integrate test streams, establish governance, and provide a single evidence-based view of quality, risk and release readiness.

Experience in policy administration systems and data migration testing is essential. You will define the Test Strategy and Integrated Master Test Plan, lead multi-vendor teams, and

Qualifications

• Extensive Programme Test Manager experience on large, complex transformation and migration programmes.
• Experience with Policy Administration Systems in Life, Protection, Pensions, Annuities or Long-Term Savings.
• Strong data migration testing, reconciliation and production verification skills.
• Governs end-to-end testing across multiple vendors and locations.

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 and reporting cadence.
• Own programme-level assurance across system, integration, end-to-end, migration, regression, UAT and operational readiness testing.
• Provide evidence-based quality-gate recommendations and go/no-go decisions.

Skills

Programme Test Management

Leadership

Test governance

Stakeholder management

Test strategy

Education

ISTQB Advanced Test Manager

Tools

Jira

Confluence

Azure DevOps

Job description

As Programme Test Manager, you will lead end-to-end testing for a complex protection insurance transformation and migration programme. You will integrate distributed test streams, strengthen quality governance and provide programme leadership with a single, evidence-based view of quality, risk and release readiness. The programme includes implementation and customisation of a new Policy Administration System and migration of approximately 280,000 in-force policies across the UK and Ireland.,

• 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.
• 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.

Desirable skills/knowledge/experience:

• Testing experience across both UK and Irish regulated entities.
• Knowledge of commission, finance, actuarial, valuation or general-ledger testing.
• Experience with SaaS-based Policy Administration Platforms.
• Experience introducing CI/CD, automation and shift-left practices within hybrid Agile and Waterfall programmes.
• Experience stabilising or recovering fragmented testing structures or software-quality challenges.
• ISTQB Advanced Test Manager certification or equivalent professional accreditation.