Job summary
You will be responsible for leading the testing profession, you will need to be able to demonstrate leadership skills and be integral to the implementation and evaluation of a range of activities. Having the responsibility for the testing frameworks, setting the quality assurance strategy for delivery teams and leading on accessibility, you will also establish excellent working relationships both internally and externally to identify opportunities to influence and engage stakeholders, championing two way engagement. Working closely with Digital Team Managers you will support professionally the community of Testers and will require the ability to rationalise complex technical information, transforming it to plain English, ensuring it is understandable to a variety of audiences. And ensure we are joined up and consistent with messages in line with our people approach, increasing agility, performance, productivity and ambassadorship.
What do we offer?
- 27 days leave (increasing with length of service) plus 8 bank holidays
- Flexible working (we are happy to discuss options such as compressed hours)
- Flexi time
- Hybrid working model (we are currently working largely remotely)
- Career development
- Active wellbeing and inclusion networks
- Excellent pension
- NHS Car lease scheme
- Access to a wide range of benefits and high street discounts!
Main duties of the job
1. Responsibility for hands-on leadership of the test function, mentoring and developing quality assurance processes. 2. Driving testing in many forms, especially in specialisms such as Accessibility, Automation, Compatibility and Performance. 3. Think strategically for the long term, while maintaining the ability to innovate and prototype new and emerging tools, practices and methods 4. Formulating and implementing the long-term testing strategy. Using initiative to interpret requirements and advising on implementation. 5. Innovating within the test profession to keep abreast of the latest technological developments and advances in software testing. 6. Define, drive and oversee a broad range of service integrations, systems improvements and customer-facing features. 7. Responsible for collaborating and sharing good practices. 8. Ensure appropriate governance of test practices are followed 9. Developing and promoting the test community of practice both internally and externally. 10. Design and execute a wide range of testing techniques and communicate test results to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. 11. Expert at non-functional testing techniques, options, creating and then supporting the team. 12. Ability to think creatively, critically evaluate and communicate findings to a larger team and support improvements.
About us
At the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) we deliver a range of essential national services to NHS organisations and contractors, patients and the public.
You may already be using some of our services. Do you have a prescription pre-payment certificate? Perhaps you found this vacancy through NHS Jobs? We're behind these, and much more.
Being one of the UK's Best Big Companies to work for, our values are to be Collaborative, Adventurous, Reliable and Energetic. We CARE about what we do and support each other in achieving our objectives.
Our people are the heart of our organisation. We strive to ensure they feel trusted, valued and empowered. We're passionate about nurturing and developing people. When you join us, we want you to grow, and we offer many opportunities for you to do that.
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. With wellbeing and inclusion central to our ethos, our BAME, Disability and Neurodiversity, LGBTQ+, Armed Forces and Women's networks help our colleagues to be their authentic selves at work.
At the NHSBSA we value and respect the diversity of our colleagues and are committed to being a flexible employer. We are proud to offer flexible working opportunities. Whether you're interested in hybrid working, working from home, flexible hours or job sharing, apply today and we can discuss available options with you at the interview stage.
We are the NHS delivering for the NHS.
Job description
Job responsibilities
In this Professional Lead role, you are accountable for:
Specialist Skills
- Overall responsibility for hands-on leadership of the digital test function including the team of test lead (lead test engineer), automation testers (senior test engineers), test analysts (test engineers) and junior testers (testers). Mentoring and developing quality assurance processes, developing and maintaining standards both strategically and technically.
- Driving testing in many forms within the digital directorate, especially in specialisms such as Accessibility, Automation, Compatibility and Performance.
- Think strategically for the long term, while maintaining the ability to innovate and prototype new and emerging tools, practices and methods that will improve testing and bring more value to users.
- Responsibility for formulating and implementing the long-term testing strategy. Using own initiative to interpret NHSBSA digital requirements and advising the wider NHSBSA on its implementation.
- Innovating and horizon scanning within the test profession to ensure the NHSBSA digital and test community is kept abreast of the latest technological developments and advances in software testing. Planning and implementing where possible to support innovative and creative delivery of Testing.
- Define, drive and oversee a broad range of service integrations, systems improvements and customer-facing features.
