Senior QA Tester

Job summary

We’re looking for an outstanding Senior QA Tester who wants to be involved in the modernisation of digital telephony services for the UK Government. Be part of changing the face of public services, with the potential to dramatically transform the future of millions of people.

This role represents a unique opportunity to join the Digital Channels Contact Centre (DC3) team at DWP Digital. We’re looking for a Senior QA Tester who is a driven and passionate Tester who would like to be part of a team delivering real value to people who need help during the difficult times of their lives.

The successful candidate will work within the CC-FED (Customer Contact, Fraud Error & Debt) directorate to support the delivery of telephony services to both citizens and DWP colleagues.

Job description

As a Senior QA Tester, you will:

• Provide technical leadership to a team of Testers, along with providing oversight to the products they test.
• Drive the overall Test Process within your project, along with setting the test strategy and approach.
• Ensure that the breadth and depth of testing are appropriate and proportionate and takes a risk-based approach.
• Drive the planning of system and/or acceptance tests, coordinating both functional and non-functional specifications and provide authoritative advice and guidance.
• Oversee all levels of functional system testing to enable and assure the successful implementation of releases.
• Be responsible for defining test requirements, specifications, and test conditions; be able to identify issues and risks associated with work whilst being able to analyse and report test activities and results to senior stakeholders.
• Implement a shift-left approach to define processes that reduce or eliminate defects as early in the process as possible.
• Produce and execute manual and automated test scripts and expected results, ensuring quality against agreed Acceptance Criteria.
• Provide detailed analysis of faults identified, liaising with internal development teams to ensure reasons for failure are properly communicated and remedial action is agreed.
• Provide estimates for new work on behalf of the wider test team.

Please note that this role is not part of an on-call rota. However, occasional flexibility may be required to support planned out-of-hours releases and testing activities in line with business needs.

Person specification

When completing your CV, please provide clear evidence of your extensive experience, strategic leadership and measurable achievements against the essential criteria listed below:

• Lead criterion - Proven experience of testing Contact Centre telephony platforms.
• Proven experience of the latest Telephony testing tools, techniques, and methodologies, with an understanding of where it would be beneficial to apply them.
• Experience of test automation in relation to a Contact Centre environment.
• Experience of maintaining full traceability of requirements, tests, and defects.
• Proven experience in planning, designing, and executing non-functional testing activities, e.g. performance, scalability, resilience, accessibility, and operational acceptance testing.
• Proven ability to set the Testing strategic direction for product teams, supporting and contributing to the wider Testing community.

If you would like to learn more about the role, please contact [email removed]

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £44,447, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £12,876 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

We also have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

• Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Generous annual leave – at least 25 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (pro–rata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
• Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
• Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
• Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 year’s continuous service.
• Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Women’s Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.

Hybrid Working

This role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work.

If a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for the role and for you, you will normally be required to spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted working hours from your DWP office.

If you have a disability, caring responsibilities, or other circumstances that may affect your ability to meet the minimum office attendance requirement, please discuss this with us using the contact details in this advert.

Salary Information

New entrants to the Civil Service will join on band minimum.

Existing Civil Servants who secure a new role on lateral transfer will maintain their current substantive salary.

Existing Civil Servants who gain promotion will move to the bottom of the grade pay scale or receive a 10% increase applied to their current substantive salary, whichever is greater.

Any temporary allowances that you are currently in receipt of will not form part of the calculation to determine your pay. Any allowances that are in payment will cease when you move into your new role.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

Stage 1: Application

Your application will consist of two parts:

1. A Personal Details application form.

2. A curriculum vitae including education, professional qualifications and full employment history, giving details of key achievements in line with essential criteria listed in the Person Specification.

When uploading your CV, do not include personal