Test manager

Find out what a test manager in government does and the skills you need to do the role at each level.

Published 7 January 2020

Contents

— What a test manager does
— Test manager role levels

— 1. Test manager
— 2. Head of test

— Roles that share test manager skills

What a test manager does

A test manager takes ownership of the quality assurance and testing (QAT) strategy as part of a broader risk-based approach.

Test manager role levels

There are 2 test manager role levels, from test manager to head of test.

The typical responsibilities and skills for each role level are described in the sections below. You can use this to identify the skills you need to progress in your career, or simply to learn more about each role in the Government Digital and Data profession.

1. Test manager

A test manager takes ownership of delivery, creates the strategy and leads its implementation.

At this role level, you will:

be responsible for test improvement and optimisation
potentially promote and advocate test capabilities internally and outside the government
take responsibility for talent, succession planning and supplier management
make important decisions relating to test within the context of the delivery environment

This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:

SEO (Senior Executive Officer)
G7 (Grade 7)

Skill	Description
Functional testing Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: design and execute a wide range of testing techniques and communicate test results to both technical and non-technical stakeholders make decisions on the environment for testing, and can coach others identify defects, alert the business to them, and help to prioritise them based on defect severity
Non-functional testing Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: show an awareness of non-functional testing techniques execute non-functional test scenarios and identify defects run non-functional tests others have written and know the processes to do so understand a range of standard non-functional testing techniques
Technical breadth Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: demonstrate a good working knowledge of different tools and techniques, and can train others advise others on testing techniques and frameworks effectively research, plan and train others within the team
Test analysis Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: think creatively, ask the right questions and critically evaluate and communicate findings to a larger team lead investigative work into problems and opportunities in existing processes drive the collection of information and the creation of recommendations for improvements absorb large amounts of conflicting information and use it to determine solutions

You can:

design and execute a wide range of testing techniques and communicate test results to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
make decisions on the environment for testing, and can coach others
identify defects, alert the business to them, and help to prioritise them based on defect severity

You can:

show an awareness of non-functional testing techniques
execute non-functional test scenarios and identify defects
run non-functional tests others have written and know the processes to do so
understand a range of standard non-functional testing techniques

You can:

demonstrate a good working knowledge of different tools and techniques, and can train others
advise others on testing techniques and frameworks
effectively research, plan and train others within the team

You can:

think creatively, ask the right questions and critically evaluate and communicate findings to a larger team
lead investigative work into problems and opportunities in existing processes
drive the collection of information and the creation of recommendations for improvements
absorb large amounts of conflicting information and use it to determine solutions

2. Head of test

A head of test takes ownership of establishing policy for the test team and setting the testing strategy.

At this role level, you will:

own continuous improvement, researching new technology and new techniques to implement change
make important decisions
build the QAT community and provide organisational leadership
potentially advocate test capabilities, both internally and outside of government
ensure that teams have the right capabilities

This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:

G6 (Grade 6)

Skill	Description
Functional testing Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: design and execute a wide range of testing techniques and communicate test results to both technical and non-technical stakeholders make decisions on the environment for testing, and can coach others identify defects, alert the business to them, and help to prioritise them based on defect severity
Non-functional testing Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: show an awareness of non-functional testing techniques execute non-functional test scenarios and identify defects run non-functional tests others have written and know the processes to do so understand a range of standard non-functional testing techniques
Technical breadth Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: demonstrate a good working knowledge of different tools and techniques, and can train others advise others on testing techniques and frameworks effectively research, plan and train others within the team
Test analysis Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: think creatively, ask the right questions and critically evaluate and communicate findings to a larger team lead investigative work into problems and opportunities in existing processes drive the collection of information and the creation of recommendations for improvements absorb large amounts of conflicting information and use it to determine solutions

You can:

design and execute a wide range of testing techniques and communicate test results to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
make decisions on the environment for testing, and can coach others
identify defects, alert the business to them, and help to prioritise them based on defect severity

You can:

show an awareness of non-functional testing techniques
execute non-functional test scenarios and identify defects
run non-functional tests others have written and know the processes to do so
understand a range of standard non-functional testing techniques

You can:

demonstrate a good working knowledge of different tools and techniques, and can train others
advise others on testing techniques and frameworks
effectively research, plan and train others within the team

You can:

think creatively, ask the right questions and critically evaluate and communicate findings to a larger team
lead investigative work into problems and opportunities in existing processes
drive the collection of information and the creation of recommendations for improvements
absorb large amounts of conflicting information and use it to determine solutions

Role	Shared skills
Quality assurance testing (QAT) analyst	Functional testing Non-functional testing Technical breadth Test analysis
Test engineer	Functional testing Non-functional testing Technical breadth Test analysis

Functional testing

Non-functional testing

Technical breadth

Test analysis

Functional testing

Non-functional testing

Technical breadth

Test analysis