Program Test Manager

The Technology executive directorate handles and supports all aspect of technology delivery across the Bank, from maintaining critical systems which underpin the UK economy, to providing ‘big’ data analytics, implementing comprehensive cyber security programmes, and introducing innovative solutions in support of a digital workplace.

Technology’s key objective is to support all other areas of the Bank in achieving our collective mission to promote the good of the people of the UK by maintaining monetary and financial stability. This is achieved through the delivery of appropriate, high performing, resilient solutions and information services across the organisation and externally.

Technology is structured around a simple operating model: Plan-Build-Run-Secure. This model ensures clarity and effectiveness in our delivery, prioritisation and cost base for IT services and promotes close working relationships with colleagues across the Bank so that we can all deliver with pace and agility.

The Test Manager roles sit within the Digital Assurance and Productivity domain in the Chief Technology Officer Directorate, responsible for software testing and quality on business services including development, implementation, and ongoing support of IT applications and infrastructure.

Brief Post Description:

Working with the Principal Assurance Lead, the Portfolio / Programme / Senior Test Manager is responsible for the end to end implementation of a test solution (functional and non-functional) within the SDLC across a specified programme or portfolio of work, which can range from small change to large programmes of work.

The Portfolio / Programme / Senior Test Manager is accountable for:

Strategy and Direction of Testing Capable of using their analytical skills and judgement to define Test Strategies for their programme / portfolio, ensuring that these align with both the business objectives and policies and standards as may be relevant and applicable to the delivery of testing within their portfolio. This will include overall accountability for the test strategy itself, and for the various test plans derived from it, that define the operation of testing within each test phase.

Resource Planning and Management Determining the testing staff needs of their programme / portfolio. Working with other Test Managers in securing and deploying staff in line with the needs of the whole programme / portfolio, managing the balance between demand for staff and the available supply, and for supporting the Domain Lead in predicting the future staff needs of the Domain.

Managing Business Engagement Recognised as an authority on Testing, and capable of advising and guiding collaborators to ensure that collaborators understand their responsibilities during user Acceptance Testing. Able to provide such support relating to testing as may be needed to enable the business to deliver those responsibilities while ensuring that they have secured sufficient staff to deliver those responsibilities.

Managing the Delivery of Testing Ensuring that the preparation and execution of testing remains on track, acting as a focal point for issues as they arise, ensuring that 3rd party providers to projects deliver in line with their responsibilities in respect of testing, and ensuring that regular, accurate progress updates are delivered to collaborators.

Supporting Staff Development and Process Improvement By setting objectives for staff, assisting their development wherever possible, including the provision of career progression and development opportunities and by working to find opportunities for improvements in testing related processes and methods across the SDLC.

Key Responsibilities / Accountabilities of the Role:

Defining Test Strategies \ Test Charters for all work packages, ensuring their alignment to business objectives

Managing the various collaborators of the test strategies through the approval process

Review and sign off of Level Test Plans, ensuring conformance to test standards and standard practice

Integrating testing into the stages of the Delivery Framework and SDLC via the implementation of test strategies and plans

Ensuring the clarity of understanding of test levels at all times to ensure that all testing meets the requirements of the SDLC and aligns with business needs

Resource planning across the work streams in their portfolio / programme

Working with the Domain Lead to forecast future resource requirements

Securing and applying a strategic deployment of staff as required

Assessing the risks of resource allocation against project / work package status, the Bank’s target operating model and business need

Developing and applying pragmatic solutions in regards to demand management

Negotiating and devising alternative solutions where demand outweighs supply

Working with the Test Enablement Manager to ensure that there are clear and concise requirements in line with policies set out for testing environments and test data management

Providing education to Business users on the nature and impact of testing across their portfolio / programme

Working with the Business to secure appropriate resources for UAT across their portfolio / programme

Advising on quality outcomes for their programme / portfolio

Acting as a focal point / resolution point for testing issues across all projects in their portfolio / programme

Holding internal meetings with test teams to ensure all Bank technology governance standards and external regulations are adhered to

Ensuring that defect management processes are adhered to, including appropriate triage and fault resolution processes

Supporting the Test Automation Manager by ensuring that wherever appropriate, testing tools and automated regression test packs are implemented across their portfolio / programme and that regression tests are constructed in a way that facilitates automation

Providing input into the management of the quality of testing and test evidence of 3rd party suppliers and management of the quality gate into the Bank’s test phases across their portfolio / programme

Conduct static analysis of requirements to ensure that they are testable

Conducting regular status update meetings to identify the status of testing across the work streams in their portfolio, so ensuring that IT Service delivery is upheld across their portfolio / programme

Ensuring alignment to Key Performance Indicators and SLAs where appropriate, to ensure smooth delivery of testing

Ensuring that a consistent set of test metrics and progress reports is made available across their portfolio / programme, that conform to test policies and standards

