Test Lead

Trades Workforce Solutions; Wales; Hybrid; GBP 38,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

A technology solutions provider in the United Kingdom is looking for a Technology & Innovation Test and Release Lead who will oversee the test strategy and manage the testing processes for various projects. The candidate should be equipped with a degree in Technology and have at least two years of relevant experience. The role offers a hybrid working model, with responsibilities including developing test plans, collaborating with teams, and ensuring quality delivery of applications. Exceptional communication and leadership skills are essential.

Qualifications

• 2+ years experience in a similar role.
• Experience testing within large programmes.
• Experience with service management tooling.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of test strategies and plans.
• Manage defect resolution and stakeholder communication.
• Ensure compliance with health and safety standards.

Skills

Excellent written and verbal communication

Leadership and team management

Attention to detail

Advanced IT literacy

Ability to work independently

Education

Degree in Technology or Innovation

ITIL Foundation 4 certification (desired)

Test Manager certification (foundation level or equivalent)

Tools

Microsoft Teams

Testing tools for automation

Job description

Technology & Innovation Test and Release Lead

Contract Type: Permanent

Role profile Job title: Technology & Innovation Test and Release Lead

Hours: 35 Hours per week

Salary from: £38,656 - £41,777

The purpose of the role:

Closing Date: 16th of January 2026 (Apply early this role could close sooner if demand is high.)

Location (s): Hybrid, including at home, our office in Baglan and across the Neath Port Talbot borough

Reporting to the Service Desk Manager, the Test and Release lead will be responsible for the ownership, development and management of the Test Strategy, function and test processes. This will include developing, executing and implementing the appropriate test strategies for diverse projects within the portfolio, ensuring that quality is delivered whilst maintaining a pragmatic approach to enable the delivery at pace. This role is dual purpose of Test Manager and Analyst.

Collaborating with internal stakeholders, you will be responsible for leading a team and ensuring that applications are tested and training provided when released into the business are optimised to improve digital performance.

Define and lead the Defect Management Process and the appropriate definitions of Severity, Priority for the projects to ensure key milestones are met. Define the definition of test strategies for the projects. Develop the test strategy and plan, test scenarios, test cases, environment specification and plan, defect approach, test reports and test completion report for each assigned project, ensuring solutions meet specifications including all functional and non-functional requirements. Understand the testing effort by analysing the requirements and outcomes of the projects. Implement and maintain automated test suites to ensure continuous integration and minimise regression defects. Work with internal teams and the Programme Management Team to understand the testing demand and develop a suitable testing capability within the overall transformation programme, Elevate. Collaborate with the Technology & Innovation Trainer to ensure training plans are in place in readiness for the testing and new release of applications. Identify key stakeholders across the business, support required for the time, resources and budget required to perform the testing. Develop and manage the test plan for the tasks, dependencies and participants required to mitigate the risks to quality. Liaise with the Project Manager for the identification and management of risks and issues that arise throughout the project lifecycle in relation to testing. Work with the Project Manager to ensure that testing is included as part of the plans, including resource forecasting, reviewing and approve test case documentation, ensuring the timely delivery of different testing milestones. Develop and agree the test artefacts that will be produced as part of the projects to ensure consistency and certainty across the programme. Prepare reporting dashboards for testing for inclusion in steering committees and stakeholder reporting. Liaise with external stakeholders for timely resolution of defects and escalate any problems to the project lead and the Service Desk Manager. Undertake test execution identifying and resolving critical defects and bugs as appropriate. Consistently deliver on KPIs with a view to continuously improving performance and service delivery. Provide excellent customer service to both internal and external customers, adopting a people centric approach. Produce accurate data reports that feed into the organisations Performance Monitoring system. Proactively work with colleagues to assess varying sets of data to identify trends and potential areas of improvement. Participate in other projects, within the scope of the area of expertise. Championing the drive for continuous improvement. Embrace change positively, respectfully challenge as appropriate. To demonstrate living our values Be Bold, Be Fair & Be Kind. Foster a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion, promoting equal opportunities for all. To ensure health and safety standards and procedures are always adhered to.

