Job Description
Manual QA Tester
Burton on Trent | On-site, 5 days per week (This is non-negotiable)
Up to £40,000 + benefitsPermanent | Stand-alone QA role | Market-leading software house
Overview
I am delighted to be working exclusively with an established, market-leading software house is looking for a Manual QA Tester to take full ownership of their testing function. This is a rare opportunity to step into a stand-alone role where you’ll shape, define and mature the entire QA process — working directly with developers, product specialists and senior stakeholders to ensure the delivery of high-quality, robust software used nationwide.
If you’re someone who loves autonomy, accountability, and improving how a business approaches testing, this is the perfect next step.
Key Responsibilities
As the Manual QA Tester, you will:
Test Planning & Execution
* Design, maintain, and execute comprehensive test plans, test scripts and test cases.
* Perform functional, regression, system, integration, UAT and exploratory testing.
* Ensure all software releases meet quality, performance and usability standards.
Process Ownership & Improvement
* Act as the QA authority within the business, owning the end-to-end test lifecycle.
* Introduce best practices, frameworks, documentation, and structured testing approaches.
* Identify gaps in current testing processes and implement improvements.
* Advocate for quality across the development team and wider organisation.
Collaboration
* Work closely with Developers, Product Owners and Project Leads to understand requirements and translate them into test scenarios.
* Participate in sprint planning, refinement sessions and stand-ups.
* Clearly communicate defects, risks and test results to stakeholders.
Documentation & Reporting
* Maintain detailed and accurate defect logs.
* Produce regular quality reports and contribute to release readiness decisions.
* Document new processes, improvements and testing standards.
Skills & Experience Required
Essential
* Proven experience as a Manual QA / Software Tester.
* Strong understanding of the SDLC and the role of QA within Agile environments.
* Experience creating test plans, test cases and test scripts from scratch.
* Hands-on experience with defect tracking and test management tools.
* Ability to liaise confidently with technical and non-technical teams.
* Strong analytical, problem-solving and documentation skills.
* A proactive mindset — someone who wants to take ownership and improve things.
Desirable (but not essential)
* Exposure to basic SQL for data validation.
* Experience testing APIs (e.g., using Postman).
* Background in testing SaaS or web-based platforms.
* Any exposure to automation tools or an interest in moving into automation longer-term.
What’s In It For You?
* Salary up to £40,000, depending on experience.
* Full autonomy to build, influence and lead the QA approach.
* Opportunity to work for an established, high-performing software business.
* Collaborative environment with a supportive technical team.
* Clear progression and the chance to shape the future of testing within the organisation.
If this role sounds the right opportunity for yourself then please apply with an updated CV.