Principal QA

Job summary

Defra is the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people's day-to-day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink.

Digital, Data, Technology and Security (DDTS) is the trusted team for digital across the entire Defra Group.

We have around 1000 colleagues across DDTS and our ambition is to make it easier and faster than ever for people to interact with Defra. If you are ready to drive innovation and push boundaries, we want to hear from you. Join us and together we will create a great place for living, and a green and healthy future for all.

Find out more about DDTS:

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Job description

The Principal QA is the most senior technical role within Defra’s Quality Assurance and Test Engineering function. They set the technical direction for QA and test, shaping strategy, standards and specialist approaches across multiple Delivery Groups, portfolios and projects.

Working across in-house and supplier-led teams in multiple locations, they provide leadership across both test management and software testing, supporting delivery through agile and waterfall life cycles. The role oversees the quality assurance stages delivered by Lead Test Managers, Lead Test Engineers and their teams, ensuring consistent, effective technical approaches that produce solutions fit for Defra’s needs, ambitions, technical strategy and operating model.

Person specification

Responsibilities:

• Set the technical direction for QA and testing across Defra, ensuring approaches align with departmental strategy, digital standards and the operating model.
• Shape and contribute to Defra’s digital standards, priorities, strategies and technology patterns, ensuring quality, testing and assurance are embedded from the outset.
• Provide expert technical leadership across portfolios, programmes and delivery teams, influencing quality decisions at organisational and programme level.
• Act as the departmental authority for specialist QA and testing practice, applying deep technical knowledge to support effective delivery across multiple teams.
• Lead the development and implementation of Defra’s technical testing capability, ensuring the right tools, technologies and practices are in place.
• Lead the adoption and effective use of automated functional and non-functional testing approaches, using appropriate modern tools and technologies.
• Shape assurance approaches across the QA and Test profession, using proactive measures to manage quality, performance and technical risk.
• Work with related disciplines to embed sustainability, interoperability, security and resilience across technology and delivery initiatives.
• Work with delivery, profession and resourcing leads to ensure teams have the right QA and testing capability, skills mix and capacity to meet portfolio and programme needs.
• Develop QA and testing capability by supporting recruitment, career pathways, internal mobility, collaboration, coaching, mentoring and knowledge sharing.
• Identify, test and champion new and emerging technologies that improve quality, efficiency, delivery confidence or value.

Skills and experience:

• Extensive experience of leading QA and testing across large, complex technology programmes, portfolios or services, using agile, waterfall or hybrid delivery approaches.
• Strong knowledge of software testing theory and practice, including test strategy, risk-based testing, defect management, assurance, quality governance and test planning.
• Experience setting or shaping QA and testing approaches across multiple teams, ensuring consistent standards, effective practices and proportionate assurance.
• Demonstrable technical test engineering experience, including practical knowledge of automated functional and non-functional testing, test frameworks, API testing, accessibility, performance testing and continuous delivery practices.
• In-depth knowledge of the Government Service Standard, GDS principles and quality assurance frameworks, with experience applying these in complex delivery environments.
• Ability to advise and influence senior stakeholders on software quality, delivery risk, technical assurance and the impact of QA and testing decisions, explain complex technical issues clearly to technical and non-technical audiences, using evidence, risk and impact to support decision-making.
• Experience working with suppliers and multidisciplinary delivery teams to resolve testing issues, improve quality and reduce delivery risk.
• Experience shaping team capability, including skills assessment, recruitment input, resourcing decisions, career pathways, coaching, mentoring and knowledge sharing.
• Ability to maintain knowledge of emerging technologies, industry patterns and testing good practice, using this to guide strategy and support delivery teams.
• Strong understanding of how QA and testing supports wider digital standards, technology patterns, sustainability, interoperability, security and resilience.

Please note for this role you will require SC Clearance. To gain SC clearance all applicants are required to have been a UK resident for a minimum of 5 years. If this requirement is not met, the individual will not be able to progress their application further.

Selection process

The Civil Service marks each element of the selection process on a merit basis. You can visit the gov.uk website for further information on the Civil Service rating scale.

Ensure you have tailored your CV and Personal Statement to the 'skills and experience' section of the job advert by providing examples on how you are suitable for the role. Consider using the STAR method which allows you to set the scene, show what and how you did and the overall outcome.

Please ensure you demonstrate clearly, within your personal statement, how you meet these requirements, as the information you provide will form a key part when the panel is scoring your application.

For further information on STAR, you can check out our Hints and Tips document.

Application process

As part of the application process, you will be assessed on your experience. This will be evaluated by looking at your CV and personal st