Job Description
Role: Test Lead
Salary: £48,000 - £58,000
Location: Tipton, West Midlands (Hybrid – 2-3 Days From Home Weekly, After Initial Settling In Period)
Benefits: Discretionary Bonus, Generous Pension Contribution, Private Healthcare, Permanent Health Insurance
Network IT is recruiting for a Test Lead to join a purpose-driven organisation delivering a major Digital Transformation programme. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who thrives in structured testing environments, has experience in financial services, and understands regulatory and governance frameworks .
Reporting to the Programme Manager, you'll lead testing across project delivery and BAU activities, shaping test strategy, planning, execution, and defect management. You will be responsible for managing a variety of testing projects and handling multiple streams of work at once, ranging from small initiatives to large-scale programmes. You'll also be part of a collaborative, people-first culture where your ideas and contributions are valued.
Key Responsibilities
This role would suit someone who enjoys working across test strategy, stakeholder engagement, and quality assurance delivery — acting as a key driver of software quality.
* Lead testing capability across projects and BAU, including strategy, planning, coordination, execution, and defect management.
* Drive the adoption of a test culture and develop a mature test function.
* Provide monthly reporting on progress, risks, and issues.
* Collaborate with internal teams and third-party vendors to deliver change initiatives.
* Create a collaborative team environment that encourages open dialogue and effective conflict resolution.
* Ensure test environments are set up and maintained properly.
* Track and manage defects and issues, ensuring timely resolution.
* Define KPIs to monitor testing outcomes and drive efficiency.
* Shape test strategy and plans for functional, UAT, OAT, and non-functional testing (performance, security, accessibility, compatibility).
Experience Requirements
* Experience as a Test Lead within a regulatory environment.
* Advanced ISTQB certification.
* Financial Services experience with knowledge of regulatory and governance requirements.
* Experience with Mortgage and Savings processes.
* Experience setting up and maintaining test portals (Jira / ADO).
* Experience in partner/third-party management with commercial and contractual acumen.
* Experience introducing standardised testing methodologies and a test culture.
* Experience defining KPIs and driving testing efficiency.
* Exposure to modern infrastructure (Cloud, APIs, SaaS).
* Demonstrated ability to lead and manage people effectively.
* Proficiency in spreadsheet packages and project management systems.