Band 6 - Senior IT Systems Officer (Testing Lead) - Bath
We have an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated Testing Lead to join a dynamic Systems Development and Testing Team to ensure all testing activities are effectively managed and conducted, according to the defined approach, prior to release into the live environment.
In this role, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring that all Clinical Systems changes and implementations are rigorously tested to identify and eliminate any software issues, thereby reducing the clinical safety risk. This is a very busy team involved in multiple projects, changes or issue fixes and so you will need to be proactive, enjoy challenges and handle pressure well.
You should have previous experience of working in a testing role and managing multiple healthcare testing activities. You will coordinate all testing activities including, but not limited to, system, integration, user acceptance, deployment and cutover testing, ensuring alignment with project milestones and clinical requirements.
Strong stakeholder and communication skills are essential to succeed in this role, as is a passion for delivering excellent services to healthcare staff and service users.
Right to Work in the UK This position is not eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Applicants must already hold the legal right to work in the UK at the time of application, as the organisation is unable to support sponsorship for this post.
Main duties of the job
As a Testing Lead, you will coordinate all the testing activities within the EPR Programme. Your role will involve managing test environments and ensuring all testing phases are completed to a high standard. You will support the implementation of changes into our main Electronic Patient Record (EPR) system, ensuring they are clinically and operationally fit for purpose. Your responsibilities will include managing testing timelines, collaborating with suppliers, and ensuring defects are logged, re‑tested and resolved efficiently. Additionally, you will define go‑live testing criteria, prepare test data and scripts, oversee formal test execution and re‑testing, and manage regression testing and the maintenance of regression test plans. You will supervise clinical staff in their execution of User Acceptance Testing, and ensure testing meets all set deadlines in collaboration with the Programme Manager and Project Managers.
Your duties will also involve maintaining clear communication with stakeholders, producing accurate documentation, and supporting post‑Go‑Live activities. You will work autonomously to plan and organise your workload, participate in meetings to discuss workflows and concerns, and contribute to a positive and collaborative team culture.
Predominantly hybrid, the post holder will be expected to work across all AWP sites, regularly attending bases to support with Go Lives and User Acceptance Testing.
Job responsibilities
To gather test requirements from complex and highly technical project documentation and produce test specifications, test scripts, and test plans.
To understand the key business workflows in the Trust and plan testing to ensure that these workflows are not affected by the various upgrades, releases, and patches applied to the systems.
To review RFCs for completeness and coordinate with the system developers.
To ensure all test scripts are created, reviewed, updated, and stored in a timely manner.
To ensure that the test environments are maintained and populated as directed by the IT Clinical Systems Manager.
To manage the test execution phase of changes or projects, including UAT.
To ensure the test plan is updated regularly and accurately reflects the status of test execution.
To manage the resolution of any identified defects by reviewing, updating, and retesting when fixed, and to ensure all identified defects are logged on a defect log.
To provide realistic estimates for testing activities (test plans, test specifications, test scripts, creation of test data, test execution, test reporting, defect management, regression testing, UAT testing, etc.).
To produce final test exit reports once all tests have been run and results agreed with the project.
To research and provide advice on the feasibility of new technologies to expedite the testing process, including automated testing.
Please see attached Job Description file for a full list of duties and responsibilities.
Person Specification
Education and Qualification
* Educated to Degree level or equivalent experience in Computer Science, IT application support or relevant technical discipline
* ISEB/ISTQB Qualification
* Microsoft SQL Server Administration Qualification
* Knowledge of an NHS Trust’s policies and business processes particularly relating to Mental Health
* Evidence of ongoing professional development)
* Certificate in team leading (ILM or similar)
Experience and Knowledge
* Good understanding of logging calls and incidents with 3rd Party Suppliers and their processes
* In-depth knowledge of the planning, organising and carrying out comprehensive test strategies including UAT and deployment testing
* Knowledge of defect management and structured approaches to resolution of issues
* Good knowledge and proven use of different test methodologies
* Considerable experience in a professional application management environment, preferably involving patient EPR systems
* Experience of front-end system configuration
* Experience of using and supporting IT systems (Clinical EPR systems and Business applications)
* Demonstrate ability to set clear and appropriate priorities for self and others to meet overall goals
* Experience of full testing life cycle including system functions testing, data migration testing, user acceptance testing, regression testing
* Experience of creating training documents, presentation of data, manipulation of data, data quality investigations, presentation preparation, supporting users using remote assistance
* Good understanding of the software development cycles
* Awareness of Project Management Methodologies
* Knowledge of an NHS Trust’s policies and business processes particularly relating to Mental Health
* Understanding of Information Governance principles specifically in a Health and Social care environment
* Experience of teaching/training groups of staff
* Experience of working within the NHS and Mental Health
* Responsibility in taking lead in R&D activities in configuring and continual service improvement of RiO and other systems
Skills and Abilities
* Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to support and train application users at all levels including consultant psychiatrists and administrative staff, includes via the telephone and in situations of considerable stress for the user
* Excellent negotiating skills to persuade staff from all backgrounds and levels of IT literacy to commit to implementing new technology within their working practice
* Good relationship-building skills to gain maximum input from colleagues and software suppliers
* Able to work autonomously / on own initiative
* Excellent planning and time‑management skills
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills
* Excellent attention to detail
* A level of competence in Microsoft packages. MS Office, Sharepoint, Project, Visio and Project
* Ability to lead, plan and organise a complex range of high impact test and configuration activities, including planning and supervising witness testing involving all professions/ areas within the trust
* Ability to propose service change and participate in continual service improvement
* Ability to communicate with staff, internal and external to the Trust, at a variety of levels
* Ability to analyse highly complex configuration and test plans and results, drawing conclusions and reporting on them
* Ability to manage others on a day‑to‑day basis
* Coaching and mentoring skills
* At least one year's experience managing staff and coordinating packages of work
* Experience of people management including appraisal, grievance, disciplinary, interviewing
* Understanding of the compilation and use of Data Collection Worksheets
Other Requirements
* Empathy for individuals who have experienced mental health problems and ability to cope with behaviour which may be challenging at times
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
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