Methods is a £100M+ IT Services Consultancy who has partnered with a range of central government departments and agencies to transform the way the public sector operates in the UK. Established over 30 years ago and UK-based, we apply our skills in transformation, delivery, and collaboration from across the Methods Group, to create end-to-end business and technical solutions that are people-centred, safe, and designed for the future.
Our human touch sets us apart from other consultancies, system integrators and software houses - with people, technology, and data at the heart of who we are, we believe in creating value and sustainability through everything we do for our clients, staff, communities, and the planet.
We support our clients in the success of their projects while working collaboratively to share skill sets and solve problems. At Methods we have fun while working hard; we are not afraid of making mistakes and learning from them.
Methods was acquired by the Alten Group in early 2022.
Requirements
We require a strong Test Lead who can manage and not the other way round. This will require someone who is experienced and has the competency to lead the test team as well as govern it.
Responsibilities:
• Engineering staff will be expected to adopt BDD and TDD principles. Engineers will be comfortable working with a microservice based architecture in Java and Node.js which is broadly adherent to 12 factor app principles.
• Engineers will be able to operate independently but will also be team players, working according to squad workflows, adhering to definitions of done, branching strategies, ticket refinement, documentation and peer review processes.
• Test engineers should be experts in test automation at all test levels, from unit to system testing. Recent software development experience, i.e. the development of applications in addition to the testing of them, would be highly beneficial at this level.
• Test engineers will be able to lead test activities within their agile squad and work with others to implement test processes and tooling that allows for coordinated development across multiple teams. Engineers will be able to provide guidance on risk-based approach to multiple stakeholders, coach other engineers and peer review their work.
The role will be based remotely, but there may be a need for some UK travel requiring you to stay away from home
This job description is not to be regarded as exclusive or exhaustive. It is intended as an outline indicating of the areas of activity and may be amended from time to time in the light of the changing needs of the organisation.
This role will require you to have or be willing to go through Security Clearance. As part of the onboarding process candidates will be asked to complete a Baseline Personnel Security Standard; details of the evidence required to apply may be found on the government website Gov.UK. If you are unable to meet this and any associated criteria, then your employment may be delayed, or rejected. Details of this will be discussed with you at interview.
Benefits
By joining us you can expect:
- Autonomy to develop and grow your skills and experience
- Be part of exciting project work that is making a difference in society
- Strong, inspiring and thought-provoking leadership
- A supportive and collaborative environment.
As well as this, we offer:
- Development access to LinkedIn Learning, a management development programme and training
- Wellness 24/7 Confidential employee assistance programme
- Social – Breakfast Tuesdays, Thirsty Thursdays and Pizza on the last Thursday of each month as well as commitment to charitable causes
- Time off 25 days a year
- Pension Salary Exchange Scheme with 4% employer contribution and 5% employee contribution
- Discretionary Company Bonus based on company and individual performance
- Life Assurance of 4 times base salary
- Private Medical Insurance which is non-contributory (spouse and dependants included)
- Worldwide Travel Insurance which is non-contributory (spouse and dependants included)
Skills Required
- Strong Test Lead experience and competency leading and governing a test team
- Expertise in test automation across unit, integration, and system testing levels
- Experience leading test activities within agile squads
- Ability to implement test processes and tooling across multiple teams
- Ability to advise stakeholders on risk-based testing approaches
- Ability to coach engineers and conduct peer reviews
- Experience working with Java and Node.js microservice architectures
- Recent software development experience in addition to testing applications
- Must have or be willing to obtain security clearance and complete Baseline Personnel Security Standard checks
What We Do
Methods is the leading digital transformation partner for the UK public sector. We care deeply about making our public services better and have been doing this for 28 years. Methods partners with a range of central government departments and agencies to transform the way public sector operates in the UK. Our mission is to help safeguard public-facing services and apply digital thinking to make sure the future of our public services is centred around citizens. Committed to having social impact, we enjoy an enviable track record of delivering real savings and benefits. We do this by helping you move from vertically integrated legacy infrastructure to a platform business model – allowing you to keep infrastructure costs low and focus on doing what you do best i.e. delivering front-end services. With Methods, you access a range of specialist skills and industry expertise to transform your organisation for the digital age, break free of expensive suppliers, and take control of your customer relationships and operating model. Further information on Methods Group can be found at www.methods.co.uk.
