Test Manager

NATS, a renowned organisation in the Defence & Security sector, is currently seeking a skilled Test Manager for a contract opportunity in Aberdeen. This role involves supporting the delivery of complex technical systems within a safety-critical environment, focusing on test planning, execution, defect management, quality assurance, and test assurance governance.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the planning, coordination, and delivery of testing activities across new and existing technical systems.
• Oversee the full end-to-end test lifecycle, ensuring activities are planned, controlled, executed, and evidenced to the required standard.
• Provide expert direction for the test strategy, planning, estimating, implementation, and conduct of test programmes.
• Develop, review, and maintain test strategies, test plans, test scripts, checklists, test reports, and supporting quality assurance documentation.
• Define test requirements and design tests to satisfy system, safety, user, and project requirements.
• Ensure requirements are testable, complete, and traceable, with clear linkage between requirements, test activity, evidence, and outcomes.
• Support the definition of acceptance criteria and contribute evidence and recommendations to acceptance reviews or acceptance panels.
• Manage test execution records, including test outcomes, evidence, completion dates, tester details, defects, and recommendations.

Job Requirements:

• Previous experience in a Test Manager, Test Lead or senior test coordination role.
• Strong background in test planning, test execution, test assurance, and defect management within a structured project or systems environment.
• Experience managing testing across the system lifecycle, including requirements review, test design, test execution, reporting, and acceptance support.
• Good understanding of test methodologies, quality assurance principles, systems engineering, and software testing processes.
• Experience working with real-time, operational or safety-critical technical systems.
• Experience within aviation, air traffic control, systems engineering, or another safety-critical environment.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage confidently with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Strong organisational skills and ability to work effectively across multi-disciplinary teams.

Desirable Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, computing, or another relevant technical discipline, or equivalent technical experience.
• HNC-level qualification or higher in an engineering-related discipline would also be considered.
• Knowledge of radar data processing, flight data processing, voice communications, or similar operational technology would be advantageous.
• Knowledge of regulatory compliance environments and working to defined safety standards.
• Experience contributing to work package management, project reporting, resource estimates, test metrics, and assurance evidence.
• Experience supporting acceptance activity, acceptance criteria definition or formal system acceptance reviews.