- Responsible for collaborating and sharing good practices, through leading workshops, demonstrations and the test community of practice to promote and establish understanding and adoption of standards, best practices and techniques.
- Ensure appropriate governance of test practices are followed through the use and implementation of assurance processes such as code, peer, lead and release reviews.
- Developing and promoting the test community of practice both internally and externally to third parties and other public sector bodies.
- To promote and raise exposure of the NHSBSA and the test profession at external conferences and events.
- Design and execute a wide range of testing techniques and communicate test results to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. You know how to make decisions on the environment for testing and coach others. You can identify defects, alerting the business to them, and you can help prioritise them based on defect severity.
- Expert at non-functional testing techniques, options, creating and then supporting the team designing and execute non-functional test scenarios and identify defects.
- Good working knowledge of different tools and techniques and ability to train others.
- Ability to think creatively, ask the right questions and critically evaluate and communicate findings to a larger team. Take the lead on investigative work into problems and opportunities in existing processes. You can drive the collection of information and creation of recommendations for improvements. You can absorb large amounts of conflicting information and use it to determine solutions.Staff Management
- The general management of activities and standards of staff within professional disciplines across multidisciplinary teams;
- Enabling the performance of others, working within matrix management to ensure that the team has relevant professional objectives setting fully aligned to departmental, personal and organisational objectives and goals.
- Undertake 1-1s to support the team to meeting their development needs and training plans.
- Support the team manager regarding escalations including staffing, disciplinary procedures, resourcing business and technical, to secure satisfactory outcomes. Where unable to resolve, providing sufficient detail, escalate to the appropriate levels within the organisations, within agreed policies, procedures and processes to ensure appropriate resolution.
- Collaborate and support the Team manager with the recruitment strategy and undertake recruitment and selection in line with organisational processes and participate in the implementation and delivery of initiatives to secure suitable resources, increase skills levels and develop talent pools to meet the changing needs of the business landscape.
- Provide feedback to support and encourage teams and individuals to develop thinking and independently work through issues, to reach solutions-based outcomes. Leading by example by seeking, providing and implementing individual feedback to improve ways of working and own performance.
- Train, mentor and coach other team members, and apprentices to enable the on-going development and growth of skills within the team.
Knowledge Management
- Keeping abreast of technological advances and maintaining an excellent understanding of the use of technology in delivering business objectives.
- Identify and support opportunities for the team to further develop their skills to meet the changing needs of the business. Taking ownership for decision making within own area, seeking support and feedback to develop well thought out solutions, processes and work as required, and in conjunction with agreed procedures.
- Identify and keep updated a clear development and career pathway to allow for professional development within the digital test function.
- Maintain own knowledge and expertise at the forefront of sector knowledge. Investigate research and development to support future business needs. Develop an understanding of emerging technologies and business opportunities.
Relationship Management
- Identify opportunities, engaging and fostering relationships and partnerships working within the organisation, third parties and cross government organisations to identify, influence and deliver value to the organisation.
- Working collaboratively with respective "Line Managers" to identify, implement and support team and individual development.
- Effectively engage and collaborate across multiple disciplines to ensure consistent approaches, methods, standards, and patterns are holistically applied in order to achieve test strategic goals and objectives.
Information Management
- Implement, monitor and report on a number of areas including agreed service levels, KPI's and standards within team, reviewing individual and team performances including outputs from appraisals, development needs, and trends are identified, and anomalies understood and reports generated and delivered to agreed frequency, methods and processes.
Delivery Management
- Completing own assigned tasks, to a high quality and within agreed timelines. Delivering continuous improvements to enhance own and business areas; co-ordinating and delivery of work across multiple strands such as continuous improvement, project related work, and operational tasks, and escalating issues at appropriate times.
- Overall responsibility for service testing and its practical implementation, within the directorate and the wider NHSBSA digital agenda.
- Manage and implement approaches strategies, standards, practices and policies across the team, ensuring and monitoring the timely delivery of business objectives within budget through the management of projects and programmes.
- Providing feedback on functional and non-functional requirements to ensure the overall needs of the business are met
- Support procurement processes for hardware and software, reviewing functional requirements and providing non-functional requirements when appropriate.
