Lead Automation Tester (SC Cleared) - Contract Outside IR35
Location: Somerset, England (1-2 days onsite per week)
Rate: £Depending on Experience (Outside IR35)
Contract Length: 6 months +
Start Date: ASAP
Clearance: Active SC Clearance (ESSENTIAL)
The Opportunity
We're looking for an experienced Lead Automation Tester / Test Lead to drive a modern, outcome-focused quality engineering strategy within Azure-hosted enterprise systems in a secure, regulated UK environment.
Key Responsibilities
* Lead a risk-based automation strategy across functional, integration, and performance testing
* Align quality practices to DORA metrics (Lead Time, Deployment Frequency, Change Failure Rate, MTTR)
* Design scalable automation frameworks using Playwright and K6
* Embed fast, reliable automation into Azure DevOps CI/CD pipelines
* Promote test pyramid best practices and minimise brittle UI automation
* Define meaningful quality metrics beyond code coverage
* Drive continuous improvement through data-driven insights
Required Experience
* Proven experience leading automation strategy in enterprise environments
* Strong knowledge of modern test automation principles (CI-first, test pyramid, contract testing)
* Hands-on experience with Playwright and K6
* Strong experience with Azure DevOps CI/CD
* Clear understanding of DORA metrics
* Experience working in secure or regulated environments
* Active SC Clearance (mandatory)
Why Join?
* High-impact role on critical enterprise platforms
* Opportunity to shape quality strategy and delivery outcomes
* Work alongside mature engineering and DevOps teams
* Long-term, stable programme in a regulated environment
Apply now or reach out directly to discuss further - interviews happening immediately.