Key Accountabilities and Responsibilities

Lead the team in providing clear direction and guidance to ensure successful delivery of department outcomes through setting expectations and standards, manage and challenge behaviours of your employees in line with our values. Lead with empathy, placing people at the heart of decision making. Holding your team and others to account on delivery of set objectives. Model and demonstrate living our values, Be Bold, Be Kind, be fair, managing and challenging behaviours of team employees in line with our values. Use a coaching leadership style to build confidence and capability across teams. To connect and communicate regularly with your team, engaging them with key organisation outcomes. To support employee training and personal development. Identify, develop, and mentor future talent in line with our succession planning framework. A people centric approach to leadership, where employees are at the core of all decision making. Empower your teams to be self-sufficient, giving them the confidence to make decisions. Completing all people management responsibilities as required with professionalism and care. Ensuring H&S standards, policies and procedures are always adhered to. Fostering a culture of ED&I and promoting equal opportunities for all team members.

Leadership Skills

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Skills

Excellent written and verbal communication skills to provide a solution focused advice, support and guidance.

Build good working relationships with teams, engaging them in the testing processes.

Structured and organised, with ability to prioritise work.

Work independently and collaboratively to tight deadlines.

Thrive in a fast-paced environment, showing resilience and adaptability with conflicting priorities.

Good attention to detail.

An advanced level of IT literacy, particularly the use of Microsoft Teams/Office plus other subject related systems/databases.

Experience

Demonstratable 2 years’ experience of working in a similar role.

Technical Skills, ability to carry out duties of Test Manager and Analyst

Exposure to Service Management tooling

Experience testing within large programmes.

Qualifications

Educated to degree level in a relevant subject within Technology or Innovation, or equivalent experience.

Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL Foundation 4) framework Certified is desired.

Test Manager certification to foundation level or equivalent experience.

Personal skills

If you like what you’ve read so far, it’s time to fill in your application form, update your CV and prepare your cover letter.

Your application is used to determine whether you’ll be chosen to have an interview and also acts as a basis for the questions we’ll ask you on the day.

It’s important that you try to capture all the information relevant to the role, so we can get a good feel for who you are and why you are a great match for us.

Do you like what you see?

Some tips:

Please list any formal qualifications on your form. We’ll need to see the certificates for your qualifications at interview stage.

At least one of your referees should be your current employer. If you are not currently employed, simply provide your most recent employer. If you don’t have any employment history, think about one professional and one personal referee who would best describe your suitability for the role.

Some of our roles require a Disclosing Barring Service (DBS) check. In relation to any cautions and convictions you may have, it is important to know what and when you are required to disclose.

The job details will highlight whether you are applying for a position which exempt under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exemptions Order 1975). In most cases, these will be roles that subject to an Enhanced disclosure check. You should also refer to our recruitment of ex‑offenders statement on our website for further information.

Make sure you include paid work, unpaid work and any work experience in your employment history. Start your current employment, or if you are currently unemployed, your most recent employment. If there are any gaps in your employment, please tell us why.

4. Your interview

A chance to discuss the role further, see if you are the right fit for us and the role, and of course if we are a fit for you.

We may also ask you to complete a test, this is dependent on the vacancy.

1. Submit your application

This is where you tailor your application to meet the needs of the role and to give us the best version of yourself.

2. The hiring manager will review your application and get in touch within 2 weeks of the job closing.

You will be contacted by email to arrange your interview.

You will be able to pick a time slot that suits you best.

3. Get yourself ready to meet with us!

Do your homework, we are impressed by candidates who go the extra mile!

Make sure you re‑read the role profile and share examples to best match what we are looking for.

5. Great news!

We will be in touch to confirm the outcome and next steps.

What happens next

If you don’t feel you are the right fit for this particular role, but would like to be part of our organisation, we would love to hear from you.

[e-mail]

0300 777 0000

Good luck with your application!