Test Analyst in Manchester

At AQA, we’re committed to advancing education and we’re committed to our people. As the largest provider of academic qualifications in the UK, we mark over 10 million exam papers each year and it’s our people who make this happen.

Contract type: Fixed Term Contract until 31 December 2027

Location: Guildford and Manchester

Salary: Guildford - £41,500 to £46,400 and Manchester - £39,900 to £44,500

Working Arrangements: Hybrid working, 2 days a week in office

Do you thrive in agile teams where your testing insights directly shape better products and smarter decisions? This is a great opportunity to play a key role in delivering high-quality technology that supports learners across the UK. As a Test Analyst, you’ll work closely with development teams to ensure solutions are reliable, fit for purpose and ready to meet real business needs.

You’ll help design, plan and execute testing activities in line with AQA practices, supporting the delivery of high-quality systems. You’ll provide clear insights into testing outcomes so stakeholders can make confident decisions about the quality and readiness of solutions. You’ll also play an important part in AQA’s transition to modern, cloud-based technologies and agile ways of working. Your contribution will help improve how technology is delivered and continuously enhanced to support evolving business needs.

In this role, you'll be responsible for:

• Designing and delivering both functional and non-functional testing, ensuring systems meet requirements and identifying risks early in the development lifecycle
• Working as part of an agile development team, contributing to daily activities, backlog refinement and iteration planning with a focus on quality and risk-based testing
• Providing clear, accurate testing insights and raising defects, helping stakeholders assess quality and supporting continuous improvement across testing practices

You’ll thrive in this role if you’re a collaborative and detail-focused tester who enjoys problem-solving and improving quality in fast-paced environments. You’ll bring:

• Experience of testing within Agile environments, with a strong understanding of the testing lifecycle and different testing approaches
• The ability to carry out both functional and non-functional testing, including an awareness of performance and security testing principles
• Awareness of AI tools and technologies, and how they can be used to improve test preparation and efficiency
• Strong analytical and communication skills, with the confidence to explain technical issues to a range of audiences
• Experience using testing tools and applying recognised testing techniques, such as risk-based or scenario-based testing
• A proactive and improvement-focused mindset, with the ability to identify risks and suggest better ways of working

This role offers the chance to make a real impact while developing your skills in a supportive and forward-thinking environment. You’ll benefit from:

• The opportunity to contribute to large-scale technology transformation, including cloud and continuous delivery initiatives
• Ongoing development and learning opportunities, including exposure to modern testing practices and tools
• Flexible working arrangements that support a healthy work-life balance
• A collaborative and inclusive culture, where your ideas and input are valued
• The chance to work on systems that support learners and education across the UK

Diversity and Inclusion Statement: At AQA, we are committed to fostering a workplace that celebrates diversity and promotes equity and inclusion. We believe that a diverse team brings richer perspectives and drives better outcomes. Our ED&I strategy ensures that everyone—regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, age, disability, sexual orientation, or background—is valued, respected, and empowered to thrive. We actively promote inclusive language, avoid stereotypes, and strive for representation across all dimensions of diversity. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and lived experiences.

Application process: To apply, please submit your CV and a cover letter outlining your suitability for the role by 23.59 on Sunday 14 June. First stage interviews will take place remotely on the week of 22 June, second stage interviews will take place in our Manchester and Guildford offices on the week of 29 June.

Full Job Description Summary:

• To design, plan, execute tests in-line with AQA testing practices under the direction of the Test Manager and aligned with AQA development methodologies.
• To provide testing outcome data and assist Project Stakeholders in making a qualitative assessment of the components under test and the extent to which they have met their requirements, design and specification.
• To represent the Test Team in the day-to-day development activities, identifying areas of risk and applying appropriate testing techniques to mitigate them.
• To help complete AQA’s ongoing transition to a single, consistent set of cloud-based technologies (technology re-platform) and move to an agile delivery model in line with current software development best practices (Scrum/Kanban; continuous delivery) – and to continually improve and enhance that technology for new and changing business needs, once that transition is complete.

