Test Manager

Job Description Job Title:   Test Manager Location:  Hybrid – West Midlands and Client Site Role Purpose Our Technology Division has been trusted for over a decade to deliver critical digital projects globally. We handle the entire delivery lifecycle, from business requirements to development, QA, release, and production support.Every TXP engagement follows robust solution and project governance, and we offer standardised “as a service” solutions where appropriate.The Test Manager will lead the quality assurance function across internal and client projects, managing QA resources and coordinating partner teams as required. This role is responsible for driving best practices in testing, including manual, automation, performance, and security testing, while ensuring adherence to established standards throughout the software development lifecycle. The Test Manager will actively participate in test planning, execution, and defect resolution, championing quality engineering principles and supporting successful project delivery.Key Responsibilities  •  Manage and lead the testing team, including direct line management and matrix management of client and partner resources as required.•  Collaborate with clients to ensure effective utilisation of the test team in line with business objectives.•  Drive the implementation of best practices across all internal and external testing initiatives.•  Contribute to the development of policies, standards, and guidelines that support IT selection, development, and implementation within the organisation.•  Define and agree on reporting metrics for projects and ensure timely delivery of accurate reports.•  Promote and develop team knowledge in testing best practices and tools, with a strong focus on automation, security, and penetration testing.•  Prioritise workload effectively to meet project deadlines and delivery commitments.•  Work within multiple development methodologies, including Waterfall and Agile.•  Actively participate in Agile ceremonies and support sprint-based development activities.•  Maintain strong relationships with customers, ensuring clear and consistent communication.•  Build and maintain effective working relationships with suppliers and partners to ensure optimal delivery methods.•  Mentor junior staff and contractors, providing guidance and supporting performance appraisals where appropriate.Essential Skills and Experience •  Proven ability to lead and develop testing functions with a strong track record of success.•  Proven experience managing testing resources across multiple projects, including matrix management of partner teams. •  Strong background in developing, implementing, and managing industry-standard testing practices. •  Expertise in automated testing techniques, tools, and technologies. •  Hands-on experience with performance, security, and penetration testing aligned with current industry standards. •  Familiarity with Test-Driven Development (TDD) principles and practices. •  Practical experience with Scrum methodologies, including sprint planning and participation in Agile ceremonies. •  Knowledge of Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Deployment (CD) processes. •  Solid understanding of software design principles, implementation, and deployment. •  Ability to apply systems thinking and understand how components interact within the overall solution. •  Awareness of project estimation, planning, monitoring, and control techniques. •  Excellent time management and prioritisation skills. •  Proven experience in test management and technical QA leadership within complex delivery environments. •  Strong understanding of the full end-to-end testing lifecycle. •  Expertise in modern software engineering practices and quality engineering principles. •  In-depth knowledge of all test levels, including Unit, Component, System, SIT, E2E, UAT, and Non-Functional Testing (NFT).Desirable Skills and Experience   •  Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines, particularly GitLab.•  Understanding of automation frameworks and tools such as Playwright, Wiremock, OWASP Zap (SAST, DAST, SCA), Gatling•  Knowledge of monitoring tools including Kibana, Grafana, Splunk, PagerDuty, and ideally Dynatrace.•  Exposure to cloud platforms (AWS, Azure) and containerisation technologies (Kubernetes).•  Understanding of databases: Oracle RDS, SQL, MongoDB.•  Technical background in Java 21 with Spring Boot/Batch.•  Desirable exposure to: - Technical architectures - Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) and Component-Based Development (CBD) - Agile methodologies - Web development - UML and XML principles - Entity Framework Personal Characteristics•  Excellent people management, mentoring, and team development skills.•  Strategic thinker with a hands-on, delivery-focused mindset and high attention to detail.•  Strong organisational and planning abilities, capable of prioritising and managing multiple tasks.•  Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills, able to explain complex technical concepts clearly to non-technical audiences.•  Collaborative and team-oriented, with the ability to influence across diverse teams.•  Proactive, adaptable, and committed to continuous improvement and innovation.•  Highly disciplined, self-motivated, and able to work under pressure to meet challenging deadlines.•  Passionate about quality, with an automation-first approach and logical problem-solving skills.•  Strong emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills.Education  •  Formal education in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field is beneficial but not essential.•  Equivalent experience, certifications or demonstrable skills are equally valued Benefits:•  25 days annual leave (plus bank holidays).•  An additional day of paid leave for your birthday (or Christmas eve).•  Salary sacrifice, matched employer contributed pension...