Technical Test Manager

A leading insurance organisation is seeking an experienced Technical Test Manager to lead and modernise Quality Engineering capabilities across a major digital transformation programme spanning web, mobile, API, and Guidewire platforms. This is a high-profile leadership role for a hands-on Technical Test Manager with strong automation, DevOps, and AI-driven testing expertise.

You will act as the technical authority for testing, driving automation-first practices, improving quality governance, and implementing innovative AI-enabled testing solutions across multiple Agile delivery teams. Proven Insurance industry experience is essential.

The Role

• Define and deliver the testing strategy across a complex technology landscape, leading the evolution of QA processes, frameworks, tooling, and governance.
• Work closely with Engineering, Architecture, Product, DevOps, and Delivery teams to improve quality, accelerate automation adoption, enhance release confidence, and drive AI-powered testing innovation.

Key Responsibilities

• Quality Engineering Test Strategy
  • Define and implement a modern Quality Engineering strategy across digital, mobile, API, and Guidewire platforms.
  • Drive automation-first testing across Agile delivery teams.
  • Establish testing standards, governance, and best practices.
  • Act as the senior technical authority for testing and quality assurance.
• Test Automation
  • Own and evolve enterprise automation frameworks using Java, Selenium, and BDD.
  • Improve automation coverage, reliability, maintainability, and execution performance.
  • Resolve fragmented ownership of automation assets.
  • Drive standardisation and continuous improvement across testing practices.
• Mobile Testing
  • Lead mobile testing strategy across iOS and Android platforms.
  • Oversee Appium-based automation frameworks.
  • Improve cross-platform testing capabilities and device management.
  • Evaluate and implement modern mobile testing tools and device farm solutions.
• CI/CD DevOps
  • Improve stability and performance of automated test pipelines.
  • Resolve issues relating to parallel execution, environment mismatches, and pipeline failures.
  • Work with DevOps teams to optimise Azure DevOps pipelines and quality gates.
  • Embed quality throughout the software delivery lifecycle.
• Release Assurance Governance
  • Govern testing from sprint delivery through to production release.
  • Implement risk-based regression testing strategies.
  • Establish meaningful quality metrics, reporting, and dashboards.
  • Drive accountability for quality across multiple delivery streams.
• AI-Driven Testing Innovation
  • Lead adoption of AI-powered testing solutions across the organisation.
  • Implement AI-driven test generation, defect analysis, self-healing automation, and test optimisation.
  • Champion Microsoft Copilot and emerging AI technologies within Quality Engineering.
  • Deliver measurable improvements through AI-enabled testing initiatives.
• Leadership Stakeholder Management
  • Manage and mentor Test Leads and Quality Engineering teams.
  • Strengthen capability across onshore and offshore teams.
  • Partner with business and technology stakeholders to drive quality outcomes.
  • Escalate and resolve systemic testing and quality challenges.

Essential Skills Experience

• Technical Expertise
  • Strong hands-on experience with Java, Selenium WebDriver, BDD frameworks (Cucumber or equivalent), Appium, and API Testing.
  • Extensive experience designing and implementing test automation frameworks.
  • Strong understanding of Quality Engineering principles and automation strategy.
• DevOps CI/CD
  • Experience with Azure DevOps, Jenkins, GitHub Actions, or similar.
  • Expertise in automated testing pipelines and release engineering.
  • Strong understanding of parallel execution, environment management, and quality gates.
• AI Automation (Essential)
  • Proven experience implementing AI-driven testing solutions within enterprise environments.
  • Experience using AI tools for test generation, optimisation, defect analysis, or automation enhancement.
  • Experience with Microsoft Copilot, GitHub Copilot, or similar AI-powered QA tools.
  • Demonstrable track record of driving AI adoption within Quality Engineering teams.
• Insurance Experience (Essential)
  • Proven experience working within the Insurance sector.
  • Experience delivering testing and QA within large-scale insurance transformation programmes.
  • Strong understanding of regulated environments and insurance business processes.
• Highly Desirable
  • Guidewire PolicyCenter, BillingCenter, and/or ClaimCenter experience.
  • Experience supporting large-scale Guidewire implementations.
  • Background in General Insurance, Commercial Insurance, or Personal Lines.

Candidate Profile

• 10+ years' experience in Quality Engineering, Test Automation, or Software Testing.
• Experience as a Technical Test Manager, QA Manager, Head of Testing, or Senior Test Lead.
• Strong leadership experience across distributed onshore/offshore teams.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Hands-on, proactive approach with strong problem-solving ability.
• Experience delivering QA transformation and modernisation programmes.

What's on Offer?

• Up to £650 per day Inside IR35.
• London-based hybrid working.
• Major insurance transformation programme.
• Opportunity to lead AI-driven Quality Engineering innovation.
• Long-term contract with strong extension potential.
• Influence testing strategy across a large-scale enterprise environment.

Please note: Proven Insurance experience and demonstrable delivery of AI-driven testing solutions are mandatory requirements for this role.