Assurance Manager - Network & Infrastructure (FMO)

Assurance Manager - Network & Infrastructure (FMO)

Location: Southampton (Onsite with hybrid flexibility) Contract: 11-month assignment (strong likelihood of extension) Rate: £650-£700/day (Inside IR35) Expenses: Fully covered Security Clearance: Must hold or be eligible for UK Security Clearance (SC minimum)

Role Overview

We are recruiting a Senior Assurance Manager for a high-priority programme within the Air Traffic and Critical National Infrastructure sector.

This is a senior assurance leadership role, responsible for providing independent, authoritative assurance over network infrastructure that underpins airspace safety, national communications, and mission-critical control systems.

Operating within a highly regulated, safety-critical environment, the Assurance Manager will define and lead assurance strategy, oversee quality and testing activities, and provide trusted guidance to the wider programme and senior stakeholders. The role requires gravitas, tenacity, and the ability to influence at all levels, including suppliers and executive stakeholders.

Experience of assurance in aerospace, space, aviation, defence, or similarly regulated environments is a strong advantage.

Key Responsibilities

Assurance Leadership

• Define, own, and lead the end-to-end assurance strategy for network infrastructure across the programme.
• Provide independent assurance that network solutions are safe, secure, compliant, and fit for purpose.
• Act as the authoritative assurance voice within the programme, informing go/no-go decisions and risk acceptance.

Test & Quality Assurance Management

• Develop and oversee comprehensive test and validation strategies, covering:

• Functional, integration, performance, resilience, regression, and security testing

• Contingency, failover, and disaster recovery (BC/DR) scenarios

Ensure traceability between requirements, risks, tests, and outcomes.

Review, challenge, and formally sign off:

• Test plans and test cases
• Risk assessments and mitigation plans
• Test evidence, reports, and exit criteria

Team & Supplier Leadership

• Lead and coordinate a small assurance/test team, including internal staff and supplier resources.
• Set quality standards, manage priorities, and ensure consistent assurance practices across vendors.
• Provide assurance oversight of third-party suppliers, including telecoms and network service providers.

Programme & Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as the primary interface for assurance matters with:

• Senior programme leadership

• Engineering and architecture leads

• External suppliers and partners

Inform, guide, and direct the broader programme team on assurance, quality, and risk.

Challenge designs, implementations, and delivery plans where assurance standards are not met.

Governance, Risk & Compliance

• Ensure all assurance and testing activities comply with relevant standards and regulatory expectations, including:

• Safety-critical and secure system standards

• ISO standards and NCSC guidance where applicable

Contribute to design reviews, security risk assessments, and implementation planning from an assurance perspective.

Drive continuous improvement in assurance processes, tooling, and automation.

Essential Skills & Experience

Seniority & Leadership

• Proven experience in a senior assurance, test management, or QA leadership role within complex, regulated environments.
• Demonstrable gravitas and leadership presence, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders and suppliers.
• Experience leading small specialist teams and coordinating multi-vendor assurance activities.
• Tenacious and confident in challenging decisions that compromise safety, quality, or compliance.

Assurance & Regulated Environments

• Strong subject-matter expertise in assurance within regulated, safety-critical environments (eg aviation, aerospace, defence, telecoms, utilities, CNI).
• Solid background in QA management, assurance governance, and risk-based decision-making.
• Comfortable operating in environments with formal sign-off, audit scrutiny, and regulatory oversight.

Network & Technical Expertise

• Deep understanding of complex network infrastructures, including:

• Routing & Switching (BGP, OSPF, MPLS)

• TCP/IP, UDP, Multicast, QoS, VLANs

• VPNs, VRFs, ACLs

Hands-on knowledge of Firewall and perimeter security technologies (at least one required):

• Cisco ASA, Palo Alto, Fortinet, Check Point

Experience validating performance, resilience, latency, packet loss, and security posture.

Familiarity with network test and analysis tools such as:

• Wireshark, Nmap, iPerf, SolarWinds, Cisco Prime, Tufin, or equivalents

Ability to understand or oversee test automation and Scripting (Python, Bash, Ansible, or similar).

Desirable Experience & Qualifications

• Assurance experience within aerospace, space, aviation, or air traffic management environments
• Experience on UK Government, Defence, or National Infrastructure programmes
• CCNP/CCIE (or equivalent level of expertise)
• ISTQB Test Manager (or equivalent)
• Understanding of telecoms integration into safety-critical or CNI platforms

Working Environment & Additional Information

• Hybrid working: typically, 2-3 days per week onsite in Swanwick
• Working alongside a major UK telecoms provider delivering services into national air traffic systems
• Travel expenses to site fully covered
• Candidate must be SC cleared or eligible (previous clearance within last 12 months desirable)
• Strong likelihood of contract extension beyond the initial term

• Proven experience in a senior assurance, test management, or QA leadership role within complex, regulated environments.
• Demonstrable gravitas and leadership presence, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders and suppliers.
• Experience leading small specialist teams and coordinating multi-vendor assurance activities.
• Tenacious and confident in challenging decisions that compromise safety, quality, or compliance.

Assurance & Regulated Environments

• Strong subject-matter expertise in assurance within regulated, safety-critical environments (eg aviation, aerospace, defence, telecoms, utilities, CNI).
• Solid background in QA management, assurance governance, and risk-based decision-making.
• Comfortable operating in environments with formal sign-off, audit scrutiny, and regulatory oversight.

Network & Technical Expertise

• Deep understanding of complex network infrastructures, including:

• Routing & Switching (BGP, OSPF, MPLS)

• TCP/IP, UDP, Multicast, QoS, VLANs

• VPNs, VRFs, ACLs

Hands-on knowledge of Firewall and perimeter security technologies (at least one required):

• Cisco ASA, Palo Alto, Fortinet, Check Point

Experience validating performance, resilience, latency, packet loss, and security posture.

Familiarity with network test and analysis tools such as:

• Wireshark, Nmap, iPerf, SolarWinds, Cisco Prime, Tufin, or equivalents

Ability to understand or oversee test automation and Scripting (Python, Bash, Ansible, or similar).

Desirable Experience & Qualifications

• Assurance experience within aerospace, space, aviation, or air traffic management environments
• Experience on UK Government, Defence, or National Infrastructure programmes
• CCNP/CCIE (or equivalent level of expertise)
• ISTQB Test Manager (or equivalent)
• Understanding of telecoms integration into safety-critical or CNI platforms, * Hybrid working: typically, 2-3 days per week onsite in Swanwick
• Working alongside a major UK telecoms provider delivering services into national air traffic systems
• Travel expenses to site fully covered
• Candidate must be SC cleared or eligible (previous clearance within last 12 months desirable)
• Strong likelihood of contract extension beyond the initial term