At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead testing strategy and ensure quality across projects in a dynamic environment.
- Company: Join LPPA, a top UK pension administration provider with a collaborative culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days holiday, health plans, and wellbeing initiatives.
- Other info: Opportunity for career growth and to work with a passionate team.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a transformative role while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: 3+ years in QA/Test leadership, strong DevOps, SQL, and API testing expertise.
The predicted salary is between 65000 - 65000 £ per year.
This is a brand-new opportunity for an experienced Test Lead to join our growing Change Team during a period of significant transformation and continuous improvement. As a senior member of the team, you will act as the strategic owner of testing, defining the roadmap while also leading delivery across projects.
You will:
- Define and lead the testing strategy and lifecycle
- Ensure all systems and products meet quality standards prior to release
- Champion best-in-class testing practices across LPPA
- Build strong relationships and collaborate effectively across teams
About LPPA: LPPA is a multi-award-winning organisation and one of the UK’s leading pension administration providers, supporting over 1,500 employers and 700,000 members across Local Government, Police and Firefighter pension schemes.
What we offer:
- 25 days’ holiday + bank holidays + concessionary days + birthday leave
- Option to buy/sell leave
- Local Government Pension Scheme (generous employer contribution)
- Health or Dental Plan
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Reward discount scheme ("Your Perk Site")
- Wellbeing initiatives and social events
- Free fruit/snacks and parking in Preston
Key responsibilities:
- Test Strategy Governance - Define test strategy, tools and methodologies (Agile, Waterfall, DevOps)
- Embed shift-left testing principles
- Establish and track KPIs (e.g. defect density, coverage, pass rates)
- Lead testing governance across the business
- Define automation roadmap and maintain testing velocity
- Technical Leadership Delivery - Develop detailed test plans, scenarios and estimates
- Identify risks and implement mitigation strategies
- Carry out complex testing and support delivery as needed
- Manage environments and test data requirements
- Oversee defect management, triage and root cause analysis
- Produce clear reporting on progress, risks and quality
- Team Leadership - Manage, mentor and grow a team of test analysts
- Allocate work based on skills and development needs
- Lead daily syncs and drive continuous improvement
- Stakeholder Relationship Management - Collaborate with project teams to ensure shared quality ownership
- Align testing with Change Governance
- Partner with Business Analysts to ensure high-quality requirements
- Work closely with Systems teams on releases and change planning
- Coordinate UAT with business teams
- Manage third-party relationships to ensure quality standards
What we’re looking for:
- Essential - Strong expertise in DevOps, SQL and API testing
- Experience developing or maintaining automation frameworks
- Excellent analytical and reporting capabilities
- Strong communication skills, able to simplify complex issues
- Effective time management and delivery focus
- Proactive, self-motivated and aligned to LPPA values
- Minimum 3 years’ experience in a QA/Test leadership role
- Desirable - Experience in pensions (ideally UPM) or public sector
- Experience with Azure DevOps and CI/CD pipelines
- Website / digital testing experience
- ISTQB certification (Advanced Test Manager or equivalent)
Our values:
- Working together
- Committed to excellence
- Doing the right thing
- Forward thinking
Test Lead employer: Local Pensions Partnership
LPPA is an exceptional employer, offering a supportive and collaborative work culture that prioritises employee wellbeing and professional growth. With generous benefits such as 25 days of holiday, a robust pension scheme, and opportunities for continuous improvement, LPPA fosters an environment where Test Leads can thrive while contributing to meaningful projects in the public sector. The hybrid working model, combined with the chance to engage with diverse teams and stakeholders, makes this role not only rewarding but also pivotal in shaping the future of pension administration.
Contact Details:
Local Pensions Partnership Recruitment Team
