Senior Test Analyst (Release Acceptance Testing)

Royal London; Alderley Edge; Hybrid; GBP 52,000 - 78,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

28 days annual leave

Employer pension matching (up to 14%)

Private medical insurance

Job summary

Royal London is seeking a Release Acceptance Senior Test Analyst to shape software quality ahead of live deployments. Hybrid role based at Alderley Park with 50% home/office mix and permanent status.

You will lead release test activities, design reusable scripts, and mentor junior colleagues to ensure robust test coverage. You will define environment and data requirements, monitor progress, and report on quality metrics and risks to stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in release acceptance testing and live service assurance.
• Experience with test planning and scripting tooling.
• Experience using automated test tools.
• Ability to break down problems and select appropriate methods/tools.
• Influence on where automation adds value.
• Familiar with testing techniques across functional and non-functional components.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute release acceptance test procedures for software prior to live deployment.
• Specify requirements for environment, data, resources and tools.
• Design reusable test scripts and regression packs for testing changes.
• Monitor progress and document test results with traceability to requirements.
• Provide guidance to colleagues on test planning and execution.
• Mentor junior team members and deputise for Lead Test Analyst.

Skills

Release acceptance testing

Release management

Test planning

Scripting tooling

Automated test tools

Test execution

Mentoring

Guidance to colleagues

Job description

Contract type: Permanent
Location: Alderley Park
Working style: Hybrid 50% home/office based

We have a unique opportunity to offer roles within the Chief Operating Office that will help shape the future of Royal London, across several disciplines.

Our Chief Operating Office (COO) works across Royal London to help deliver the Group's strategic ambitions. We work in partnership to deliver operational excellence, drive innovation, enhance customer experience, and protect our business from threats impacting our industry.

The Release Acceptance Senior Test Analyst is responsible for the definition and execution of release acceptance test activities that assure the quality of software release packages prior to live deployment.

Additionally, Senior Test Analysts specify requirements for environment, data, resources and tools. Interprets, executes and documents complex test scripts using agreed methods and standards. Records and analyses actions and results and maintains a defect register. Reviews test results and modifies tests if necessary. The role also provides reports on progress, anomalies, risks and issues associated with the overall project. Reports on system quality and collects metrics on test cases. Provides specialist advice to support others. Reviews requirements and specifications and defines test conditions.

About the role

• Responsible for the definition and execution of release acceptance test procedures assuring software release packages prior to live deployment.
• Uses in-depth technical analysis of both functional and non-functional specifications (such as reliability, efficiency, usability, performance and portability) to determine test requirements.
• Can Identify gaps in available information required to understand a problem or situation and devising a means of resolving them.
• Specifies requirements for environment, data, resources and tools.
• Conducts early life cycle validation and verification. Plans, estimates and schedules phase tests.
• Designs and produces re-usable test scripts (including automated test scripts and packages), procedures and regression test packs (with expected results) to test new and amended software. Produces plans to test the effect of new and changed software on existing systems.
• Interprets and executes complex test scripts using agreed methods and standards.
• Monitors progress, documents test pass/failures compared with pre-defined criteria, creating traceability records, from test cases back to requirements, in accordance with agreed standards.
• Uses normal operating facilities, diagnostic tools, technical manuals, test scripts and systems documentation to identify, diagnose and report on system errors.
• Reviews test results and modifies tests if necessary. Produces reports on system quality and metrics on test cases.
• Provides guidance and assistance to colleagues on any aspect of test planning and execution.
• Reviews and tests non-functional aspects of systems at a high-level.
• Guides team members on the practices of testing and prioritises their tasks to achieve results ready for milestones.
• Mentors TA and Trainee TA.
• Deputises for Lead Test Analyst.
• Maintains knowledge of specific specialisms, provides detailed advice regarding their application and executes specialised tasks. The specialism can be any area of information or communication technology, technique, method, product, or test automation application area.

About you

• Extensive experience in release acceptance testing, release management and live service assurance.
• Has experience of test planning and scripting tooling.
• Has experience of using automated test tools.
• Acquires an understanding of a problem or situation by breaking it down systematically into its component parts and identifying the relationships between these parts, selecting the appropriate method/tool to resolve the problem and reflecting critically on the result, so that what is learnt is identified and assimilated.
• Has the capability to influence where automation will add value.
• Is familiar with testing techniques used to plan and execute software tests of all application components (functional and non-functional) to verify that the software satisfies specified requirements and to detect errors. Examples: dynamic testing techniques, static testing techniques, non-functional testing techniques, test automation techniques.
• Is aware of software tools which automate or assist any part of the testing process across the whole testing lifecycle. Examples: test management tools, capture replay tools, data preparation tools, debugging tools, load test tools, security penetration test tools, requirements test tools.
• Has experience of an application, process or product that benefits the test team.
• Has specialist knowledge and skills in one or more business functions, technology or automation tool.
• Can identify gaps in the available information required to understand a problem or situation and devising a means of resolving them.
• Can meet targets and fulfilling agreements even when adverse circumstances prevail.
• Can work collaboratively (rather than competitively) with others to achieve a common goal.
• Being proactive, anticipating opportunities for service improvement and taking appropriate action.
• Brings positive change to the test services community.
• Can take account of new information or changed circumstances and/or business requirements and modifying response to a problem or situation accordingly.
• Attention to detail. Applies appropriate quality standards to all tasks undertaken and ensuring that nothing is overlooked.

About Royal London

We're the UK's largest mutual life, pensions and investment company, offering protection, long-term savings and asset management products and services.

Our People Promise to our colleagues is that we will all work somewhere inclusive, responsible, enjoyable and fulfilling. This is underpinned by our Spirit of Royal London values; Empowered, Trustworthy, Collaborate, Achieve.

We've always been proud to reward employees by offering great workplace benefits such as 28 days annual leave in addition to bank holidays, an up to 14% employer matching pension scheme and private medical insurance.

Inclusion, diversity and belonging

We're an inclusive employer. We celebrate and value different backgrounds and cultures across Royal London. Our diverse people and perspectives give us a range of skills which are recognised and respected - whatever their background.