{"id":4303056,"url":"https://alion.io/job/isio-head-of-testing","title":"Head of Testing","company":{"id":678321,"name":"Isio","domain":"isio.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/isio","size_band":"1001-5000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Teamtailor","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":83,"open_postings":6,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.667,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":39,"computed_at":"2026-11-14T05:58:10Z"}},"role":"Leadership","role_family":"Leadership","seniority":"head","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Birmingham, United Kingdom"],"countries":["GB"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Agile","optional":true},{"name":"ITIL","optional":true},{"name":"Waterfall","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-11-13T17:24:13Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-11-13","last_verified_at":"2026-11-14T04:53:18Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":0,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":0},"description":"Head of Testing\nThe Head of Testing is responsible for establishing and leading the organisation's quality assurance, testing and operational acceptance capability across all IT and business change initiatives.\nThe role ensures that technology and operational change is delivered to a high standard of quality, meets business requirements, and can be successfully adopted into Business-as-Usual (BAU) operations. The post holder will provide governance, oversight and assurance across testing, user acceptance testing (UAT), operational readiness, service transition and post-implementation support activities.\nWorking closely with the PMO, Development and Business Units, the role acts as the organisational gatekeeper for deployment readiness and operational acceptance.\nWhat does the role entail?\nTesting & Quality Assurance Leadership\nDefine and maintain the organisation's Test Strategy, standards and governance framework.\n\nEstablish consistent testing approaches across project, TMG, Admin and BAU change delivery.\n\nOversee all phases of testing including System Testing, Integration Testing, End-to-End Testing and User Acceptance Testing.\n\nDevelop testing KPIs and quality reporting for delivery governance and executive forums.\n\nKeep up to date with emerging testing tools, technologies and industry practices, evaluating and adopting solutions that improve the testing function’s quality, coverage and efficiency.\n\nLead the development and implementation of test automation frameworks, including automated regression testing, and assess opportunities for AI-enabled testing to support continuous improvement.\n\nEstablish a business-led UAT model across all change initiatives.\n\nEnsure appropriate business ownership and accountability for UAT activities.\n\nEnsure business requirements and operational processes are fully validated prior to deployment.\n\nBAU Transition & Service Readiness\nLead service transition activities from project delivery into operational support teams.\n\nEnsure support models, SLAs, knowledge articles and operational procedures are established prior to go-live.\n\nCoordinate business, operational and service management sign-off.\n\nOversee hyper care and post-implementation support activities.\n\nEnsure lessons learned are captured and embedded into future delivery practices.\n\nStakeholder Management\nAct as the senior point of contact for quality, testing and readiness matters.\n\nBuild strong relationships across PMO, IT Delivery, Business Units and Third-party suppliers\n\nProvide independent assurance to Steering Groups and Executive Sponsors.\n\nInfluence delivery decisions through evidence-based risk and readiness assessments.\n\nGovernance & Risk Management\nIdentify and manage delivery risks associated with testing, operational readiness and deployment.\n\nEnsure quality and readiness standards are consistently applied.\n\nProvide independent challenge where delivery teams are not meeting agreed quality thresholds.\n\nSupport audit, regulatory and compliance reviews where required.\n\nWhat we’re looking for?\nEssential skills and experience\nSignificant leadership experience in Testing, Quality Assurance or Operational Readiness functions.\n\nExperience delivering large-scale business and technology transformation programmes.\n\nExperience operating within regulated environments.\n\nStrong understanding of project, programme and change delivery methodologies.\n\nExperience leading testing and business readiness processes.\n\nStrong governance and risk management capability.\n\nExperience managing third-party suppliers and delivery partners.\n\nAbility to evaluate testing tools and technologies, keep knowledge current and translate emerging practices into measurable improvements in the testing function.\n\nDesirable skills and experience\nExperience in Pensions Administration, Financial Services or similar regulated industries.\n\nKnowledge of ITIL Service Transition and Service Management practices.\n\nExperience selecting and implementing test automation tools and frameworks, including automated regression testing and integration into delivery processes.\n\nUnderstanding of Agile, Waterfall and Hybrid delivery methods.\n\nExperience supporting digital transformation and data migration programmes.\n\nWhy Join Isio\nIsio is a fast-growing professional services business, that offers career development through an evolving client base, diverse and meaningful work, nationwide opportunities, and a culture that rewards high performance and accountability.\nWe hold ourselves to the highest standards and our values guide how we advise our clients, how we operate as a business and how we work together as a team. We call it the Isio Attitude. We encourage our people to be bold, to communicate with conviction, and to deliver advice that matters.\nHere, growth brings opportunity - more responsibility, more clients, and work that stretches and develops you. We invest in training and development so you can expand your skills and explore different career paths across diverse markets to make your mark. Isio is a place to realise your potential and build a career with impact. You can find out more about Isio and the benefits we offer on our career's websiteIsio - Careers & Benefits.\nAbout Isio\nA progressive advisory firm, partnering with clients of all sizes to deliver expertise in pensions, employee benefits and wealth advisory services.\nWorking with pension trustees, employers, individuals, families and their offices, we are supported by talented colleagues across 10 UK offices. With a Big 4 heritage we combine a strong focus on quality with a fresh perspective challenging traditional thinking.\nOur culture shapes our work; we foster a supportive environment where we develop our people to grow and fulfil their potential. We invest in our services, products and technology, and provide clear, expert solutions for our clients. This brings clarity, confidence, and better outcomes for everyone.\nAt Isio, we are committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable and diverse workplace, in which our colleagues feel they belong, regardless of background or difference. We uphold the values of respect, fairness, and inclusion in our actions and decisions. We believe that by adhering to these principles, we will create a stronger, more innovative, and supportive environment for all, as well as ensuring that the advice and support we provide to our clients is more creative, more insightful and leaves a lasting impact.\nWe can offer a hybrid, flexible approach to work, supporting a work-life balance that works for you. Isio Group is an equal opportunities employer, and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates.\nIf you think you may require a reasonable adjustment to be made for any reason at any stage of your recruitment process, please ask us ","description_format":"text","description_chars":6830,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":null,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":null,"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Wealth Management & Financial Advisors","Management Consulting"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-11-14T04:53:18Z"}],"visa":[{"country":"GB","licensed_sponsor":true,"adverts_offering_sponsorship_24m":0,"sanctioned_now":false,"evidence":"Licensed UK visa sponsor (Skilled Worker)","filings_12m":null,"filings_prev_12m":null,"green_card_filings_12m":null,"median_offered_wage_usd":null,"route":"Skilled Worker","cap_exempt":false,"checked_at":"2026-11-14T07:33:33+00:00","sources":["UK Home Office: register of licensed sponsors (workers)"],"filings_for_role_12m":0}],"liveness":{"score":90,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.903,"p_room":1,"age_days":0,"expected_fill_days":39,"reasons":["conf:1","velocity","win:early"],"computed_at":"2026-11-14T05:58:10Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/isio-head-of-testing","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/isio-head-of-testing.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-14T13:19:33Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":13522,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-15T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.1,"usd":0.01,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":678321},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=678321"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fisio-head-of-testing"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"free","price":{"credits":0,"usd":0},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fisio-head-of-testing"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.1,"usd":0.01},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fisio-head-of-testing"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/isio-head-of-testing\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fisio-head-of-testing"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":4303056}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"isio.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":4303056},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. 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