Test Programme Director in London

Duration: 6 Months (Possibility for extension)

Location: London/Hybrid (3 days per week on site)

Rate: A highly competitive Umbrella Day Rate is available for suitable candidates

Role Profile

As a Test Transformation and Execution Lead within this function, you will play a pivotal role in transforming the way that change is delivered safely, reliably and to a consistently high standard. You will be responsible for leading a review and subsequent transformation of the end to end payments testing model - starting with our core payment and ancillary vendors, through to our existing development, QA, regression, end to end and UAT processes (including automation). You will identify gaps, understand duplication and assess our current state based on your knowledge of best practice in the industry. You will provide recommendations, options and detailed proposals for both tactical and strategic improvement of our payments related testing which you will help drive through to completion.

Key Responsibilities:

• Working with the wider team who have functional knowledge of the payments solution, complete a review of all phases of payments testing - including the core payments system vendor's development and QA testing, UAT testing and our end-to-end testing.
• Challenge the existing model and understand where gaps exist and inefficiencies where testing is unnecessarily duplicated to improve the efficiency of testing.
• Review the current approach to test documentation and evidencing as part of the above to ensure that overall coverage can be proven across all phases.
• Provide recommendations and a plan to improve / transform the current approach based on industry best practices but balanced with the technical limitations of the current solution.
• Consider the current test environment setup and provide recommendations for tactical improvements to support higher quality testing, balancing the cost / time associated with building an entire new environment.
• The recommendation will consider how automated testing can be better used and planned into the release process.
• It will also consider how to manage versioning of the wider application set in the test pack and how applications are tested to the field level / data level - bringing in knowledge and best practice in this space.
• Upon acceptance of the recommendations / plan - drive forward the transformation of payment testing in line with the agreed plan.
• As the payments hub sits at the heart of a wider ecosystem of applications - the scope of the review may encompass a wider set of interconnected applications.
• We expect the postholder to drive proposed changes through to completion and into the testing lifecycle itself.

Key Requirements:

• Strong experience of designing and leading multi-application test approaches across multiple phases, ideally in an international financial services environment.
• An understanding of international payments technology - including SWIFT, ISO20022 and principles related to AML, fraud and sanctions screening.
• Experience of understanding existing test approaches, including outsourced / offshore models and developing approaches to improve.
• Implementation experience in terms of driving change to test approaches, including the introduction of new suppliers whilst delivery is in progress.
• Extensive experience in IT Testing & Service management or application support, preferably in financial services or payments.
• Strong knowledge of Payments, SWIFT, ISO 20022 messaging, and real-time payment systems.
• Previous experience in a similar role within a financial institution or payment processing company.
• Experience with ITIL practices and tools (e.g., ServiceNow, JIRA, SharePoint, Confluence).
• Experience of end-to-end test approach design and implementation across complex, multi-application environments.

Candidates will need to show evidence of the above in their CV in order to be considered.

If you feel you have the skills and experience and want to hear more about this role 'apply now' to declare your interest in this opportunity with our client. Your application will be observed by our dedicated team.

We will respond to all successful applicants ASAP however, please be advised that we will always look to contact you further from this time should we need further applicants or if other opportunities arise relevant to your skillset.

Pontoon is an employment consultancy. We put expertise, energy, and enthusiasm into improving everyone's chance of being part of the workplace. We respect and appreciate people of all ethnicities, generations, religious beliefs, sexual orientations, gender identities, and more. We do this by showcasing their talents, skills, and unique experience in an inclusive environment that helps them thrive.

As part of our standard hiring process to manage risk, please note background screening checks will be conducted on all hires before commencing employment.

We use generative AI tools to support our candidate screening process. This helps us ensure a fair, consistent, and efficient experience for all applicants. Rest assured, all final decisions are made by our hiring team, and your application will be reviewed with care and attention.