At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead end-to-end test delivery for complex tech programmes and manage stakeholder engagement.
- Company: Quilter plc, a leading wealth management business focused on financial futures.
- Benefits: Fixed term contract with competitive salary and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with a focus on innovation and customer-centric solutions.
- Why this job: Join a transformative company and make a real impact in the financial services sector.
- Qualifications: Experience in test delivery and managing dependencies in complex programmes.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 75000 ÂŁ per year.
Fixed Term Contract Duration - 11 Months
About the Business
Quilter plc is a leading wealth management business, helping to enable brighter financial futures for every generation. Quilter oversees ÂŁ141.2 billion in customer investments (as at December 2025). It has an adviser and customer offering spanning financial advice, investment platforms, multi-asset investment solutions, and discretionary fund management. The business is comprised of two segments: Affluent and High Net Worth.
Affluent encompasses the financial planning business, Quilter Financial Planning, the Quilter Investment Platform and Quilter Investors, the multi-asset investment solutions business. High Net Worth includes the discretionary fund management business, Quilter Cheviot, together with Quilter Cheviot Financial Planning – offering a highly personalised service to private clients, charities, trustees, and professional partners. Quilter Cheviot has presence throughout the UK, Ireland and Channel Islands.
At Quilter we never stand still. Our foundations are rooted in our extraordinary expertise, which is trusted by hundreds of thousands of customers, but we have great ambitions to stay one step ahead and make an even greater difference to the people and communities we serve, including our colleagues. Our business is transforming, continually modernising, and becoming even more customer centric. So, if you want to be bold in the pursuit of your ambitions, bring new ideas, and challenge and evolve what we do, it’s the perfect time to join us!
About the Role
Level 5
Department: Technology Delivery
Location: London or Southampton
Contract type: Fixed Term Contract- 12 Months
The Test Programme Manager is accountable for end‑to‑end test delivery across a complex technology programme, owning programme‑level dependencies and senior stakeholder engagement to ensure delivery milestones are underpinned by robust, credible assurance. The role exists to identify and surface delivery risk early, safeguard test integrity under delivery pressure, and actively manage and escalate cross‑programme and cross‑supplier dependencies to enable safe, controlled, and predictable release outcomes.
Key Responsibilities
- Act as the single point of accountability for testing transparency and assurance at programme and portfolio level.
- Identify and actively manage the critical path for testing across a complex technology delivery.
- Provide senior stakeholders with clear, evidence‑based views of quality, progress, risk and readiness to deploy, including early visibility of delivery risk driven by testing or unresolved dependencies.
- Own and lead the Testing Reporting Office (TRO), delivering accurate, timely and decision‑focused reporting on test readiness, execution and quality.
- Own and maintain a programme‑level dependency map linked to testing outcomes, covering people, systems, data, environments, suppliers and external constraints.
- Act as the primary escalation and resolution point for stakeholder concerns related to testing readiness, cross‑programme dependencies and delivery risk.
- Proactively manage stakeholder expectations, challenging unrealistic commitments and aligning scope, timelines and quality outcomes to agreed risk appetite.
- Ensure testing is planned early, with dependencies explicitly reflected in plans, milestones and testing strategies.
- Actively manage cross‑programme and cross‑portfolio dependencies, sequencing delivery realistically, protecting the critical path, and escalating conflicts early with clear options and impacts.
- Hold delivery teams and suppliers accountable for test readiness, defect management and exit criteria, actively challenging overly optimistic test plans and preventing testing compression to protect delivery dates.
- Drive alignment across technology, business and third‑party teams to reduce late integration risk.
- Mandate that releases are supported by credible assurance of quality, not solely milestone completion.
- Work with the Senior Test Manager to reduce late‑stage defects and rework caused by missed dependencies or rushed testing.
- Manage and monitor the programme test budget, providing guidance and decision‑making support to underlying projects.
About You
Experience & Skills
- Proven experience leading test delivery on complex programmes with multiple delivery streams and system integrations.
- Strong working knowledge of software testing lifecycle and environments, sufficient to challenge plans and assure quality.
- Demonstrated ability to manage inter‑team and third‑party dependencies in large organisations.
- Experience operating in regulated or risk‑aware environments where quality and assurance are non‑negotiable, ideally experience within financial services sector.
- Comfortable holding suppliers and senior stakeholders to account.
Test Programme Manager in London employer: Quilter
Contact Detail:
Quilter Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Test Programme Manager in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching Quilter and understanding their values and goals. Tailor your answers to show how your experience aligns with their mission of enabling brighter financial futures.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your STAR technique for answering competency questions. Structure your responses around Situation, Task, Action, and Result to clearly demonstrate your skills and achievements.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining the Quilter team.
We think you need these skills to ace Test Programme Manager in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Test Programme Manager role. Highlight your experience in leading test delivery and managing complex programmes, as well as any relevant skills that match the job description.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're the perfect fit for Quilter. Mention specific experiences that demonstrate your ability to manage testing transparency and assurance.
Showcase Your Stakeholder Management Skills: Since this role involves a lot of senior stakeholder engagement, make sure to highlight your experience in managing expectations and resolving concerns. Give examples of how you've successfully navigated similar situations in the past.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensure it gets the attention it deserves!
How to prepare for a job interview at Quilter
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of the software testing lifecycle and how it applies to complex programmes. Be ready to discuss specific examples from your past experience where you've successfully managed inter-team dependencies and ensured quality assurance.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Test Programme Manager, you'll need to demonstrate your ability to lead and manage teams effectively. Prepare to share instances where you've taken charge of a project, resolved conflicts, or navigated challenges with stakeholders. Highlight your approach to maintaining testing integrity under pressure.
✨Understand the Business
Familiarise yourself with Quilter plc and its offerings in wealth management. Knowing their business model and how your role fits into their goals will show that you're genuinely interested and can contribute to their ambitions of being customer-centric.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that assess your problem-solving skills and ability to manage risks. Think of scenarios where you've had to identify delivery risks early or manage unrealistic stakeholder expectations. Practising these responses will help you articulate your thought process clearly during the interview.