Landscape:

• To model professional behaviours with confidence, especially the specific AQA and Assessment Technology behavioural cornerstones.
• To comply with all AQA’s policies and other legislative requirements, including but not limited to HSE, Equal Opportunities and ISMS.
• Where business needs change, to undertake other responsibilities which are of a commensurate level outside the terms of this role profile.

Activities:

• Reporting to Test Manager and representing the Test Team, operate day-to-day within the Development Team as Test Analyst in both existing (Java/ORACLE) and evolving (Microsoft-based Continuous Integration (CI)) environments.
• As part of the Development Team, personally undertake day-to-day hands-on functional and non-functional testing.
• Apply state of the art testing best-practices, e.g. Behaviour Driven Development (BDD) and Continuous Integration (CI).
• Actively participate in review of deliverables (static testing) to identify errors, omissions and areas of ambiguity.
• Analyse deliverables to derive testing scenarios, scripts, data and expected results.
• Facilitate and participate in collaborative review of testing deliverables to ensure acceptable quality.
• Demonstrate proficiency in the use of AI and champion its utilisation with the wider team to make Test Prep more efficient.
• Undertake Test Execution (dynamic testing) tasks, preparing test environments, executing test scripts, comparing actual with expected results and documenting and reporting outcomes.
• Raise defects when encountered and ensure initial process steps undertaken in accordance with defect management process.
• Provide data to colleagues to enable derivation of testing progress reports and quality metrics.
• Assist colleagues in identifying testing requirements and derivation of Testing Strategies and Plans.
• Assist with the continual improvement of ways of working in both Testing and wider departmental processes. Identify opportunities for testing process improvement and act as advocate for their consideration for implementation.
• Facilitate product backlog management and iteration planning by providing estimates and advising on Testing approaches and options in the context of delivery cost and risk.
• Keep abreast of state-of-the-art testing practices by reading and attending external events, share learnings within the Software Solutions group to ensure practices remain appropriate and up to date.
• Assist in planning and coordination of Non-Functional Testing in collaboration with Technical Teams.
• Assist in planning and coordination of Penetration Testing in collaboration with Security team.

Knowledge:

• A broad understanding of testing and its role, relevance and application in either a commercial or an educational environment.
• In-depth understanding of the testing life-cycle in context of the ALM (Agile and at least one other).
• Detailed knowledge and understanding of testing techniques and management tools and their application in Agile and at least one other methodology.
• Knowledge of Agile testing techniques in a SCRUM context.
• Understanding of the purpose and processes of non-functional testing, including Penetration Testing.

Qualification:

• Degree level qualification in Software Engineering or equivalent discipline, or equivalent professional experience.

Skills:

• Proven oral and written communication skills and ability to explain issues to technical and non-technical staff.
• Ability to undertake both functional and non-functional testing.
• Demonstrates excellent interpersonal skills in a variety of situations.
• Excellent analytical skills.
• A questioning and investigative mind.
• A pragmatic approach with requisite attention to detail.
• Ability and willingness to work effectively and collaboratively as part of a team.
• Ability to apply a risk-based testing approach and awareness of commonplace system malfunctions and defects.
• Ability to quickly glean knowledge of systems and components under test.
• Ability to adapt to new approaches, technologies, tools and procedures.
• Ability to positively influence colleagues with regard to Testing matters.
• Demonstrable ability to produce and maintain high quality detailed testing documentation.
• Demonstrates resilience and calmness under pressure to meet tight deadlines in complex contexts.
• Receive feedback and learn from mistakes for continuous self-development.
• Demonstrates proactive collaborative working across functional areas to deliver shared goals.

Leadership Skills:

• Collaborative and flexible in approach and a thought-leader especially in role-specific areas of expertise.
• Maintain constructive links with other teams and work collaboratively to deliver targets.

Experience:

• Demonstrable experience of successfully undertaking tasks in line with Key Accountabilities.
• Demonstrable experience of operating in Agile environments.
• Experience in using one or more testing tools in a day-to-day hands-on testing role.
• Demonstrable experience and knowledge of recognised testing techniques (e.g. black box, white box, risk-based, scenario based).
• Experience of different Test Activities (e.g. Unit, System, Integration, User Acceptance) including both functional and nonfunctional testing.