Head Of Testing
6 Month contract initially + Extensions
Based: Hybrid - Max 2-3 days p/w onsite in Reading
Rate: £500 - £600 p/d - (via Umbrella company)
We have a great opportunity with a world leading organisation where you will be provided with all of the support and development to succeed. A progressive organisation where you can really make a difference. We have a great opportunity for a Head Of Testing to join the team.
We are seeking an experienced Head of Testing to lead and transform the Testing and Quality Assurance function across enterprise-scale digital transformation programs. The ideal candidate will define the testing strategy, establish governance, drive quality best practices, manage testing teams, and ensure successful delivery of business-critical applications within a complex stakeholder environment.
Key Responsibilities
Testing Strategy & Leadership
- Define and implement the overall testing and quality assurance strategy.
- Build and lead high-performing testing teams across multiple programs and projects.
- Establish testing standards, methodologies, governance frameworks, and best practices.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives within the testing function.
- Develop test maturity roadmaps and quality metrics.
Test Planning & Delivery
- Oversee SIT, UAT, Regression, Performance, Security, and Automation testing activities.
- Ensure comprehensive test planning, execution, defect management, and reporting.
- Manage testing activities across Agile, Waterfall, and Hybrid delivery models.
- Monitor testing progress and provide executive-level reporting on quality and risk.
Stakeholder Management
- Collaborate with Business, Product, Project Management, Architecture, and Development teams.
- Act as the primary point of contact for quality-related governance and testing assurance.
- Manage relationships with third-party vendors, system integrators, and testing partners.
- Present testing outcomes, risks, and recommendations to senior leadership.
Quality Assurance & Governance
- Define quality gates and release readiness criteria.
- Ensure compliance with organizational policies, regulatory requirements, and industry standards.
- Drive defect prevention initiatives and root cause analysis activities.
- Implement and monitor KPIs, SLAs, and quality standards.
Test Automation & Innovation
- Promote adoption of test automation frameworks and CI/CD practices.
- Evaluate and implement modern testing tools and technologies.
- Drive shift-left, DevOps, and continuous testing practices.
- Explore AI-driven testing and quality engineering opportunities.
Key Skills & Experience
- Explicit experience in Utility Industry.
- Ideally 12+ years of experience in Software Testing and Quality Assurance.
- Ideally 5+ years in Test Management or Testing Leadership roles.
- Proven experience managing enterprise-wide testing programs.
- Strong understanding of:
- Test Strategy & Governance
- Quality Engineering
- Test Automation
- Agile Delivery
- DevOps Practices
- Risk-Based Testing
- Experience managing geographically distributed teams.
- Excellent stakeholder and vendor management skills.
- Strong leadership, communication, and presentation abilities.
Technical Skills
- Test Management Tools (JIRA, Azure DevOps, HP ALM, qTest, Zephyr).
- Automation Frameworks (Selenium, Cypress, Playwright, Tosca).
- CI/CD Tools (Azure DevOps, Jenkins, GitHub Actions).
- Performance Testing Tools (LoadRunner, JMeter).
- Cloud Platforms (Azure, AWS, GCP).
Preferred
- Experience within Financial Services, Utilities, Retail, Telecom, or Public Sector.
- Knowledge of AI-assisted testing approaches.
- Experience leading large-scale digital transformation programmes.
LA International is an award-winning partner of choice for many of the world's most influential companies and government organisations. Holding Enhanced Government Security Accreditation, we are recognised as the European market leader in the delivery of Security Cleared talent to organisations that demand the very highest levels of security, compliance and assurance.
A multiple award-winning organisation, having secured the prestigious Queens Award for Enterprise: International Trade over consecutive years. We are committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable and accessible workplace where everyone feels valued and supported. We welcome applications from all individuals, regardless of background or identity, and we encourage candidates who may not meet every listed requirement to still apply. If you require any adjustments or support during the recruitment process, please let us know and we will work with you to ensure a fair and accessible experience.
Please Note: If a high volume of applications is received, only candidates shortlisted will be contacted.
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Head Of Testing in Halifax employer: LA International
At LA International, we pride ourselves on being an award-winning employer that champions diversity and inclusion, ensuring every employee feels valued and supported. Located in the vibrant city of Edinburgh, our collaborative work culture fosters innovation and professional growth, offering unique opportunities to work with leading organisations while contributing to high-stakes projects. With a commitment to employee development and a focus on creating an equitable workplace, we are the ideal choice for those seeking meaningful and rewarding employment.
