Test Manager

Summary

Join NEC Software Solutions as a Test Manager/Lead to oversee and drive customer-facing Test Assurance activities for Public Safety software products. You will own planning and execution of customer test assurance, contributing to bids, coordinating test teams, and ensuring high-quality software delivery. The role involves close collaboration with customers (Police and Fire Control Rooms), delivery teams, and senior stakeholders to manage and assure test activity throughout the delivery lifecycle. You will lead customer-facing test assurance, write bid responses, define test strategies, develop test plans, coordinate test environments, manage test resources, identify automation opportunities, ensure rigorous reporting, drive process improvement, and ensure compliance with NEC’s Quality Management Processes. The position requires strong communication and stakeholder management skills, along with experience in a public sector environment. Success in this role demands a proven track record in test assurance and quality governance within complex software delivery.

Requirements

• Demonstrable experience in IT, with at least 5 years in a Test Lead or Test Manager role
• Proven customer-facing experience, especially in a public sector
• Demonstrable experience writing bid responses for testing workstreams and defining effort estimates
• Strong background in test assurance and quality governance in complex enterprise software delivery
• Experience producing Test Strategies, RACI matrices, and detailed test plans from scratch
• Prior experience in test process improvement and Agile testing frameworks
• Strong organisational and resource management skills
• Solid understanding and hands-on experience with test automation frameworks/tools
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to build strong, trust-based relationships with diverse stakeholder groups
• Evidence of delivering high quality IT solutions to a diverse customer base
• Excellent attention to detail with a focus on quality and continuous improvement
• Self-motivated, proactive, enthusiastic, and committed to testing
• Ability to build strong relationships with a diverse range of technical stakeholders
• Work effectively in collaboration cross-functionally to achieve shared goals and deliver business objectives
• General understanding with business workflows, data domains and enterprise concepts
• Senior Stakeholder and customer management
• Risk-based testing approach
• Ability to work under pressure and to tight delivery deadlines
• Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to motivate and drive team to delivery to highest quality standards within agreed timescales
• ISTQB Foundation Certification (minimum requirement)

Responsibilities

• Lead customer-facing test assurance activities for NEC’s suite of Public Safety Products
• Write bid responses relating to testing and provide accurate estimations for all test assurance activities
• Define and implement test strategies and generate full Requirements Traceability Matrices (RVTM)
• Develop and implement detailed test plans aligned with customer and project requirements
• Coordinate test environments and prepare teams for all test phases (SIT, UAT, SAT, OAT, etc.)
• Manage internal and external test resources, including scheduling for releases and coordinating onshore/offshore teams
• Identify opportunities for test automation and oversee implementation of automated test cases where feasible
• Ensure rigorous test reporting, metrics, and defect management to provide visibility to stakeholders
• Drive continuous improvement in test processes, standards, and toolsets in alignment with Agile practices (Scrum/Kanban)
• Ensure compliance with NEC’s Quality Management Processes
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Business Consultants, Product Owners, Delivery Managers, and Technical SMEs
• Communicate effectively with customers and represent test assurance activities during customer meetings, steering committees, and governance boards

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in the Public Safety sector or Emergency Services
• Experience coordinating offshore and onshore test teams
• Experience with Agile tools like JIRA, Confluence
• ISTQB Advanced Test Manager or equivalent (desirable)

Benefits

• 25 days paid holiday with the option to buy/sell (FTE)
• 4 x basic salary life assurance cover (with the option to increase cover at an additional cost)
• A Group Pension Plan
• A selection of flexible benefits to suit your individual needs