In addition to the above accountabilities, as post holder you are expected to:
Undertake any other duties and responsibilities as agreed with your line manager and commensurate with your role
Demonstrate the business values and behaviors in all aspects of your conduct at work.
Ensure and maintain a safe working environment which reflects the business health and safety policies and practices.
Be familiar with and adopt policies and practices governing finance, budgets and the procurement of services.
Ensure your behavior reflects a commitment to and the benefits of equality and diversity in the workplace.
Working Relationships
Responsible to: Head of Digital services
Accountable for: Test Lead, Automation testers, Test Analysts and Testers.
Key relationships and connections: Service Design, User Research, Technical Architects, Development and Testing community
Job description
Job responsibilities
In this Professional Lead role, you are accountable for:
Specialist Skills
- Overall responsibility for hands-on leadership of the digital test function including the team of test lead (lead test engineer), automation testers (senior test engineers), test analysts (test engineers) and junior testers (testers). Mentoring and developing quality assurance processes, developing and maintaining standards both strategically and technically.
- Driving testing in many forms within the digital directorate, especially in specialisms such as Accessibility, Automation, Compatibility and Performance.
- Think strategically for the long term, while maintaining the ability to innovate and prototype new and emerging tools, practices and methods that will improve testing and bring more value to users.
- Responsibility for formulating and implementing the long-term testing strategy. Using own initiative to interpret NHSBSA digital requirements and advising the wider NHSBSA on its implementation.
- Innovating and horizon scanning within the test profession to ensure the NHSBSA digital and test community is kept abreast of the latest technological developments and advances in software testing. Planning and implementing where possible to support innovative and creative delivery of Testing.
- Define, drive and oversee a broad range of service integrations, systems improvements and customer-facing features.
- Responsible for collaborating and sharing good practices, through leading workshops, demonstrations and the test community of practice to promote and establish understanding and adoption of standards, best practices and techniques.
- Ensure appropriate governance of test practices are followed through the use and implementation of assurance processes such as code, peer, lead and release reviews.
- Developing and promoting the test community of practice both internally and externally to third parties and other public sector bodies.
- To promote and raise exposure of the NHSBSA and the test profession at external conferences and events.
- Design and execute a wide range of testing techniques and communicate test results to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. You know how to make decisions on the environment for testing and coach others. You can identify defects, alerting the business to them, and you can help prioritise them based on defect severity.
- Expert at non-functional testing techniques, options, creating and then supporting the team designing and execute non-functional test scenarios and identify defects.
- Good working knowledge of different tools and techniques and ability to train others.
- Ability to think creatively, ask the right questions and critically evaluate and communicate findings to a larger team. Take the lead on investigative work into problems and opportunities in existing processes. You can drive the collection of information and creation of recommendations for improvements. You can absorb large amounts of conflicting information and use it to determine solutions.Staff Management
- The general management of activities and standards of staff within professional disciplines across multidisciplinary teams;
- Enabling the performance of others, working within matrix management to ensure that the team has relevant professional objectives setting fully aligned to departmental, personal and organisational objectives and goals.
- Undertake 1-1s to support the team to meeting their development needs and training plans.
- Support the team manager regarding escalations including staffing, disciplinary procedures, resourcing business and technical, to secure satisfactory outcomes. Where unable to resolve, providing sufficient detail, escalate to the appropriate levels within the organisations, within agreed policies, procedures and processes to ensure appropriate resolution.
- Collaborate and support the Team manager with the recruitment strategy and undertake recruitment and selection in line with organisational processes and participate in the implementation and delivery of initiatives to secure suitable resources, increase skills levels and develop talent pools to meet the changing needs of the business landscape.
- Provide feedback to support and encourage teams and individuals to develop thinking and independently work through issues, to reach solutions-based outcomes. Leading by example by seeking, providing and implementing individual feedback to improve ways of working and own performance.
- Train, mentor and coach other team members, and apprentices to enable the on-going development and growth of skills within the team.
Knowledge Management
- Keeping abreast of technological advances and maintaining an excellent understanding of the use of technology in delivering business objectives.
