QA Tester

Do you thrive on uncovering issues, optimising test processes, and using automation to drive better digital services at scale?

Technology Services provide the foundations upon which digital services for DWP are developed and operate. Our purpose is to deliver secure, effective and cost-efficient digital infrastructure services and to run live IT operations that support DWP business objectives.

DWP has moved from traditional work software to a modern service, using Microsoft Office 365.

Microsoft Office 365 comprises the traditional Microsoft Office application suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and so on) complemented with cloud based productivity applications including MS Teams, Microsoft SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business.

We have identified an opportunity to join our team as a QA Tester.

As a QA Tester in our Collaboration and Communication Services (C&CS), you will be involved with the assurance of a number of different Microsoft Office products across a number of digital projects across DWP Digital. You will help provide confidence to the delivery and rollout of Microsoft Office products across the DWP which contribute to the department's aims and deliver its digital strategy.

The QA Tester will work as part of a testing team across a number of digital products to identify and subsequently define the required tests, monitor the test coverage and evaluate the overall quality experienced when testing the target test Items.

This role also involves specifying any required test data and evaluating the outcome of the testing conducted in each test phase including the logging and management of defects.

We are looking for someone experienced in automative testing to help improve the overall performance of the teams' resources and best ways of working., The key tasks are:

• Use the agreed assurance and testing frameworks with appropriate success measures and automation where possible (waterfall and agile, data driven automation, web browser automation).
• Use defined test tooling solutions e.g. Zephyr, TestComplete, Cypress and Playwright.
• Review requirements and specifications and define test conditions.
• Design test cases and test scripts, mapping back to pre-determined criteria, recording and reporting outcomes.
• Identify and create test data where required to support tests.
• Conduct allocated test execution activities and formally record success/failure raising and managing defects for issues encountered.
• Produce comprehensive test documentation.
• Identify ways to optimise the current test process.
• Conduct testing using appropriate automation tooling with experience in creating automation scripts.
• Conduct automated and manual accessibility testing; WCAG 2.2.
• Contribute to community discussions about best practice within the test team.
• Share best practice and actively seek to improve consistency of approach and compliance with GDS (Government Digital Service) standards.
• Attend and contribute to test community meetings and events., Existing Civil Servants who secure a new role on lateral transfer will maintain their current substantive salary.

Existing Civil Servants who gain promotion will move to the bottom of the grade pay scale or receive a 10% increase applied to their current substantive salary, whichever is greater.

Any temporary allowances that you are currently in receipt of will not form part of the calculation to determine your pay. Any allowances that are in payment will cease when you move into your new role., Ensure that all examples provided in your statements are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. If you choose to use gen-AI to support your statements, you must follow the guidelines outlined in the Artificial intelligence and recruitment guide. The sift panel will use the information in your employment history, personal statement, and technical statement to assess your experience, skills and knowledge. An initial sift will be conducted using the technical statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift will be progressed to a full sift. If you do progress to a full sift, you will be provided with one combined overall assessment score for both your employment history and Personal Statement., * UK nationals

• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Do you have experience in Test management tools?, * Strong understanding of QA methodologies, tools and processes.

• Demonstrable experience with bug tracking and test management tools (e.g. Jira, Azure)
• Demonstrable experience in being able to review requirements, specifications and produce test scripts.
• Demonstrable experience in being able to identify issues and risks associated with work whilst being able to analyse and report test activities and results.
• Demonstrable experience in being able to assist in the investigation and resolution of defects and issues.

4. Technical statement (up to 250 words). The following statement is aligned to the required technical skill of: Methods and Tools. This statement should be used to provide example(s) of how you meet the criterion below:

• Experience of working within an automated testing environment, including executing automated test scripts, supporting regression testing, and analysing test outcomes to identify defects. Able to record, prioritise and manage defects using appropriate bug management tools, working collaboratively to support continuous improvement of test quality., Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Pulled from the full job description

• Annual leave
• Employee discount
• Company pension
• Cycle to work scheme, Alongside your salary of £38,772, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £11,232 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

We also have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

• Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Generous annual leave – at least 23 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (pro–rata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
• Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
• Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
• Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 year’s continuous service.
• Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Women’s Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.

Hybrid Working

This role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work.

If a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for the role and for you, you will normally be required to spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted working hours from your DWP office.