Test Lead - Workday in Birmingham

Forvis Mazars is a leading global professional services network providing audit & assurance, tax, and advisory services. Forvis Mazars in the UK spans 14 offices across the nation and has over 3,400 professionals, with 190 partners. We have a clear purpose and a shared commitment to shape a better future. You will join a collaborative and inclusive team where you are supported to grow your skills, explore new opportunities, and contribute from day one. You will work with a diverse client base, develop meaningful connections, and gain experience that extends beyond your local team. Together, we grow, belong and impact.

About the Role:

We are seeking a highly experienced and detail-oriented Workday Test Lead to join our team and play a pivotal role in the successful delivery of our Workday Implementation Programme and ongoing testing of future releases. The role sits within the Change Management Office, part of the Business Services Team, which manages a large and diverse portfolio of transformation projects and programmes for the Firm. The CMO is expanding with a focus on quality, in line with the Firm's STAR28 strategy and as a result the test function is growing. Current projects and programmes outside of the ERP Implementation consist of:

• Network and infrastructure change
• Cloud services and operating models
• Communication and collaboration projects
• Applications and business solutions
• Delivery and adoption of new business services
• Using technology to drive improvements in efficiency or new digital services

This is a permanent position within a dynamic professional services environment, offering the opportunity to lead testing strategy, execution, and quality assurance for a business-critical transformation initiative, and future projects and programmes within the CMO too. This is a new role for the Firm and presents an exciting opportunity for an individual to shape and design the future of system assurance for critical applications.

Key Responsibilities:

Test Strategy & Planning:

• Define and own the end-to-end test strategy for the Workday implementation and further project/programme implementations post Workday.
• Building and delivering test strategies on Agile, Waterfall and Vendor/Partner delivery models.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive test plans, schedules, and resource forecasts aligned with programme milestones.

Test Execution & Management:

• Lead all phases of testing including Unit, System Integration Testing (SIT), User Acceptance Testing (UAT), Regression, and End-to-End testing.
• Ensure traceability of requirements through test cases and results.
• Oversee test data preparation and environment readiness.
• Determine test execution following future releases.

Test Automation:

• Identify opportunities for automation across the testing lifecycle.
• Design and implement automated test scripts using appropriate tools (e.g., Workday-specific automation frameworks).
• Maintain and enhance the automation test suite for reusability and scalability.

Team Leadership:

• Manage and mentor a team of testers (internal and/or external), fostering a high-performance culture.
• Assign tasks, monitor progress, and ensure timely delivery of testing activities.
• Plan, advise and guide testers, stakeholders and team members to undertake testing, assign resources, co-ordinate suppliers, to ensure all testing is carried out in a supportive and informed manner.

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Act as the primary point of contact for all testing-related matters.
• Collaborate with business analysts, developers, Workday consultants, and business stakeholders to ensure alignment and quality.
• Advise, guide and train colleagues how to conduct testing where required.

Defect & Risk Management:

• Oversee and report on defect lifecycle management, ensuring timely triage, resolution, and retesting to a variety of stakeholders.
• Proactively identify risks and issues, and implement mitigation strategies.
• Proactively identify solutions to defects where possible and by working with team members.

Reporting & Governance:

• Provide regular test progress reports, metrics, and dashboards to senior stakeholders.
• Ensure compliance with internal quality standards and external audit requirements.

Skills & Experience Required:

• Must have experience as a Workday Test Lead on large-scale Workday implementation programme.
• Strong understanding of Workday modules (e.g., HCM, Payroll, Finance) and associated business processes.
• Demonstrated experience in test automation, including framework design and script development.
• Proficiency with test management and automation tools (e.g., JIRA, HP ALM, Selenium, Workday Automation Tools).
• Experience in professional services or similar fast-paced, client-focused environments.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Desire to ensure accuracy and quality in work delivered.
• Results orientation: ability to set ambitious goals for self and others, focusing on the delivery of targets, quality, and deadlines.
• Communication skills: ability to communicate appropriate, concise, and accurate information in written and verbal formats.
• Creativity & innovation: willingness to challenge assumptions and ability to adapt or generate imaginative and innovative ideas.
• Relationship building, ability to build and maintain networks of business contacts in and beyond the organisation who may contribute to success.

This role requires flexibility including some evening or weekend work where required to support project activity as well as visiting office locations as required or requested. Always communicates professionally and tactfully to all project resources and stakeholders.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

At Forvis Mazars diversity, equity and inclusion are central to our values. We value our people's unique backgrounds, perspectives, and experience, and know this diversity creates better outcomes for our clients. We seek to attract, develop, and retain the best talent, inclusive of sex, ethnicity, disability, socio-economic background, sexual orientation, gender identity, nationality, and faith. We select candidates based on skills, knowledge, qualifications, and experience and aim to support all our team members to reach their potential. At Forvis Mazars, we promote an environment in which you can grow your skills, belong to a team that values your ideas, and make an impact that matters.