Test manager

Band 7 · Test manager · 499 job evaluation points

UK GDaD PCF level: Test manager

Most often performed at Civil Service grade SEO or G7.

A test manager works with a team to create appropriate test approaches and plans, considering environments, data, tools, resources, timelines, requirements and risk. They contribute to test strategies and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
At this role level, you will:
lead and support a team in testing activities
determine and apply appropriate test types, techniques and standards to mitigate risk early
manage, maintain and continuously improve test activities, ensuring compliance with regulatory and organisational standards
identify and communicate risks
oversee the reporting and recording of outcomes, including defects
contribute to and agree testing standards, and enable others to follow them

Contains public sector information from the UK Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework (https://understand-digital-data-roles-skills.service.gov.uk/), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright.

Responsibilities

Lead test planning for a product or programme, covering environments, data, tools, resources, timelines, and clinical risk.
Plan user acceptance testing with clinical and operational leads, and secure clinicians' time to take part.
Manage a team of test analysts and engineers, including supplier testers.
Make sure testing meets clinical safety, information governance, and regulatory requirements.
Report test progress, defects, and residual risks to product owners, clinical safety officers, and programme boards.
Improve test processes and agree testing standards with delivery teams.

Skills

Skill	Expected level	What this level means
Communicating between the technical and non-technicalUK GDaD PCF	Expert (4)	You can: mediate between people and strengthen relationships, adopting the appropriate communication method with stakeholders at all levels manage stakeholder expectations and moderate difficult discussions about high risk and complex topics, even within constrained timescales speak on behalf of, and represent the community to, large audiences inside and outside the organisation
Designing and executing testsUK GDaD PCF	Practitioner (3)	You can: set up suitable environments influence and guide the use of appropriate test types and techniques to mitigate risk early lead others in designing, building, maintaining and executing tests that align to user needs and requirements contribute to developing and implementing standards for designing and executing tests improve test types and techniques through a structured process.
Managing, reporting and resolving defectsUK GDaD PCF	Expert (4)	You can: lead and coach others in improving test and defect management processes support others in assessing complex and challenging defects across the organisation lead and coach others in using defect patterns and trends to make tactical and strategic recommendations influence improvements to quality processes, informed by defect patterns and trends
Test analysisUK GDaD PCF	Practitioner (3)	You can: lead work with stakeholders across teams to determine which functional and non-functional quality characteristics add value determine if an approach needs to change based on effort and risk ensure test needs are implemented early use multiple techniques to analyse complex information to identify risks coach others in test analysis
Test and quality planningUK GDaD PCF	Expert (4)	You can: create and manage multiple quality testing plans, approaches and strategies lead and guide multiple teams in adopting quality testing strategy advocate for early quality testing involvement in organisational delivery processes guide teams across an organisation in optimising quality testing approaches, plans and strategies by using appropriate data
Test engineeringUK GDaD PCF	Awareness (1)	You can: explain why testing processes, environments and tools are important follow test engineering practices and standards, with support support the maintenance of automated tests and tools required for testing
Understanding health and care servicesThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: analyse how a service fits into care pathways across organisations work with clinicians, care staff, and patients to shape digital services explain the effect of digital decisions on care, safety, and staff workload
Clinical risk managementThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: lead hazard identification and risk assessment for a product or change write and maintain hazard logs and clinical safety case reports agree risk controls with product teams and check that they work advise teams on applying clinical risk management standards
Information governance and data protectionThis reference	Working (2)	You can: apply data protection principles to your work contribute to data protection impact assessments handle information requests and records correctly
Health data interoperabilityThis reference	Working (2)	You can: read and use FHIR resources, profiles, and APIs build or test simple integrations under guidance check messages against a specification
Medical device software regulationThis reference	Working (2)	You can: follow a software life cycle process that meets medical device standards produce the records that such a process requires
People managementThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: line manage a team, setting objectives and running appraisals support wellbeing and manage attendance, performance, and conduct plan the team's development and succession

Typical qualifications and experience

Substantial experience of test management for complex digital services, at a level equivalent to a master's degree.

Band 7 outline

Knowledge: Highly developed specialist knowledge, typically to master's level or equivalent experience.
Autonomy: Works to organisational policy; decides how results are achieved; is the expert others consult.
Scope: Several products or services, or a specialist function.
Leadership: Leads a team or a professional practice area.
Accountability: Delivery of a service or specialist function, and its budget if held.

Job evaluation (illustrative)

Factor	Level	Level summary	Points
Communication and relationship skills	5	Gives highly complex or contentious information needing developed persuasion and negotiation, presents to large groups, or communicates where there are significant barriers to acceptance.	45
Knowledge, training, and experience	7	Highly developed specialist knowledge across the range of the specialism (master's level or equivalent).	196
Analytical and judgemental skills	4	Judgements on complex facts or situations needing analysis, interpretation, and comparison of options.	42
Planning and organisational skills	4	Plans a broad range of complex activities or strategies, adjusting them as needed.	42
Physical skills	2	Skills gained through practice, such as standard keyboard use or driving.	15
Responsibility for patient and client care	1	Helps patients, clients, or relatives during incidental contact.	4
Responsibility for policy and service development	3	Implements policies for own area and proposes changes that affect other areas.	21
Responsibility for financial and physical resources	2	Handles cash or valuables, looks after equipment used by others, controls stock, or authorises small payments.	12
Responsibility for people	3	Manages a group of staff day to day, teaches core or specialist training, or gives core HR advice.	21
Responsibility for information resources	4	Adapts or designs information systems to others' specifications, or runs information systems for a department as the main duty.	24
Responsibility for research and development	2	Regularly does research, development, trials, or equipment and system testing as part of the job.	12
Freedom to act	4	Results are defined, but the job holder decides how to achieve them, within broad policy.	32
Physical effort	1	Sitting, standing, and walking, with little physical effort.	3
Mental effort	4	Frequent prolonged concentration, or occasional intense concentration.	18
Emotional effort	1	Rare exposure, or occasional indirect exposure, to distressing circumstances.	5
Working conditions	2	Occasional unpleasant conditions, frequent travel or outdoor work, or near-continuous screen use on most days.	7
Total (Band 7: 466 to 539)			499