ICT Test Manager

Closing date: 2 April 2023 | Salary: £47,408 - £52,359 (Grade 8) | Location: Flexible

This role is eligible for a retention allowance of up to £3,182 (approved until 31 January 2026). We would welcome discussions with suitable applicants at the interview stage of the process

Contract type: Permanent

Work pattern: Full time, 37 hours per week.

Post number: 203015

As an organisation we support flexible working. This role allows hybrid working (a mix of home and office working) and a working pattern suitable for you can be discussed on appointment if you are successful.

You will be contracted to the nearest NRW office to your home, of which you will be required to attend for regular meetings, training and for one-to-one meetings with your manager. These will be planned in advance.

Job description

This is an advanced technical and managerial role, its purpose being:

Working as part of the ICT Management Team, the post holder will provide high level professional, specialist expertise and advice to others on a range of Test related topics based on their extensive in-depth knowledge and expertise. They will be NRW’s expert on all ICT testing and will advise and influence throughout NRW. This also includes instructing external suppliers on the ICT testing they need to perform and to hold them to account.

They will be a Team Leader for all Test Analyst resources both permanent and contractor, the size of which can be flexible to suit the ICT Programme of works ensuring a consistent approach to testing analysis across NRW and its suppliers. Defining NRW’s strategic direction, technical approach & frameworks, techniques, tools, environments for testing and working practices for the Test team, large numbers of staff outside the team and external suppliers.

Acquire through constant research of technical ICT roadmaps etc. a deep understanding of ICT technology, and Test Management. Apply this to NRW business requirements and prioritise and schedule ICT tests to meet NRW needs in the face of changing priorities, system performance and availability of external technical partners and NRW staff.

Use expertise and considerable autonomy. Constantly manage progress, addressing the risks and issues as they arise.

Conduct procurement / evaluation of 3^rd party test services and manage the test elements of ICT project budgets

Responsibilities

Your responsibilities include:

Lead and develop a team of permanent Test Analysts plus leading a flexible extended contractor team, typically 20 in size to develop and support the organisation and its partners in corporate compliance, planning, performance, policy and strategy.
Responsible and accountable for leading, mentoring and motivating the staff that fall within your span of control to ensure they achieve departmental and NRW strategic objectives and will be accountable for the turnover and replacement of contractors.
Decide whether new products should be implemented by NRW. Halting ICT implementations when necessary to protect NRW security, reputation, equipment, legal compliance, etc
Determine the test strategy for 100s of ICT products. Based on the NRW test strategy that this post will have designed and implemented.
Be the expert definitive source of technical advice, guidance, and assurance on ICT testing across NRW and external providers. Advise Heads of Business, Service, and ICT accordingly. Instruct contractors and other suppliers on how to perform tests for NRW and decline products if testing is insufficient.
Plan an annual programme of Test analysis work based on NRW priorities. Manage the test analysis capacity in ICT, bringing in contractors and conducting permanent recruitment when appropriate.
Manage the budget for test infrastructure, including licences and external testing requirements such as penetration, performance, compatibility, and accessibility testing.
Analyse and interpret a range of complex information to ensure business acceptance of appropriate ICT products and changes thorough testing, signoff, and delivery to service introduction.
Ensure the Test Analysts focus on NRW priorities, comply with Welsh Government and NRW strategy, offer best value and minimise operational, financial and litigation risks.
Influence change to process and policy for data and applications via their leading role in ICT governance.
Contribute to an improved data and evidence base for NRW and its partners by ensuring that new systems enforce data quality, store data once then share that definitive data with all who need it.
Required to take part in incident response activities.

Qualifications, experience and knowledge

Knowledge and experience of the following:

Essential

Degree level qualification in ICT related subject or Industry Standard qualification
Management of testing processes and frameworks
Azure Dev Ops or relevant Testing Analysis ICT experience
Experience of providing advice and guidance on the levels and types of test resource required for individual products or projects

Desirable

Experience of conducting a Test Manager role
ISTQB Advanced Test Manager Qualification (or equivalent)
Azure Dev Ops or relevant Testing Analysis ICT certifications
Experience of implementing strategic vision for testing
Experience of supporting, mentoring, and coaching testing team growth & development
Experience of the creation and implementation of testing frameworks
Experience of championing of testing methodologies
Experience of researching, procuring, deployment and implementation of testing toolsets
Experience of managing different test resource models, e.g. in-house, outsourced testing as a service etc.

Welsh language requirements

Essential: Level 1 – able to pronounce Welsh and use basic phrases

Please note if you do not meet the level 1 requirement i.e., ability to understand basic phrases and ability to pronounce Welsh names correctly, then NRW offers a variety of learning options and staff support to help you meet these minimal requirements during the course of your employment with us.

Competencies

Please note - Applications to this role will be assessed based on the following competencies, both at shortlisting and interview. Please give examples of how you demonstrate these competencies when completing your application form.

