Test Manager

Test Manager

Location: Portsmouth (Minimum 60% onsite)

Contract: 12 month contract

Rate: £44.85 per hour PAYE / £60 per hour Umbrella

Hours: 37 hours per week (4.5 days, flexible working between 7am–7pm)

IR35: Inside IR35

Clearance: BPSS+ required to start and candidates must be eligible to obtain SC

Clearance.

The Opportunity

Our client is seeking an experienced Test Manager to lead the Test & Verification (T&V) activities on complex and high-profile programmes within the Defence and Space sector. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in defining test strategies, leading verification activities, and ensuring systems meet demanding customer and contractual requirements.

The successful Test Manager will be responsible for defining the overall testing approach, producing bid and project test artefacts, and leading teams to deliver testing and verification activities to agreed quality, cost, and schedule targets.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the overall test strategy and verification approach across assigned projects.
• Develop and manage Test & Verification plans and strategies that minimise project risk and validate technical solutions as early and cost-effectively as possible.
• Define and oversee Integration, Verification and Validation (IVV) activities across complex systems and environments.
• Ensure all testing activities comply with project requirements, customer expectations, and business processes.
• Manage verification status against requirements through a Verification Cross Reference Index (VCRI).
• Oversee defect management processes related to testing and verification activities.
• Verify and validate project deliverables using appropriate tools, techniques, and industry standards.

Essential Experience

• Significant experience in Test Management, Verification, and Validation within complex engineering environments.
• Proven ability to define and execute test strategies across large-scale programmes.
• Experience managing test teams and coordinating multiple stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of defect management, requirements verification, and end-to-end testing processes.
• Ability to produce high-quality test documentation, plans, and verification artefacts.
• Experience working within highly regulated or safety-critical industries.

Desirable Qualifications & Experience

• Degree qualified in an Engineering or Scientific discipline.
• Advanced ISTQB qualification or equivalent formal testing certification.
• Project Management qualification such as PRINCE2 Practitioner.
• Experience with project planning tools and methodologies.
• Background within the Defence, Space, Satellite Communications, or Aerospace sectors.