Senior Test Manager in Southampton

Fixed Term Contract Duration - 11 Months

About the Business

Quilter plc is a leading provider of financial advice, investments and wealth management, committed to being the UK’s best wealth manager for clients and their advisers. Quilter oversees £141.9 billion in customer investments (as at 31 March 2026). 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.

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. 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: Test Execution
• Location: Southampton / London
• Contract type: Fixed Term Contract - 12 Months

Leading the Test Strategy:

• Define, drive and enhance the overarching test strategy across multiple portfolio initiatives, ensuring alignment with Quilter’s business objectives, regulatory standards, and risk appetite.
• Ensure the strategy covers all appropriate test phases across the functional and non-functional domain.

Vendor Management:

• Manage relationships with third-party vendors to ensure alignment with portfolio testing objectives.
• Ensure vendor compliance with Quilter’s testing standards, governance frameworks, and quality expectations.
• Coordinate multi-vendor test activities to ensure seamless integration and delivery across the Portfolio.
• Evaluate vendor performance using defined KPIs and provide feedback for continuous improvement.
• Mitigate risks associated with vendor delivery and escalate issues as appropriate to programme leadership.

Managing Test Planning and Execution:

• Oversee the planning, execution, and reporting of tests across multiple projects and suppliers.
• Ensure readiness and quality at every stage of the testing process.

Collaborating with Stakeholders:

• Work closely with delivery teams, third-party vendors, and senior stakeholders to ensure seamless integration and 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.
• Proactively manage stakeholder expectations, challenging unrealistic commitments and aligning scope, timelines and quality outcomes to agreed risk appetite.

Ensuring Quality Assurance and Test Governance:

• Establish and maintain robust test governance frameworks, ensuring audit readiness and compliance with internal and external regulatory requirements.
• Champion continuous improvement in testing practices, tooling, and automation.

Managing Resources and Teams:

• Provide leadership and mentorship to test managers and leads across the organisation, fostering a culture of quality, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Assign roles, set deadlines, and oversee the work of quality assurance and quality control professionals, Test Specialists, and other testing roles.

Reporting and Communication:

• Communicate effectively with all stakeholders to ensure alignment and understanding of testing objectives and outcomes.
• Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure testing effectiveness, efficiency, and business value delivered.
• Own, lead and manage the test relationship between Quilter and Quilter’s suppliers.
• Work with and influence all Software Engineering disciplines to promote awareness and understanding of the function Testing and Quality Assurance/Management Framework, Policy and Strategy.
• Be a thought leader in the implementation and ongoing enhancements of testing capabilities, processes, standards and governance, while embedding ethical testing practices and supporting Quilter’s sustainability and digital responsibility commitments.

About You

Key Qualities

• Strong Leadership Skills: Ability to lead and motivate a matrixed team of testers and engineers across multiple programmes and suppliers. Effective delegation and decision-making skills.
• Excellent Communication Skills: Proficient in both written and verbal communication. Ability to interact with stakeholders, clients, and team members clearly and effectively.
• Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills: Strong analytical skills to identify issues and develop effective solutions. Ability to troubleshoot and resolve technical problems.
• Attention to Detail: Meticulous in planning and executing test strategies. Ensures thoroughness in testing processes to maintain high quality.
• Risk Management: Ability to identify potential risks and develop mitigation strategies. Experience in managing high-risk projects and ensuring successful outcomes.
• Adaptability and Flexibility: Ability to adapt to changing project requirements and environments. Flexibility in managing multiple projects and priorities.

Relevant Experience

• Extensive Testing Experience: Proven track record on delivering complex and strategic testing programmes. Must have worked as either a Senior Programme Test Manager or as Head of Test with successful outcomes that can be validated. Hands-on experience with various testing methodologies and tools.
• Project Management Experience: Proven track record of managing large-scale testing projects. Experience in developing and implementing test plans and strategies.
• Technical Proficiency: In-depth knowledge of software development life cycles and testing frameworks. Familiarity with automation tools and scripting languages.
• Stakeholder Management: Proven track record in working with diverse stakeholders, including clients, vendors, and internal teams, while championing an inclusive and psychologically safe environment where diverse perspectives are valued and innovation thrives. Ability to manage expectations and deliver results.
• Continuous Improvement: Commitment to continuous learning and improvement in testing practices that directly contribute to delivering secure, high-quality digital experiences that build customer trust and confidence. Experience in driving process improvements and implementing best practices.
• Reporting and Documentation: Proficiency in creating detailed test reports and documentation. Ability to communicate test results and progress to all levels of stakeholders effectively.

Inclusion & Diversity

We value diversity and strive to promote inclusivity in all aspects of our culture. We believe in equal opportunities for all, ensuring that no applicant encounters less favourable treatment based on anything but their skills, qualifications, experience, and potential. We celebrate the unique contributions of a diverse workforce and create a respectful, nurturing environment where every colleague can thrive.

Values

• Do the right thing: We act with integrity and are proudly committed to going above and beyond in service of our clients and the support we provide our communities.
• Always curious: We continuously seek new ideas and knowledge so we’re one step ahead of our clients’ needs. We look for inspiration everywhere and encourage experimentation, recognising that this is how we create brilliant solutions for brighter futures.
• Embrace challenge: We aim high to transform our potential into meaningful outcomes. With ambition as our driving force and a steadfast commitment to growth, we succeed for the good of every generation.
• Stronger together: Combining our diverse talents, we accomplish more collectively than we ever could do alone. We speak openly, actively listen, and support each other, and constructively challenge and embrace new ideas. We seek empowerment and demonstrate ownership and trust, with the confidence to make impactful decisions.

Core Benefits

• Holiday: 182 hours (26 days)
• Quilter Incentive Scheme: All employees are eligible to participate in incentive scheme, to incentivise business performance and their contribution.
• Pension Scheme: A non-contributory company pension scheme that can be boosted through personal contributions.
• Healthcare Cash Plan: Jersey employees only.
• Benefit Allowance: A cash benefit allowance is payable in lieu of some of our core benefits.

In addition to our core benefits, we offer a range of flexible benefits to UK employees that you can choose from and pay for conveniently via a salary deduction.