- Identify and support opportunities for the team to further develop their skills to meet the changing needs of the business. Taking ownership for decision making within own area, seeking support and feedback to develop well thought out solutions, processes and work as required, and in conjunction with agreed procedures.
- Identify and keep updated a clear development and career pathway to allow for professional development within the digital test function.
- Maintain own knowledge and expertise at the forefront of sector knowledge. Investigate research and development to support future business needs. Develop an understanding of emerging technologies and business opportunities.
Relationship Management
- Identify opportunities, engaging and fostering relationships and partnerships working within the organisation, third parties and cross government organisations to identify, influence and deliver value to the organisation.
- Working collaboratively with respective "Line Managers" to identify, implement and support team and individual development.
- Effectively engage and collaborate across multiple disciplines to ensure consistent approaches, methods, standards, and patterns are holistically applied in order to achieve test strategic goals and objectives.
Information Management
- Implement, monitor and report on a number of areas including agreed service levels, KPI's and standards within team, reviewing individual and team performances including outputs from appraisals, development needs, and trends are identified, and anomalies understood and reports generated and delivered to agreed frequency, methods and processes.
Delivery Management
- Completing own assigned tasks, to a high quality and within agreed timelines. Delivering continuous improvements to enhance own and business areas; co-ordinating and delivery of work across multiple strands such as continuous improvement, project related work, and operational tasks, and escalating issues at appropriate times.
- Overall responsibility for service testing and its practical implementation, within the directorate and the wider NHSBSA digital agenda.
- Manage and implement approaches strategies, standards, practices and policies across the team, ensuring and monitoring the timely delivery of business objectives within budget through the management of projects and programmes.
- Providing feedback on functional and non-functional requirements to ensure the overall needs of the business are met
- Support procurement processes for hardware and software, reviewing functional requirements and providing non-functional requirements when appropriate.
In addition to the above accountabilities, as post holder you are expected to:
Undertake any other duties and responsibilities as agreed with your line manager and commensurate with your role
Demonstrate the business values and behaviors in all aspects of your conduct at work.
Ensure and maintain a safe working environment which reflects the business health and safety policies and practices.
Be familiar with and adopt policies and practices governing finance, budgets and the procurement of services.
Ensure your behavior reflects a commitment to and the benefits of equality and diversity in the workplace.
Working Relationships
Responsible to: Head of Digital services
Accountable for: Test Lead, Automation testers, Test Analysts and Testers.
Key relationships and connections: Service Design, User Research, Technical Architects, Development and Testing community
Person Specification
Qualification
Essential
- Degree calibre with relevant in-depth knowledge of the subject matter
- Equivalent qualifications and relevant experience of the subject matter
Desirable
- Master's Degree or equivalent Post Graduate qualification
Experience
Essential
- Leading a test profession with emphasis on the core test frameworks.
- Ongoing Continuous Professional Development
- Engaging and building relationships with a range of stakeholders to support delivery of user and business needs
- To understand impact and awareness of project plans and delivery commitments
- Identifying functional and non-functional needs of the testing profession. Identifying solutions to meet these profession, user and business needs.
- Communicating ideas and producing engaging presentations to different audiences
- Managing testing projects as a lead of a QA team.
- Multi-tasking, analysing opportunities, defining successful approaches, and proactively solve problems.
- Influence and manage in a complex matrix organisation
- Analysing digital / web services in a fast-paced environment
- Open source and cloud technologies and their sourcing
- Working across multiple projects
- Leading teams across multiple locations.
- Creating and developing an effective Test community of practice.
Desirable
- Developing and promoting strategy and translating emerging trends and technologies into the test profession to benefit the organisation.
Specialist Skill/Knowledge
Essential
- Formulates and implements the long-term testing strategy.
- Business change, rationalisation and transformation
- Able to provide leadership and support with the core test frameworks. Automation, Accessibility, Compatibility and Performance.
- Offering advice and consultation as the Subject Matter Expert in testing for key stakeholders.
- To develop and implement operational standards, processes and procedures including automation coding as well as generic testing standards.
- Compatibility testing using browser technologies, platforms and services.
- Automated testing methodologies and tools such as Selenium & Cucumber and their use with a variety of programming languages including Ruby and Java.
