Head of Quality and Testing

As Head of Quality & Testing you will lead and develop quality and assurance testing capability across National Highways. This role is a blank canvass that will offer you the develop and build this function and offers a unique opportunity to establish, shape and develop this function.

You will provide strategic leadership and direction for quality and assurance testing capability across National Highways. You will also be accountable for line managing all technical experts for your discipline and for developing our technical capability to provide into virtual delivery teams.

This role can be flexibly based within the UK, as well as working in a hybrid capacity. We are a national team so there will be a requirement for occasional travel to one of our offices for meetings, most commonly Birmingham.

• Developing, implementing and maintaining testing and quality standards for Digital Services Technology and Operational Roadside Technology environments, ensuring this integrates seamlessly within project delivery frameworks including waterfall and agile.
• Establishing and leading a testing team as part of the Digital Services organisation, and providing ongoing quality assurance for third party and supplier test resources
• Developing and / or assuring testing strategies and integrated testing plans for projects and programmes as required.
• Developing and integrating quality and testing standards into procurement events and processes, to ensure quality is at the core of third-party deliverables.
• Developing a testing tooling strategy and the supporting business case based on reduced defect and automation ROI, and then implementing the subsequent tooling / automation project
• Managing and governing out partners, suppliers and third parties delivering testing services, to ensure National Highways standards are adopted and tested against.

• Proven track record in a similar senior Quality & Testing role with a strong background in business process design and testing (functional and non-functional testing)
• Ideally qualified in ISEB for Testing or equivalent
• Strong technical leadership experience, with a proven track record of leading, developing and motivating a diverse workforce to achieve high performance.
• Experience of managing / assuring work delivered by third parties
• Ability to communicate and land change to ensure quality is at the heart of our delivery frameworks
• Experience collaborating with business and technology stakeholders to translate complex business challenges into effective architecture patterns.

External candidates will be offered a starting salary at the lower end of the pay scale, while current employees will be appointed in accordance with our established pay policy.

We are committed to creating a diverse environment and welcome applicants from all backgrounds.

Why you should join us

At National Highways we believe in a connected country. We are passionate about creating a culture where colleagues feel connected, included and enjoy greater wellbeing to achieve this. We're proud that as an organisation we are continually striving to do better and actively encourage and support our colleagues to do the same with their careers.

So, if you put safety first, take ownership of your work, show passion for what you do, work effectively in a team, and demonstrate integrity in how you do it - then you'll be a great fit for our organisation.

A connected and sustainable working approach has been adopted across National Highways. For some roles, this means being able to work in a hybrid way spending up to 60% of time working from a remote location such as home.

Please wait until the interview stage before asking us about flexibility, and we will explore what is possible.

Our benefits package

• Our total reward package includes basic salary, the potential for a performance related bonus
• Contributory pension scheme with employer contribution of up to 10%
• Annual Leave starting at 26 days (plus Bank Holidays) rising by 1 day each year up to 31 days (plus Bank Holidays)
• Flexible hours and an approach driven by connected and sustainable working which includes hybrid working
• Life assurance of 4 times annual salary
• Health and wellbeing support, including an Employee Assistance Programme, available 24/7 365 days and network of mental health first aiders. Plus access to a wellbeing app to enhance your self-care 24/7, Occupational health service and flu vaccines
• A cycle to work scheme for the purchase of a bicycle and equipment for healthy, low carbon travel
• Significant investment in your career development, through learning and development, talent management, coaching, mentoring and on job experience

And we are

• Family friendly with enhanced maternity leave and pay, paternity leave (15 days), shared parental leave, adoption leave. Plus access to financial support for holiday play schemes and paid special leave (up to 5 days pa), eg for caring responsibilities
• Money friendly with access to a discounts platform including over 3000 discounts for supermarkets, eating out, leisure, holidays. Alongside a financial wellbeing programme
• Community friendly - offering paid leave to volunteer, 3 days basic/year

If you are successful, it is key to know all offers of employment are subject to satisfactory completion of our pre-employment checks which include:

• Right to work check
• 3 year employment history references
• DBS criminal record check
• Social media and adverse journalism check
• Driving licence check (if applicable)
• Fit to work questionnaire (for all), followed by a medical check (if applicable)
• Qualifications and/or professional membership check (if applicable)

Here at National Highways, we manage and improve England's motorways and major A roads, helping our customers have safer, smoother and more reliable journeys. Our priorities are safety, customers and delivery, and at the core of this, are our values of passion, integrity, safety, teamwork and ownership. The Digital Services Directorate is helping to reshape the way National Highways operates by delivering digital, data, and technology services across all areas, from frontline to back office, in a modern and efficient manner. Our vision is to develop integrated information and technology that empowers our colleagues and provides real-time information to our customers, as well as integrating with intelligent vehicle and transport systems as they evolve, to enhance journey safety and reliability.