Essential Knowledge and Skills	The post holder will have extensive, in-depth knowledge and expertise to provide objective high-level specialist/technical advice to other specialists. They may be the only individual within NRW with this level of specialist/technical knowledge. Other people within the organisation need to use this post holder’s knowledge and expertise to deliver their own organisational business activity and continuity. The post holder's knowledge and skills are of significant importance to NRW and may be seen as a high-level expert by other external third-party organisations. An ability to manage a breadth of complex financial, legal, operational and reputational risk in their own area of responsibility or management is essential. An ability to manage risk in a wider business context. They will have the associated risk management skills and knowledge of organisational procedures and policy. The post holder will have financial management, leadership and influencing skills although they may not have any significant line management responsibilities. The post holder will use for their advanced specialist/technical knowledge, which they will actively update to remain fully aware of developments in their field of expertise. They will have a clear understanding of the potential impact of any such changes, and with the ability to interpret and apply across the function and potentially across NRW. Keeping up to date is more than a CPD requirement and is essential for NRW business continuity and critical to maintain up to date knowledge.
Evaluation of Information	Develop, contribute and interpret organisational strategy to enable the delivery of plans. Able to analyse, interpret and apply a wide range of highly complex information, extracting key points and communicating this to individuals at all levels.
Decision Making and Autonomy Requirements	There is high reliance on the post holder and their decisions and actions will influence others. The consequence of decision making / action will be wide reaching and impactful, often organisation wide. Post holders will have the autonomy for making decisions within their area of technical specialism. Work is carried out within broad parameters and the post-holder is expected to act independently, typically only seeking guidance or authority where action may be outside current policy. There may be conflicting priorities which they will have to manage whilst adjusting their work programme or the work of others. Key milestones and performance indicators will be reviewed. Responsible for making independent decisions at their management level based on analysis, research, input from other specialists or experts with an understanding of the range of options available and their potential implications for the business. Typically, there will be no off the shelf solutions which can be bought in. They will contribute to overall strategy for NRW. Decisions made will relate to formulating or changing procedures and contributing to the direction of travel, which will be applied by others in the organisation. Such decisions will be substantial and may include the commitment of resources within a section or work area, and/or tackle major and difficult problems/ situations where many factors need to be taken into account. Decisions may require some original thought, analysis and interpretation in determining the course of action to take. Problems may be complex and require significant assessment, requiring in-depth understanding of the issue and the organisation. The consequence of decisions will have the potential to affect the image of the organisation and are likely to be generally longer term in nature.
Impact	The work of the post holder will have influence and the impact is sizeable and longer term in nature. The impact is primarily linked to the specialist nature of the role, and the advice, guidance and expertise provided to others. Their contribution and knowledge is relied upon in the development of policies, strategy and decisions. The post holder will have the capacity to cause a negative impact on the organisation both internally and externally if incorrect advice is given.
Communication and Relationships with Others	Post holders will interact with other roles across the business, engaging the organisation in delivering strategies and policies in the most efficient way. Ability to engage with a wide range of stakeholders, internally and externally, communicating at a strategic level. Ability to work collaboratively, potentially at a senior level. As the subject matter expert, they will provide authoritative specialist or professional advice. They are able to discuss complex policy or strategic issues around their specialist knowledge and area, tailoring their method and style appropriately for the audience. Post holders will typically produce complex documents, reports, accounts, contracts etc. Content will contain extremely high-level advice or opinion which a recipient will act upon or use, the consequence of which is likely to have a detrimental impact if incorrect or poorly drafted. Data and content may need to be sourced from multiple locations or sources, entailing external research and professional judgment.
Responsibility for People	Post holders may not have any direct line management responsibility but will have responsibility for leading specialist/ technical staff through complex and/or highly technical/ specialist projects or programmes through a ‘matrix management’ structure. Post holders may mentor less experienced colleagues.
Responsibility for Resources	Post holders may have a delegated budget. Post holders may have responsibility for authorising invoices and/or the procurement of goods and services in accordance with the financial scheme of delegation. Post holders will be responsible for the safe and legal use of equipment and data.

Benefits of working for us

This role will offer a range of benefits, including:

Agile and flexible working
Civil Service Pension Scheme offering employer contributions of 26.6% to 30.3%
28 days annual leave, rising to 33 days
Generous leave entitlements for all your life needs
Health and wellbeing benefits and support
Weekly well-being hour to use at your choice

See full details for all the employee benefits you will receive.

How to apply

Please send a completed Application form to Applications@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk using the post number as the email reference

Before completing your application, please read our Guidance on completing a job application form

Application closing date 2 April 2023

Interviews will take place week beginning 10 April 2023 through Microsoft Teams.

If you have any queries about the role, please contact Helen Hamer at helen.hamer@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk

Natural Resources Wales embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunity. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition.

We welcome and encourage applications from groups currently underrepresented, including women, black and ethnic minority groups and people with a disability. We have a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

We put the principles of human rights, equality, fairness, dignity and respect at the heart of our values.

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