Test Manager

Kion Group; Stockport; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in supply chain solutions is looking for a Software Test Manager in Stockport. This position involves leading software testing strategies, managing a team, and ensuring high-quality deliverables through robust testing frameworks. Ideal candidates should have substantial experience in software verification and a passion for quality assurance practices.

Benefits

Career Development

Competitive Compensation and Benefits

Global Opportunities

Qualifications

• 8 years of experience in software testing.
• 3 years in a leadership or management position.
• Strong background in modern programming languages.

Responsibilities

• Leading all aspects of software testing throughout the development lifecycle.
• Ensuring alignment of test phases with project milestones.
• Building and managing a team of Test Engineers.

Skills

Software verification

Automation

Analytical skills

Communication

Education

ISTQB Certification

Relevant University Degree

Tools

Automated Testing Frameworks

CI/CD Pipelines

Python

Job description

Dematic designs, builds, and supports intelligent automated solutions empowering and sustaining the future of commerce for its customers in manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution. With research and development engineering centres, manufacturing facilities, and service centres located in more than 26 countries, the Dematic global network of over 10,000 employees has helped achieve successful customer installations for some of the world’s leading brands. Headquartered in Atlanta, Dematic is a member of KION Group, one of the world’s leading suppliers of industrial trucks and supply chain solutions.

What we offer:

• Career Development
• Competitive Compensation and Benefits
• Pay Transparency
• Global Opportunities

Learn More Here: https://www.dematic.com/en-us/about/careers/what-we-offer/

Logistics and Supply Chain Careers at Dematic

Chart your path! Whether you are an engineer, customer service agent, supply chain expert, or salesperson, Dematic has a role for you.

Tasks and Qualifications:

Software Test Manager

Approved By (Title):

Paul Owen (Senior Director, Software Engineering)

Location

Stockport

Purpose of Role

The Software Test Manager is accountable for leading and managing all aspects of software testing throughout the software development lifecycle. This role contributes to delivering high-quality software that drives customer satisfaction, reduces operational costs, and ensures business agility. Working in a dynamic environment with a mix of methodologies, including V-Model, Agile, and Hybrid approaches, the Test Manager develops and executes strategic test planning, risk-based validation activities, and comprehensive verification techniques for System and Acceptance level testing. The role includes managing traceability across all requirement types, ensuring complete requirements coverage, leading a team of engineers, promoting a culture of shared accountability for quality, and contributing to continuous improvement initiatives within the software delivery function.

Reporting to

Head of Software Testing

Collaborating with:

• Software Engineering Manager
• Technical Design Manager

Experience Levels

• Minimum of 8 years of experience in software testing.
• At least 3 years of experience in a leadership or management role.
• Certification in software testing (ISTQB or equivalent) is strongly preferred.

Principal Accountabilities

Test Leadership & Strategy:

• Define and implement, and maintain robust test strategies tailored to project-specific requirements, timelines and risk profiles.
• Ensure alignment of all test phases with project and development milestones, including early stakeholder engagement.
• Facilitate and lead risk identification, analysis, and mitigation planning throughout the testing lifecycle.
• Integrate test activities seamlessly into the V-Model process, aligning verification and validation with each lifecycle stage.
• Champion a quality-first culture, advocating for shift-left testing practices and early defect identification.
• Promote shared responsibility for quality across all stakeholders, ensuring cooperation and early clarity in test plans, risk assessments, test results and status reports.

Test Planning & Design Oversight:

• Lead the derivation and approval of test specifications, scenarios, and cases from business, functional, and non-functional requirements (including performance, usability and security).
• Support structured test design methods (e.g., boundary value analysis, decision tables, pairwise testing, exploratory charters).
• Ensure all requirements are fully traceable to test artefacts and verification activities via an up-to-date traceability matrix.
• Review and approve test design and coverage analysis to confirm sufficient test depth and breadth.

Execution, Performance & Verification:

• Manage and oversee end-to-end execution activities, including integration, system, acceptance, regression and performance testing. Also, hands-on when required.
• Validate the representativeness and stability of test environments, including data and configuration alignment with production.
• Direct the application of verification methods such as manual and automated testing, stakeholder demonstrations, peer reviews, and inspections.
• Coordinate volume and stress testing to validate scalability and robustness under high-load scenarios.

Reporting & Continuous Improvement:

• Establish and monitor key test metrics such as defect density, test case effectiveness, rework rate, and test progress.
• Generate regular, transparent test reports for stakeholders highlighting current status, defects, coverage, and residual risk.
• Document test outcomes, lessons learned, and test retrospectives for process and methodology enhancement.
• Lead root cause analysis for critical defects and support resolving and preventing recurring issues.

Team Management & Mentorship:

• Build, manage, and develop a team of Test Engineers, including recruitment, training, performance evaluation, and workload balancing.
• Facilitate regular knowledge-sharing sessions, test reviews and collaborative test design workshops.
• Provide ongoing coaching to promote individual growth and ensure high team morale and productivity.
• Establish a framework for peer mentoring and cross-functional collaboration.

Automation & Tools:

• Oversee the selection, implementation, and continuous improvement of test automation frameworks and tooling.
• Advocate for test automation integration within CI/CD pipelines to improve efficiency and feedback cycles.
• Ensure appropriate automation strategies are in place for smoke, regression and performance testing.
• Encourage scripting capabilities within the team using Python, and other languages as needed.

Knowledge & Experience Required

• Extensive experience with software verification, particularly using and verifying approaches and testing models.
• Demonstrated capability in leading software test teams and projects.
• Proficient in modern programming languages (primarily C) and Automated Testing Frameworks.
• Strong analytical skills with a proven ability to solve complex problems creatively.
• Excellent communication skills, able to articulate technical challenges and solutions effectively.