Representing the Domain at steering group and project governance meetings for their portfolio / programme

Ensuring the active engagement of the defect board for their portfolio / programme, to ensure conformance with testing exit criteria

Applying knowledge and expertise to assist in the creation and promotion of standard practice across testing

Constantly looking at ways to improve testing delivery throughout the SDLC

Working closely with the other teams across the Bank to implement standard practice, governance frameworks and standard processes

Partnering with other domains and teams within the Bank to improve any of efficiency, effectiveness, productivity or control, insofar as changes to these relate to Technology Assurance

Monitoring compliance with quality standards across the delivery portfolio, chipping in to the provision of both high level and detailed analyses of the achievement of these standards to all levels from individual teams to senior management

Acting as a focal point for assurance issues within the delivery lifecycle; devising strategies that are capable of resolving procedure and deliverable quality related issues in a timely manner with minimal impact

Working with the Domain Lead to ensure knowledge preservation within DAP

Benchmarking training and appraisals for DAP team members on an individual basis

Setting key objectives and targets for DAP team members on an individual basis as part of the appraisal process

Building career paths and scope for progression and retention of existing staff, The Bank values diversity, equity and inclusion. We play a key role in maintaining monetary and financial stability, and to do that effectively, we believe we need a workforce that reflects the society we serve.

At the Client, we want all colleagues to feel valued and respected, so we’re working hard to build an inclusive culture which supports people from all backgrounds and communities to be at their best at work. We celebrate all forms of diversity, including (but not limited to) age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, race, religion, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status. We believe that it’s by drawing on different perspectives and experiences that we’ll continue to make the best decisions for the public.

We welcome applications from individuals who work flexibly, including job shares and part time working patterns. We’ve also partnered with external organisations to support us in making adjustments for candidates and employees in the recruitment process where they’re needed.

For most roles where work can be carried out at home, we aim for colleagues to spend half of their time in the office, with a minimum of 40% per month. Subject to that minimum requirement, individuals and managers should work together to find what works best for them, their team and collaborators.

Extensive experience of software testing covering the complete project life-cycle, in a structured environment (both iterative/agile and waterfall)

Extensive experience of a range of software testing types including functional, non-functional, regression, integration, UAT and OAT

Extensive experience of creating test strategies and test plans

Extensive experience of test planning and re-planning based on changing circumstances

Extensive experience of leading software testing, including where both internal and 3rd parties are involved

Extensive experience of defect management and test management tools

Experience of risk analysis and Risk Based software testing techniques

Experience of exploratory software testing and techniques

Experience of automated software testing tools such as Eggplant, SOATEST, Karate, QTP, Rational Functional Tester, Selenium, Silk Test or Microsoft tools

Experience of testing sophisticated user interfaces and GUI applications

Experience of the Microsoft Office toolset (Excel, Word, ‘PowerPoint’)

Knowledge of test data provisioning and management

Knowledge of databases (e.g. tables, constraints, Structured Query Language)

Technical Desirable

Experience of software testing Banking Systems and applications

Knowledge of software architectures & technologies such as XBRL, HTML, VB, .NET, XML, Java, Web Services, SOA, SOAP, Unix/Linux, SAP, Oracle, SQL, SharePoint

Experience of software testing in web based applications

Business

Demonstrable ability to develop a detailed understanding of the business function relating to the system under test and the collaborators’ appetite for risk, in order to articulate the appropriate design for test environments and data, driven from test objectives and the Test Strategy \ Test Charter

Ability to understand sophisticated business processes involving the complex interaction of a number of systems

An understanding of how their work interacts and relates to the operation of collaborator areas in the Bank

A general understanding of the Bank’s various responsibilities, and how these fit into the Bank’s overall objectives

Personal

Capable of leading testing to completion with very limited supervision

Solid attention to detail

Meticulous, with the ability to capture technical detail accurately

Strong analytical and facilitation skills to ensure that business needs and effective solutions for their delivery can be clearly and rapidly elicited and delivered

Solid ability to use both personal and experience and a detailed knowledge of the fundamentals of software testing to provide creative solutions to sophisticated problems

Eloquent, and persuasive, with the ability to adapt their communication style and approach, and the ability to select the most appropriate communication channels to meet the needs of their audience

Ability to apply excellent verbal and written communication skills to support effective communication with all collaborators

Ability to build effective senior collaborator relationships up to and including project sponsor level

Prepared to chase individuals for information

Highly productive, with excellent time management skills

Able to work to deadlines, achieving results under time pressure without compromising quality

Resilient in the face of challenges, ISTQB / ISQI Higher level qualification or demonstration of the equivalent level of knowledge gained through experience

Certification in or extensive experience of Waterfall methodologies

Degree or equivalent experience

Certification in or experience of any of the following

o ITIL 2007 / 2011

o Waterfall and Agile Methodologies

‘PRINCE2’ or equivalent experience