Test Manager

What it's about
The Testing Manager is a senior member of the Testing Services management team. You will have an important role in leading all testing activity on assigned Technology Programmes and Projects providing management, or oversight, of differing stakeholder groups and delivery teams, ensuring that the right test activity is performed by the right internal, or external, teams and at the right stage of the software development lifecycle.
This role reports directly to the Head of Testing and is responsible for delivering an efficient and effective testing service to quality and to the principles of the Cambridge Assessment Test Policy. The Testing Services team is on a maturity improvement roadmap, embedding the latest techniques and tools into day-to-day test processes, assuring the quality of IT changes across many projects, initiatives and programmes. Therefore, the successful candidate will be required to use their considerable Functional and Non-Functional test practice knowledge and skills to provide options, and reasoned recommendations, for enhancements which complement the IT improvement initiatives, especially in agility, non-functional and test tooling.
Management duties of Functional and Non-Functional test resources include recruitment, career advancement, contractor selection, test tool provision, resource supply and demand, and our resources reside in the UK, Near-shore, India and Manila.
What you'll be doing

• Define and maintain a cohesive, risk based, Test Approach reflecting the specific context of assigned Programmes/Projects. This approach is to include all test Levels and Types to sufficiently mitigate all identified risks associated with the solution being delivered
• Monitor, manage and deliver all testing activities for assigned Programmes/Projects on time and within budget (relates to the ability to perform the testing and not the outcome of that testing)
• Ensure that the Programme/Project plans adequately represent the test activity that needs to be delivered and sufficient budget is allocated, or escalate as required
• Engage the Testing Services team in line with published SLAs to ensure that any test resource required to deliver the activities on the Programme/Project are secured
• Matrix management of test resources on variable software engineering and testing services teams assigned to projects.
• Provide advice and recommendations to the Project/Programme Manager and Head of Testing related to the assigned projects, their lifecycle and their technical details.
• Key point of interaction with Business Stream and stakeholders in relation to test activities and status relating to assigned projects
• Identify and recommend improvements to Testing processes and practices arising from assigned work, especially in Non-Functional testing
• To work collaboratively with colleagues across Business Technology Services to ensure good customer service to all Stakeholders.

What we're looking for
Our successful Test Manager will have a Software Engineering related degree and essentially, have extensive real life test delivery and consultancy experience in a variety of sectors. You will be able to demonstrate a strong background in the use and implementation of Functional and Non-Functional test tools, techniques, principles and methodologies in agile and waterfall delivery, with ISTQB/ISEB or equivalent accreditation is desirable.
Skills

• Leadership skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with good stakeholder focus
• Ability to continuously assess and articulate the risks apparent in an IT solution through testing principles underpinning the CA Test Policy
• Analytical and logical thinking process - critical thinker
• Learning Agility
• Knowledge of procuring, set-up and oversight of Test tools in reporting, automation, performance and device and browser compatibility testing, e.g. Selenium/BitBucket, JMeter, Blazemeter, SauceLabs, Mailosaur, Azure, etc
• Education domain knowledge advantageous

Experience

• Extensive experience of Software Testing; what needs testing and why? Who needs to test and why? When does testing need to happen and why? How to test and why?
• Experience of test automation, its appropriateness and limitations
• Working knowledge of Test Management tools (e.g qTest) and Application Lifecycle Management tools (e.g. JIRA) and how to implement them to good effect in a Project/Programme CD/CI context
• Experience of complex software engineering challenges relating to the introduction and integration of new systems and infrastructures into existing technology landscapes. This should include customer facing portals and applications, network, data centre infrastructure, Enterprise class applications, database systems and open source technologies.
• Working knowledge of collaboration tools including SharePoint, Teams and Yammer
• Commercial and procurement experience in the management of Testing Services partners and providers
• People management in a test career capacity, advising on goals, objectives and development

Behaviours

• Keeps abreast of new technologies tools and techniques with a more proactive approach to the adoption of new technologies via assigned projects
• Demonstration of the Group Values; Collaborative, Responsible, Innovative
• Can stay calm in high pressured situations
• Positive, can-do, attitude
• Inspires confidence
• Has the ability to mediate between differing views and resolve team conflict
• Contributes to the broader Test Community both within and external to Cambridge Assessment
• Has the ability to structure arguments and put together convincing presentations
• Team focused, both on-shore and off-shore members

We know that diversity of thinking, backgrounds and approaches lead to innovation and create an atmosphere where everyone's contribution is valued. As well as wanting to create diverse teams, we also value diversity in the way our people approach their work. Work/life balance is important to us at Cambridge Assessment and we offer our colleagues a range of flexible working options according to the needs of the business and the individual, so please let us know of any flexible working requirements when applying and we can see how we can support you.

The closing date for receipt of applications is 29 March 2021 and interviews will be held on between 30 March and 4 April 2021.
To apply, please upload your CV and covering letter by clicking the APPLY button, where you can also find a full job description.
If you're successful at interview stage we will ask you to undergo background screening (carried out by Credence Background Screening Ltd), to ensure that all information provided to us is accurate. We wish you all the very best with your application.
The University of Cambridge will be bringing together its publishing and assessment operations to create a single organisation from 1 August 2021. Cambridge University Press and Cambridge Assessment publish and create world-leading content and examinations that are used across more than 170 countries.
The move is in response to a growing desire from learners, teachers and researchers to engage with Cambridge in a joined up digital way, and the demand for innovative products that combine expertise in learning and assessment. The new organisation will have the capabilities to provide world leading assessment, learning and academic research offerings globally, under the Cambridge brand and backed by first class teaching and research departments.
CAMBRIDGE ASSESSMENT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER