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Test manager

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

Published 7 January 2020

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

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
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

Solution architect

Technical breadth