Programme Test Manager | 12 month contract | Outside IR35

Investec; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Investec is expanding its Corporate Banking proposition and seeks an experienced Programme Test & Assurance Manager to lead testing, assurance and launch readiness across the roadmap, with an immediate focus on Client Release 3.

This is a senior delivery role bringing together Product, Technology and Operations to ensure new capabilities are fully tested and client-ready, with end-to-end quality governance and evidence-based release decisions.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Programme Test Manager or senior test leader within complex multi-team delivery programmes.
• Experience defining and driving an integrated test strategy from planning through execution, acceptance and go-live.
• Expertise across end-to-end testing, OAT, UAT, and release assurance.
• Ability to translate delivery scope into practical test plans, scenarios, ownership and evidence.

Responsibilities

• Define and drive the programme-wide test and assurance strategy, creating an integrated approach across features, platforms, teams and business processes.
• Lead end-to-end Client Journey Testing, cross-team integration testing, Operational Acceptance Testing (OAT) and User Acceptance Testing (UAT).
• Build realistic testing around complete client and colleague journeys, covering happy paths, exceptions, failure scenarios, recovery processes and manual interventions.
• Coordinate testing across Product, Technology, Operations, Client Services, Risk, Compliance, data and third parties, ensuring dependencies and hand-offs are properly validated.
• Establish clear testing governance, including scope, ownership, entry and exit criteria, environments, test data and evidence standards.
• Lead defect and quality management, driving effective triage, resolution and retesting while maintaining visibility of residual risks and workarounds.
• Assess overall release readiness and provide clear, evidence-based recommendations to support go/no-go decisions.
• Provide concise reporting to senior stakeholders on testing progress, coverage, defects, dependencies, risks and readiness, escalating material concerns early.

Skills

Programme Test Manager

Test & Assurance

End-to-end testing

Stakeholder management

Job description

Investec is continuing to expand its Corporate Banking proposition through a series of client releases spanning new products, onboarding journeys, transaction banking services, digital capabilities and client servicing.

We're looking for an experienced Programme Test & Assurance Manager to lead testing, assurance and launch readiness across this roadmap, with an immediate focus on Client Release 3.

This is more than a traditional technical Test Manager position. This is a senior delivery role with a broad remit, bringing together Product, Technology, Operations and other business teams to ensure new capabilities are fully tested and genuinely ready for clients and colleagues. You'll take an end-to-end view of quality and readiness across people, processes and technology, providing stakeholders with clear, evidence-based insight to support successful release decisions.

What will I be doing?

• Define and drive the programme-wide test and assurance strategy, creating an integrated approach across features, platforms, teams and business processes.
• Lead end-to-end Client Journey Testing, cross-team integration testing, Operational Acceptance Testing (OAT) and User Acceptance Testing (UAT).
• Build realistic testing around complete client and colleague journeys, covering happy paths, exceptions, failure scenarios, recovery processes and manual interventions.
• Coordinate testing across Product, Technology, Operations, Client Services, Risk, Compliance, data and third parties, ensuring dependencies and hand-offs are properly validated.
• Establish clear testing governance, including scope, ownership, entry and exit criteria, environments, test data and evidence standards.
• Lead defect and quality management, driving effective triage, resolution and retesting while maintaining visibility of residual risks and workarounds.
• Assess overall release readiness and provide clear, evidence-based recommendations to support go/no-go decisions.
• Provide concise reporting to senior stakeholders on testing progress, coverage, defects, dependencies, risks and readiness, escalating material concerns early.

What are we looking for?

What's Essential?

• Proven experience as a Programme Test Manager, Test & Assurance Manager or senior test leader within complex, multi-team delivery programmes, ideally in Corporate, commercial, business or transaction banking areas
• Strong experience defining and driving an integrated test strategy from initial planning through execution, acceptance and go-live.
• Demonstrable expertise across end-to-end testing, cross-team integration testing, OAT, UAT, defect management and release assurance.
• Experience testing complete client journeys and business processes across people, process and technology.
• Ability to translate complex delivery scope and dependencies into practical test plans, scenarios, ownership and evidence.
• Programme-level experience managing test environments, data, resources, risks, issues, metrics and governance.
• Credibility when working with senior business, operational and technology stakeholders, including the confidence to challenge readiness where evidence is insufficient.
• Excellent planning, facilitation, communication, problem-solving and decision-support skills.

What's Desirable?

• Corporate, commercial business or transaction banking experience
• Experience testing digital onboarding, payments, account servicing, lending or client-channel capabilities.
• Experience supporting the launch of new products, propositions or client capabilities within a regulated environment.
• Understanding of banking operations, service transition, operational controls and regulated customer outcomes.
• Experience working across Agile delivery teams within a wider programme or release environment.
• Experience coordinating third-party suppliers and specialist platform teams

Investec - Where Out of the Ordinary Happens

At Investec, we do things differently. We're a leading international bank and wealth manager built on a culture of curiosity, entrepreneurial spirit and human connection. Ideas are heard, ambition is celebrated, and impact is encouraged. As part of a team that challenges convention and strives for outperformance, you'll help shape bold solutions for clients who expect something more than the ordinary.

Embedded in our culture is a sense of belonging and inclusion. At Investec we want everyone to feel it ease to be themselves, and to feel they belong. It's a responsibility we all share and is integral to our purpose and values as an organisation. We believe that innovation thrives when everyone feels respected, included, and empowered to contribute.