Test Lead

Core-Asset Consulting Ltd; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Core-Asset Consulting Ltd is seeking a Test Lead to provide QA leadership across a portfolio of projects, owning planning, governance and delivery of business-led testing (UAT, regression and pre/post deployment). A new QA framework and tools are being embedded, with a clear voice on evolution within 12 months.

You will work independently within the framework, coordinating multiple change initiatives, with further Test Lead appointments planned.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a Test Lead or Test Management role (min 2 years) within 5+ years in software testing/UAT.
• Hands-on test execution history and ability to explain testing standards.
• Led testing across multiple projects with planning, execution, and governance.
• Defined test strategies based on requirements, processes, acceptance criteria and risk.
• Experience writing test scripts and planning test data.
• Strong defect management, triage, prioritisation and remediation.
• Experience in Regression, System and System Integration Testing.
• Practical use of Azure DevOps Test Plans; reporting and metrics.
• Experience with Agile and Waterfall delivery and governance.
• Excellent stakeholder management and autonomous working style.

Responsibilities

• Provide QA leadership across projects ensuring delivery aligns with QA Framework.
• Embed and improve the QA Framework, templates, tooling and governance.
• Lead UAT, Regression and Pre-/Post-Deployment Verification testing for projects.
• Assess tester resource needs and secure access, data and support.
• Own production of Test Strategies, scope, traceability and test artefacts.
• Set up and maintain Test Plans in Azure DevOps; ensure scripting quality.
• Coordinate test data mining and preparation.
• Lead Test Entry/Exit assessments and quality assurance of execution.
• Lead defect triage and manage risks to delivery.
• Report progress, quality, risk, and release readiness with go/no-go evidence.
• Identify tests for automated regression; flag changes affecting automation.
• Coordinate post-deployment validation and capture lessons learned.
• Collaborate with BAs, POs, SMEs, Devs and wider stakeholders.

Skills

Test leadership

Hands-on testing

Multi-project

Test strategy

Test scripting

Defect management

Regression testing

Azure DevOps

Test reporting

Agile/Waterfall

Stakeholder comms

Self-starter

Tools

Jira

Zephyr

TestRail

Postman

BrowserStack

Visual Studio Code

Job description

Reporting to the Head of Testing & Quality Assurance within the Change function, you will provide QA leadership across a portfolio of projects and change initiatives, owning the planning, coordination, governance and delivery of business-led testing - including UAT, Regression Testing and Pre- and Post-Deployment Verification Testing.A new QA Framework, and the tools that support it, is being built now.You will have a clear foundation to work from, and a real voice in how those standards and tools evolve over the next 12 months as the framework is embedded across the business.

This is a role for a self-starter. You will be trusted to own your deliverables across multiple projects at once, working independently within the framework, keeping stakeholders informed and knowing when to seek support or elevate. With further Test Lead appointments planned in the near future, this is an excellent opportunity to join a growing QA function at the very start.

Skills/Experience:

Essential

• Proven experience in a Test Lead or Test Management role (minimum 2 years), within at least 5 years' overall experience in software testing and/or UAT
• Hands-on test execution experience from earlier in your career, giving you a practical understanding of why testing standards are needed and the ability to explain them to others
• A track record of leading testing across multiple projects and change initiatives at the same time, covering test planning, execution management, resource planning and test readiness
• Demonstrable experience of defining Test Strategies and determining test scope and coverage from requirements, business processes, acceptance criteria and risk
• Experience of writing test scripts to defined standards, and of test data planning and preparation
• Strong defect management experience, including triage, prioritisation, severity assessment, retesting, closure and escalation
• Experience of Regression Testing, System Testing and System Integration Testing
• Practical experience of Microsoft Azure DevOps, ideally including Azure DevOps Test Plans
• Experience of producing test reports, dashboards, metrics and MI to support release decisions
• Experience of Agile and Waterfall delivery, cross-functional project teams and defined governance and quality frameworks
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills with technical and non-technical audiences
• A self-starter who is highly organised, comfortable working autonomously and takes ownership, while knowing when to update others and seek support

Desirable

• Experience within an FCA-regulated or similarly regulated environment
• Experience of implementing, embedding or improving a QA or Test Framework or operating model
• Experience of coaching and developing people with less formal testing experience
• Experience of risk-based Pre- and Post-Deployment Verification Testing
• Familiarity with test management and testing tools such as Jira, Zephyr, TestRail, Postman, BrowserStack or Visual Studio Code
• ISTQB or BCS software testing certification (or equivalent)
• An interest in emerging testing practices, including test automation and AI testing

Core Responsibilities:

• Provide QA leadership across assigned projects and change initiatives, ensuring testing is planned, governed and delivered in line with the QA Framework
• Help embed, maintain and continuously improve the newly established QA Framework and its processes, standards, templates, tooling and governance
• Lead the planning, coordination and delivery of UAT, Regression Testing and Pre- and Post-Deployment Verification Testing as required for each project
• Assess Business Tester resource requirements, work with business areas to secure testers, and make sure they have the knowledge, access, tools, test data and support they need
• Own the production and quality of key test artefacts, including Test Strategies, test scope and traceability, Test Entry and Exit Reports, test scripts, burndown trackers, test evidence and defect records
• Set up and maintain Test Plans in Azure DevOps and oversee test design and scripting to make sure scripts are consistent and detailed enough
• Define and coordinate test data mining and preparation
• Lead formal Test Entry and Test Exit assessments and quality‑assure test execution, results and evidence
• Lead defect triage and management, escalating significant quality, resource, environment, dependency or delivery risks
• Report clearly on test progress, quality, risk, defect trends and release readiness, and give evidence‑based Go/No‑Go recommendations
• Identify tests suitable for the automated regression suite and flag where changes may affect existing automated tests
• Coordinate risk‑based post‑deployment production validation, and capture and apply lessons learned
• Work closely with Business Analysts, Product Owners, Subject Matter Experts, Development teams and wider project stakeholders

Core-Asset Consulting is an equal opportunities recruiter and we welcome applications from everyone irrespective of age, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marital/civil partner status or pregnancy.

To apply for this vacancy applicants must be eligible to work in the UK in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006.

At Core-Asset, we're committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. Our privacy statement explains when and why we collect personal information about people who engage with our services, how we use it, the conditions under which we may disclose it to others, and how we keep it secure. We may change this policy from time to time, so please check this policy occasionally to ensure that you're happy with any changes.

By engaging with us (either by applying for a job we're advertising, registering through our website, or getting in touch with our business) you're agreeing to be bound by this policy.

Core-Asset Consulting is committed to protecting the privacy of our candidates, clients and website users. For further information, please refer to our full Privacy Statement available on our website http://www.core-asset.co.uk/about-core-asset/privacy-statement

Core-Asset Consulting offers specialist recruitment services to asset management, accounting & finance, asset servicing, legal and the wider financial services sector in Scotland.