At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead quality assurance for vital Contact Centre platforms impacting millions of users.
- Company: Join DWP Digital, the UK's largest government department focused on modernising public services.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, generous pension, flexible holidays, and a broad benefits package.
- Other info: Enjoy hybrid working, professional development, and be part of an award-winning diverse team.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in people's lives while working with cutting-edge technology.
- Qualifications: Experience in testing telephony platforms and strong knowledge of testing methodologies.
The predicted salary is between 57704 - 70528 £ per year.
DWP Digital with Purpose. Join DWP Digital as a Senior QA Tester and play a vital role in modernising the Contact Centre platforms that underpin some of the UK's most important public services. Millions of people contact DWP contact centres each year. You'll lead quality assurance activities, champion test automation and help deliver resilient, user-focused solutions at scale.
Our DWP Digital teams use fresh ideas and leading-edge tech to build and maintain digital solutions that will be used by nearly every person in the UK, every day and at key moments in their lives. DWP is the UK's largest government department. We help people into work and make payments worth over £195bn a year to support and empower millions of people.
- Proven expertise in testing Contact Centre telephony platforms.
- Strong knowledge of telephony testing tools, techniques and methodologies.
- Proven capability in planning and delivering non-functional testing, including performance, scalability, resilience, accessibility and operational acceptance testing.
- Ability to provide strategic testing leadership, shaping quality practices across product teams and the wider testing community.
As a Senior QA Tester, you'll help shape and assure the quality of digital telephony services used by millions of citizens and thousands of colleagues across the UK. Working as part of an agile multidisciplinary team, you'll lead testing activities across complex Contact Centre platforms, defining test strategies, embedding best practice and ensuring quality across the delivery lifecycle. Using a blend of manual testing, test automation, functional and non-functional testing, you'll help identify risks early, improve delivery confidence and support successful releases.
You'll also play a key role in DWP Digital's wider testing community, providing technical leadership, promoting a shift-left approach to quality engineering and helping teams build scalable, high-performing digital services that make a real difference to people's lives.
Hybrid Working: We work a hybrid model - you'll spend some time working at home (40%) and some time collaborating face to face in a hub (60%).
Pay: We offer competitive pay for this role of £44,447.
Pension: You'll get a brilliant civil service pension with employer contributions of 28.97%, worth over £12,876 per year.
Holidays: You can also take up to 3 extra days off a month on flexi-time. You'll also get all the usual public holidays.
We have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:
- Discounts and savings on shopping, fun days out and more.
- Interest-free loans to buy a bike or a season ticket, so it's even easier for you to get to work and start making a difference.
- Professional development, coaching, mentoring and career progression opportunities.
DWP have been recognised as 2024 Diversity Employer of the Year at the Computing Women in Tech Excellence awards, Diverse and Inclusive Leadership at Digital Leaders Awards 2024, Commended as Best Place to Work in Digital category in the Computing Digital Technology Leaders awards 2025, Recognised as one of the Best Public Sector Employers at 2025 Women In Tech Employer Awards.
A single stage interview online.
Senior QA Tester (Permanent) in Sunderland employer: DWP Digital
DWP is an exceptional employer that champions innovation and collaboration within its digital teams. With a strong focus on employee growth, we offer extensive training opportunities and a supportive work culture that values fresh ideas and cutting-edge technology. Working from home allows for a flexible work-life balance, making it an ideal environment for those looking to make a meaningful impact in the realm of data solutions.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior QA Tester (Permanent) in Sunderland
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at DWP Digital or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to DWP Digital.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like DWP Digital.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like DWP Digital that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior QA Tester (Permanent) in Sunderland
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at DWP Digital.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at DWP Digital and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at DWP Digital
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If DWP Digital uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
