At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead testing strategies for impactful digital services in the UK public sector.
- Company: Join Scrumconnect Consulting, a multi-award-winning digital consultancy making a difference.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, generous leave, relocation support, and visa sponsorship available.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with excellent career growth and learning opportunities.
- Why this job: Shape quality strategies while enjoying a flexible hybrid work-life balance by the coast.
- Qualifications: Experience in leading testing across complex digital programmes and strong communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 60000 £ per year.
About Scrumconnect Consulting
Scrumconnect Consulting is a multi‑award‑winning digital consultancy whose work has positively influenced the lives of over 40 million UK citizens. We deliver impactful technology solutions across UK government departments, working at the forefront of user‑centred design, agile delivery, and scalable digital services that genuinely make a difference.
Why This Opportunity Stands Out
- Work on a high‑impact UK public sector digital programme, delivering services used by millions
- Opportunity to be based in Swansea, with relocation support of up to £5,000
- Visa sponsorship available for eligible candidates
- Strong focus on work‑life balance with a flexible hybrid model (3 days onsite)
- Be part of a collaborative, multidisciplinary agile environment alongside civil servants and industry experts
Based in Swansea, three days per week on‑site at our client’s Swansea offices. Swansea is a coastal city offering a genuinely excellent quality of life: lower cost of living than London or Birmingham, shorter commutes, and the kind of work‑life balance that is hard to find elsewhere. If you have spent years commuting into a major city, working three days a week by the sea without taking a pay cut may be more appealing than you expect. We also offer relocation support of £3,000‑£5,000 to make the move straightforward.
Role Overview
We are looking for a Test Lead/Test Manager to own and shape the quality strategy for digital services delivered to a UK government client. You will lead testing across one or more multi‑disciplinary teams operating in a hybrid estate of modern cloud‑native services and established legacy platforms, including mainframe integrations. This role combines hands‑on test leadership with strategic quality ownership. You will operate within structured and governed environments where reliability, security, accessibility, and compliance are critical to service success, and you will be a key voice in go/no‑go release decisions.
Key Responsibilities
- Define and own the overall test strategy and approach across services built in Java Spring Boot, AWS Serverless (Lambda/Node.js), Ruby on Rails with React, and legacy mainframe systems
- Lead, mentor, and coach testers working within one or more multi‑disciplinary teams (MTD)
- Plan and coordinate functional, integration, regression, performance, accessibility, and security testing across the delivery life cycle
- Establish quality metrics, reporting, and dashboards to give delivery and government stakeholders clear visibility of risk
- Drive a shift‑left approach, embedding testing into design, refinement, and CI/CD pipelines
- Own end‑to‑end test environments, test data strategy, and integration testing across modern and legacy components
- Lead defect triage, root cause analysis, and quality improvement initiatives
- Contribute to release planning, go/no‑go decisions, and operational acceptance criteria for live services
- Ensure services meet WCAG 2.2 accessibility standards, GDS service standards, and security assurance requirements
- Engage with security, architecture, product, and delivery leads to balance quality, risk, and pace
Essential Skills & Experience
- Strong experience leading testing across complex, multi‑team digital programmes
- Demonstrable experience defining test strategies that span modern (microservice, serverless, web) and legacy (mainframe, monolithic) systems
- Hands‑on experience with test automation frameworks across API, UI, and service layers (e.g. RestAssured, Postman/Newman, Cypress, Playwright, Selenium, JUnit, Jest)
- Experience integrating automated testing into CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions, Jenkins, Azure DevOps, GitLab CI)
- Strong understanding of non‑functional testing including performance, resilience, and security testing approaches
- Solid grasp of accessibility testing (WCAG 2.2) and assistive technology validation
- Experience with test management and defect tracking tools (e.g. Jira, Zephyr, TestRail, Azure DevOps)
- Experience leading testers in Agile or hybrid delivery models (Scrum, Kanban)
- Experience working in regulated, security‑conscious, or high‑assurance environments
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to articulate quality risk to senior stakeholders
- Experience delivering testing within a UK public‑sector or government context
- Familiarity with GDS service standards, the Technology Code of Practice, and the GOV.UK Design System
Desirable
- Experience testing mainframe integrations or coordinating testing across legacy modernisation programmes
- Experience supporting services through GDS Alpha, Beta, and Live assessments
- ISTQB Advanced, ISTQB Test Manager, or equivalent professional certification
- Experience with contract testing (e.g. Pact) and chaos/resilience testing tooling
- Experience building or scaling testing communities of practice
What we offer
- Competitive salary with annual review
- Company pension scheme
- Generous annual leave entitlement
- Critical illness cover
- Relocation support of £3,000‑£5,000
- Visa sponsorship for eligible candidates
- Access to learning and development resources
- A supportive, inclusive working environment
Equal Opportunities
Scrumconnect Consulting is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team and welcome applications from all backgrounds, regardless of age, disability, gender, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation.
Test Lead in Swansea employer: scrumconnect ltd
Scrumconnect Consulting is an exceptional employer, offering a unique opportunity to work on high-impact digital programmes that serve millions of UK citizens. With a strong emphasis on work-life balance, flexible hybrid working arrangements, and a supportive, inclusive culture, employees can thrive both professionally and personally in the beautiful coastal city of Swansea. The company also provides generous relocation support, competitive salaries, and ample opportunities for professional growth, making it an attractive choice for those seeking meaningful and rewarding employment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Test Lead in Swansea
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in your industry on LinkedIn or at local meetups. A friendly chat can lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by practising common questions and scenarios related to the Test Lead role. We recommend doing mock interviews with friends or using online platforms to boost your confidence.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your skills! Bring examples of your past work, especially those that align with the job description. This could be test strategies you've developed or successful projects you've led.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search.
We think you need these skills to ace Test Lead in Swansea
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience with test strategies and multi-team digital programmes. We want to see how your skills align with the role of Test Lead, so don’t hold back!
Showcase Your Technical Skills:Don’t forget to mention your hands-on experience with test automation frameworks and CI/CD pipelines. We’re looking for someone who can hit the ground running, so let us know what tools you’ve worked with!
Highlight Your Leadership Experience:As a Test Lead, you’ll be mentoring and coaching testers. Share examples of how you’ve led teams in the past and any successful quality improvement initiatives you’ve implemented. We love a good success story!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at scrumconnect ltd
✨Know Your Tech Stack
Make sure you’re familiar with the technologies mentioned in the job description, like Java Spring Boot and AWS Serverless. Brush up on your knowledge of test automation frameworks and how they integrate into CI/CD pipelines, as this will show your technical prowess.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
As a Test Lead, you'll need to showcase your ability to mentor and lead teams. Prepare examples from your past experiences where you successfully guided testers or contributed to quality improvement initiatives. This will highlight your leadership capabilities.
✨Understand the Public Sector Context
Since this role involves working within the UK public sector, it’s crucial to understand the specific challenges and standards, such as GDS service standards and WCAG 2.2 accessibility requirements. Familiarise yourself with these to demonstrate your readiness for the role.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving skills and decision-making process. Think about how you would handle go/no-go release decisions or manage defect triage in a high-pressure environment, and be ready to discuss your thought process.
