User Acceptance Testing Lead

The Open University UK; Milton Keynes; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

The Open University is seeking an experienced UAT Lead to coordinate testing activities for the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) Programme within Academic Services. The role requires ownership of test plans, scenarios and defect management, with close collaboration to SMEs and technical teams.

You will use Azure DevOps for test management, reporting, and evidence collection, ensuring end-to-end journeys meet business requirements and sign-off criteria.

Qualifications

• Experience of User Acceptance Testing, business testing or system testing within a project or change environment.
• Experience of planning and coordinating UAT or comparable testing activity.
• Experience of working with UAT scenarios, test plans and detailed test scripts.
• Experience of managing or coordinating defects, including retesting and regression testing.
• Experience of using Azure DevOps (ADO) or a comparable test management tool.

Responsibilities

• UAT Planning and Coordination: Take ownership of the agreed UAT approach, scenarios, test plan and existing test pack.
• Test and Defect Management: Monitor test execution, results and overall test coverage; coordinate defect triage and retesting.
• UAT Reporting and Sign-off: Track progress and ensure evidence for completion and sign-off.
• Use of Systems and Tools: Use Azure DevOps (ADO) as the primary tool for managing UAT activity and progress.
• Contribute to the Effective and Efficient Performance of the Team: Collaborate with team members and drive continuous improvement.

Skills

UAT experience

Azure DevOps

ISTQB

Test planning

Defect management

Education

ISTQB certification

Tools

Azure DevOps

Job description

Fixed Term Contract: End Date: 31 July 2027

Welsh Language: Not Applicable

Change your career, change lives

The Open University is the UK's largest university, a world leader in flexible part-time education, combining a mission to widen access to higher education with research excellence, transforming lives through education. Find out more about us and our mission by watching this short video (you will be taken to YouTube by clicking this link).

About the Role

The purpose of this role is to lead and coordinate User Acceptance Testing (UAT) for the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) Programme within Academic Services.

The UAT Lead will take ownership of the agreed UAT approach, scenarios, test plan and existing test pack, ensuring that testing is effectively planned, coordinated and completed. The role will work closely with UAT Testers, business Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), project colleagues and technical teams to ensure that delivered functionality is tested against agreed business requirements and end-to-end journeys.

The succesful candidate will coordinate test execution, monitor progress and coverage, manage defects through testing and retesting, and ensure appropriate evidence is available to support UAT completion and business sign-off.

The successful candidate will receive appropriate handover and familiarisation with the LLE solution, relevant systems, business processes, existing test materials and known issues.

Key Responsibilities

UAT Planning and Coordination

• Take ownership of the agreed UAT approach, scenarios, test plan and existing test pack.
• Review and refine existing test materials against delivered functionality where required.
• Work with business and technical SMEs to clarify scenarios, expected outcomes, requirements and test data.
• Plan and coordinate UAT activity against agreed project milestones and timescales.
• Allocate testing activities to UAT Testers and monitor progress and completion.
• Brief and support UAT Testers, acting as their first point of contact for testing queries and escalation.
• Identify and elevate risks, issues and blockers that could affect UAT completion or go-live readiness.

Test and Defect Management

• Ensure test scripts provide appropriate coverage of agreed UAT scenarios and business requirements.
• Monitor test execution, results and overall test coverage.
• Coordinate the recording, triage and management of defects identified during UAT.
• Coordinate defect retesting and regression testing where required.
• Monitor outstanding defects and assess their potential impact on UAT completion.
• Ensure test results, defects and supporting evidence are recorded accurately and consistently.

UAT Reporting and Sign-off

• Track and report UAT progress, including test coverage, pass/fail results, outstanding testing, defects, risks and blockers.
• Ensure appropriate testing evidence is maintained to demonstrate completion of agreed UAT activity.
• Coordinate outstanding actions required to bring UAT to completion.
• Work with relevant business SMEs and project stakeholders to confirm testing outcomes.
• Coordinate the evidence and information required to support UAT completion, business sign-off and go-live decision-making.
• Escalate significant issues that may affect successful completion of UAT or business readiness.

Use of Systems and Tools

• Use Azure DevOps (ADO) as the primary tool for managing UAT activity, including test plans, test cases, execution, results and defects..
• Use ADO to monitor test progress, coverage, outstanding activity and defects.
• Maintain appropriate traceability between test scenarios, test cases, results and defects.
• Use Microsoft 365, Teams, SharePoint, Excel and other approved University tools to support testing, reporting and collaboration.

Contribute to the Effective and Efficient Performance of the Team

• Work collaboratively with UAT Testers, business SMEs, technical teams and project colleagues to achieve agreed testing objectives.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of UAT processes, documentation and ways of working.
• Provide guidance and support to UAT Testers where required.

You are expected to:

• Comply with the University's Health and Safety and Equal Opportunities policies in the performance of your duties.
• Co-operate with the Open University in ensuring statutory requirements, codes of practice and relevant University policies are followed.

About You

• Experience of User Acceptance Testing, business testing or system testing within a project or change environment.
• Experience of planning and coordinating UAT or comparable testing activity.
• Experience of working with UAT scenarios, test plans and detailed test scripts.
• Experience of managing or coordinating defects, including retesting and regression testing.
• Experience of using Azure DevOps (ADO) or a comparable test management tool.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently, use initiative and quickly develop an understanding of unfamiliar systems and processes.
• Proficient in Microsoft 365 applications, including Excel, Word, Outlook and Teams.
• Previous experience as a UAT Lead, Test Lead or similar role.
• Hands-on experience of Azure DevOps Test Plans.
• Relevant testing qualification or certification, such as ISTQB or equivalent.
• Experience of supporting major system implementations, transformation programmes or change initiatives.

What's in it for you?

At The Open University, we offer a range of benefits to recognise and reward great work, alongside policies and flexible working that contribute towards a great work life balance. Get all the details of what benefits we offer by visiting our Staff Benefits page (clicking this link will open a new window).

We are open to discussions about flexible working. Whether it’s a job share, part time, compressed hours or another working arrangement. Please reach out to us to discuss what works best for you.

Working Location: It is anticipated that a hybrid working pattern can be adopted for this role, where the successful candidate can work from home and the office. However, as this role is contractually aligned to our Milton Keynes Office, it is expected that some attendance in the office will be required when necessary and in response to business needs. We’d expect this to be two days per month as a minimum, but this may be more often as required. Full-time working based from our Milton Keynes site is also supported if this is preferred by the candidate. Expenses associated with travel to our Milton Keynes site are not reimbursable.

Next steps in the Recruitment process

We anticipate that interviews for this role will be taking place via Microsoft Teams during week commencing 12 October 2026

Early closing date notification

While most roles will remain open until the advertised closing date, applications may be reviewed on an ongoing basis. In some cases, vacancies may close earlier if a sufficient number of suitable applications have been received and equality impacts have been appropriately considered. All roles will remain advertised for a minimum of one week before any early closure is implemented.

If you have started an application or were in the process of applying when the advert closed, we encourage you to get in touch. We are committed to understanding individual circumstances and can offer further support where needed, including reasonable adjustments for applicants with protected characteristics.