- Performance testing methodologies and tools such as Jmeter.
- Accessibility testing methodologies and tools such as Wave, Axe, Lighthouse & Assistive technologies (Screen Readers & Speech Recognition).
- Leading test teams using BDD test practices.
- Experience of Agile Delivery Frameworks.
- Experience of investigating and prototyping test tools and technologies
- Evaluate testing proposals from external suppliers, and make recommendations to senior stakeholders
- Experience of Government Digital Service processes and standards. Involvement in assessments from alpha, beta to live.
Desirable
- Government Technology Code of Practice.
- Accessibility testing public sector legislation.
- Leading and developing a community of practice.
- Creating and developing new test frameworks from scratch.
- Experience with DevOps and CI processes and pipeline infrastructure
Professional Framework Level
Essential
- Operating at SFIA level 5 across Complexity, Autonomy, Influence and Business Skills
- Operating at SFIA level 5 across specialist skill areas: Strategy and Architecture/Technical Specialism
- Operating at SFIA level 4 across specialist skill areas: Skills and Quality/ Resourcing, Skills and Quality/ Performance Management, Skills and Quality/Professional Development, Relationship and engagement/Relationship Management.
Person Specification
Qualification
Essential
- Degree calibre with relevant in-depth knowledge of the subject matter
- Equivalent qualifications and relevant experience of the subject matter
Desirable
- Master's Degree or equivalent Post Graduate qualification
Experience
Essential
- Leading a test profession with emphasis on the core test frameworks.
- Ongoing Continuous Professional Development
- Engaging and building relationships with a range of stakeholders to support delivery of user and business needs
- To understand impact and awareness of project plans and delivery commitments
- Identifying functional and non-functional needs of the testing profession. Identifying solutions to meet these profession, user and business needs.
- Communicating ideas and producing engaging presentations to different audiences
- Managing testing projects as a lead of a QA team.
- Multi-tasking, analysing opportunities, defining successful approaches, and proactively solve problems.
- Influence and manage in a complex matrix organisation
- Analysing digital / web services in a fast-paced environment
- Open source and cloud technologies and their sourcing
- Working across multiple projects
- Leading teams across multiple locations.
- Creating and developing an effective Test community of practice.
Desirable
- Developing and promoting strategy and translating emerging trends and technologies into the test profession to benefit the organisation.
Specialist Skill/Knowledge
Essential
- Formulates and implements the long-term testing strategy.
- Business change, rationalisation and transformation
- Able to provide leadership and support with the core test frameworks. Automation, Accessibility, Compatibility and Performance.
- Offering advice and consultation as the Subject Matter Expert in testing for key stakeholders.
- To develop and implement operational standards, processes and procedures including automation coding as well as generic testing standards.
- Compatibility testing using browser technologies, platforms and services.
- Automated testing methodologies and tools such as Selenium & Cucumber and their use with a variety of programming languages including Ruby and Java.
- Performance testing methodologies and tools such as Jmeter.
- Accessibility testing methodologies and tools such as Wave, Axe, Lighthouse & Assistive technologies (Screen Readers & Speech Recognition).
- Leading test teams using BDD test practices.
- Experience of Agile Delivery Frameworks.
- Experience of investigating and prototyping test tools and technologies
- Evaluate testing proposals from external suppliers, and make recommendations to senior stakeholders
- Experience of Government Digital Service processes and standards. Involvement in assessments from alpha, beta to live.
Desirable
- Government Technology Code of Practice.
- Accessibility testing public sector legislation.
- Leading and developing a community of practice.
- Creating and developing new test frameworks from scratch.
- Experience with DevOps and CI processes and pipeline infrastructure
Professional Framework Level
Essential
- Operating at SFIA level 5 across Complexity, Autonomy, Influence and Business Skills
- Operating at SFIA level 5 across specialist skill areas: Strategy and Architecture/Technical Specialism
- Operating at SFIA level 4 across specialist skill areas: Skills and Quality/ Resourcing, Skills and Quality/ Performance Management, Skills and Quality/Professional Development, Relationship and engagement/Relationship Management.
Additional information
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
