Contract Test Manager

Spectrum IT's international Client based in Southampton are seeking an experienced Contract Test Manager to join their established testing/QA team on an initial 3 month contract.

As the Contract Test Manager you will be responsible for the design, implementation and management of the End to End Test Process, with the main objective to reduce the number of production incidents and manage a robust, repeatable and auditable governance structure across deliveries and suppliers.

You will also:

• Work with suppliers and change management to understand the current process to obtain a base lined position
• Review the base lined position and make the required changes to introduce a robust, repeatable and auditable process across suppliers and business teams within assigned area of change that is accepted and implemented by all parties
• Work with other Testing and QA team members to ensure the consistent approach and framework is understood, maintained and adhered to
• Defines and implements the overall test strategy for all in scope deliveries
• Define standard templates and tooling process flows which can be used across all deliveries and suppliers where required
• Work within the Test Assurance framework defined by Testing and QA to drive quality
• Ensure that all test phases have appropriate entry / exit criteria that is understood and adhered to and that the monitoring and feedback of this criteria is available to all stakeholders prior to decisions points being met
• Understand objectives and critical success factors for the project
• Defines the business solution acceptance criteria and obtains sign-off against these prior to go-live
• Understands the overall change benefits and how the delivered solution impacts these; selects appropriate test approaches (e.g. risk-based) to ensure delivery of benefits is not compromised
• Creates and maintains demand/supply for test resource where applicable
• Ensures effective test issue escalation to senior management where there is a significant threat to delivery
• Assigns responsibilities for the test team including specific responsibility for production of all test deliverables
• Record: Implements the well-structured approach to test defect management and incident reporting using appropriate technology as defined above
• Works with suppliers, to ensure the availability of appropriate test environments and data.
• Trace ability: Contributes to the definition of the cut-over approach, is key to the go / no-go decision-making process and supports the solution through the warranty period
• Design: Manages the production of effective and accurate estimates for timescales, effort and costs for the testing phases
• Record: Monitors and reports the status and progress of each test phase to different stakeholders and to agreed standards
• Manage the testing risks and issues ensuring that they are impact-assessed, mitigated and escalated where appropriate
• Acts as an advisor to Project Managers and Project teams regarding benefits of the Testing role/process.
• Inputs to the continuous improvement of current and future Testing processes

Skills:

• Proven track record as a Test manager or similar role with minimum 5 year's experience at that level
• ISEB Practitioner/ISTQB Advanced (desired)
• ITIL (desired)
• Prince 2 (desired)
• Experience in Test management within Large and medium IT programmes and projects working on a broad range of diverse tasks.
• Experience managing and working with 3rd party suppliers and vendors.
• Experience working at a strategic level and influencing key stakeholders in the implementation of new test processes
• Experience working across the test life cycle
• Experience in test data management and SQL
• Experience working in a DevOps or Agile environment would be highly beneficial
• Creation and Implementation of Test Strategies across the IT and the business

For more information and to submit your interest please apply with you updated CV.