At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the testing process and define test cases for customer-facing applications.
- Company: A member-owned building society prioritising work-life balance and employee development.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hybrid work, generous holidays, and a top pension scheme.
- Other info: Flexible, family-oriented culture with excellent career growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Join a growing team with a clear path to leadership and make a real impact.
- Qualifications: 3+ years in software testing, strong manual testing skills, and ISTQB certification.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
We are working with a long-established, member-owned building society to hire a Senior Test Analyst into their IT function in Belfast. This is a chance to become the most senior person in a growing testing team, with a genuine path to step into a test lead role as the function matures. As a mutual organisation owned by its members, work-life balance here is built into the culture rather than just talked about. Expect a flexible, family-oriented environment, leadership that is genuinely invested in developing its people, and the kind of stability that sees people build long careers and stay. It is a profit-optimising rather than profit-maximising business, and that mindset runs through how they treat their staff.
You will take ownership of the testing process, define test cases, and guide the existing testers, working in close partnership with the wider IT and project leadership. The testing effort today is primarily manual and focused on customer-facing applications, with scope to broaden into internal systems and to help build out automation capability over time. This role needs someone with the confidence to own quality and push back constructively where needed.
What you will be doing:
- Owning the testing process as the most senior member of the QA function
- Defining test cases and allocating work across the existing test team
- Carrying out manual testing across customer-facing applications, with scope to expand into internal systems over time
- Working in close partnership with IT leadership and the project management function
- Providing the backbone to own quality and challenge stakeholders and developers where required
- Helping to build out automation testing capability as the function grows
What we are looking for:
- A degree, or an equivalent qualification or relevant testing certification
- ISTQB certification
- At least 3 years of software testing experience
- Strong manual testing experience, ideally across customer-facing applications
- The confidence to own testing decisions and challenge stakeholders constructively
Useful but not essential:
- Automation testing experience with modern tooling such as Playwright
- Experience mentoring or coordinating other testers, or a clear ambition to grow into a test lead role
The details:
- Salary: £40,000 to £50,000
- Location: Belfast
- Working pattern: Hybrid, with a minimum of 2 days in the office and the remaining 3 from home. The initial period will be more office-based while you settle in, phasing towards the standard hybrid pattern over time.
- Hours: 35-hour week, Monday to Friday, with an hour for lunch each day
- Holidays: 25 days plus 12 bank holidays, plus your birthday off
- Pension: market-leading scheme with employer contributions of up to 20%
- Healthcare: health cash plan covering everyday medical expenses
Senior Test Analyst in Belfast employer: MCS Group
Join a long-established, member-owned building society in Belfast as a Senior Test Analyst, where work-life balance is genuinely prioritised within a flexible, family-oriented culture. With a strong commitment to employee development and stability, this role offers a unique opportunity to lead a growing testing team while enjoying competitive benefits such as a market-leading pension scheme, generous holiday allowance, and the chance to shape the future of quality assurance in a supportive environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Test Analyst in Belfast
✨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 MCS Group 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 MCS Group.
✨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 MCS Group.
✨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 MCS Group 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 Test Analyst in Belfast
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 MCS Group.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at MCS Group 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 MCS Group
✨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 MCS Group 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.
