Project Test Lead Manager

Job Description: Project Technical Lead - Cutover & Integrated Testing Duration: 6 months Location: London Work Model: Hybrid- 2-3 days in a week

Role Summary The Technical Project Manager (TPM) - Cutover & Integrated Testing is responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing all activities related to system cutover, environment readiness, and end-to-end integrated testing for large-scale technology or ERP transformation programmes. This role is technology-driven and engineering-facing. Deep involvement in the technical design, testing and cutover phases are core to this role.

Key Responsibilities Cutover Management

• Develop and maintain the overall cutover strategy, detailed cutover plan, and command-centre procedures.
• Lead cross-functional readiness reviews, ensuring all teams (technical, business, data, infra, partners) meet required entry/exit criteria.
• Coordinate blackout windows, deployment sequencing, data migration activities, and environment transitions.
• Manage cutover rehearsals, dry-runs, and go-live simulations to validate timing, dependencies, and resourcing.
• Act as the central point of control during cutover execution, driving decision-making, issue resolution, and stakeholder communication.
• Track and manage go-live risks, contingency plans, and rollback procedures.
• Responsible for weekly updates, logging risks, issues and dependencies related to cutover
• Support E2E project manager in governance and Project Management Office activities

Integrated Testing (SIT, E2E, Non-Functional)

• Develop the integrated testing strategy, scope, and schedule aligned with programme milestones.
• Drive test planning across multiple workstreams, ensuring clear ownership for test cases, data, environments, and defect resolution.
• Oversee execution of System Integration Testing (SIT), End-to-End (E2E) testing, and application integrations across internal and external systems.
• Coordinate defect triage, prioritisation, and root-cause analysis with technical and functional teams.
• Provide daily update on progress, builds dashboard to self-service reporting, and manages risk/issue.
• Ensure test results provide evidence for deployment readiness and compliance with quality gates.
• Support performance, security, and non-functional testing activities.
• Ensure Exit Report meets standards and is available in line with project plans.

Cutover & Testing Workstream Management

• Maintain integrated plans and RAID Log across cutover, testing, data, and environment workstreams.
• Provide regular status reporting, manage dependencies, maintain risks/issues logs escalating when required.
• Facilitate cross-team decision-making, ensuring alignment between IT, business, and vendors
• Support programme/project manager in governance, stage gates and Project Management Office activities
• Maintains up to date artefacts such as Status Reports, RAID Logs, Stage Gate Compliance Checklists/Tracker, Cutover/Testing Plans, Release notes (as required by Change Control Board), Testing evidence, exit reports and supporting documentation

Skills & Qualifications Technical & Delivery Skills

• Strong experience managing cutover, deployment, or release activities in complex multi-system landscapes.
• Expertise in integrated testing management, test planning, and defect life cycle management.
• Familiarity with ERP (SAP), SaaS platforms, or enterprise transformation programmes (preferred).
• Project planning and testing management tools (eg, Jira, Confluence).

Soft Skills

• Strong communication and stakeholder management across business and technical teams.
• Excellent facilitation skills, especially in high-pressure go-live or testing cycles.
• Analytical mindset with a structured, detail-oriented approach to planning and execution.
• Ability to lead through ambiguity and drive issues to closure quickly and collaboratively.

Experience

• Leading complex, multi-vendors integrated testing activities
• Experience in SAP upgrades/implementation projects
• Experience as Delivery Lead role is desired
• Experience leading business critical enterprise cutovers and go-live support

Guidant, Carbon60, Lorien & SRG - The Impellam Group Portfolio are acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy.

Technical & Delivery Skills

• Strong experience managing cutover, deployment, or release activities in complex multi-system landscapes.
• Expertise in integrated testing management, test planning, and defect life cycle management.
• Familiarity with ERP (SAP), SaaS platforms, or enterprise transformation programmes (preferred).
• Project planning and testing management tools (eg, Jira, Confluence).

Soft Skills

• Strong communication and stakeholder management across business and technical teams.
• Excellent facilitation skills, especially in high-pressure go-live or testing cycles.
• Analytical mindset with a structured, detail-oriented approach to planning and execution.
• Ability to lead through ambiguity and drive issues to closure quickly and collaboratively.

Experience

• Leading complex, multi-vendors integrated testing activities
• Experience in SAP upgrades/implementation projects
• Experience as Delivery Lead role is desired
• Experience leading business critical enterprise cutovers and go-live support