Testing Services Manager

About the DCC At the Data Communications Company, we believe in making Britain more connected, so we can all lead smarter, greener lives. We’ve built the secure infrastructure that’s supporting the mass roll-out of smart meters across the country. Our universal, secure networkwill be in 30 million homes and small businesses, making it the largest network in Britain. So it’s a truly exciting time to join us. You’ll be part of a team that’s supporting the country’s transition to a low-carbon economy, and helping to ensure an affordable,secure, and sustainable energy supply for the future. The Role Direct the delivery of the DCC’s Testing Service: coordinating ongoing activities and planning future work in collaboration with our Customers and Service Providers Coordinate the activities of the Service Providers delivering the DCC’s Testing Service to drive a shared ethos of Customer service and promote the delivery of a responsive and quality service Ensure that all Service Provider contracts are reviewed and renewed when applicable and offering value for money Ensure that the DCC’s Testing Service meets regulatory requirements and that supporting procedures and processes are in place Provide instruction and advice on the obligations, roles and responsibilities of the DCC’s Testing Service Liaise with Customers to understand their needs and issues and to act as a point of escalation Where required provide support to other areas of the Test and Assurance team Report on Testing Service activities and Customer testing progress to senior management of the DCC and our Customers and various Industry fora Build key relationships at Programme Director level within both DCC and Service Provider and Customer organisations Supporting Head of Test Services with Strategy planning and Business Planning Chairing and managing industry facing forums Supporting Head of Test in development of overall strategy and objectives in Testing Services area What you'll be doing Manage the delivery of the DCC’s Testing Services to meet the regulatory requirements and the needs of the Customers (Service Users), and where not to identify and address any discrepancies Drive a Customer focused culture that actively seeks process improvement and undertake periodic service reviews Liaise with Customers and act as a point of escalation for issues arising from their testing Maintain, and where required develop, the documentation and processes that underpin the DCC’s Test Services Work with other areas of the DCC to ensure the Testing Services Team and Customers are supported, to deliver a quality Testing Service Plan, coordinate and direct the activities and resources required to deliver the DCC’s Testing Services Key Accountabilities Manage the delivery of the DCC’s Testing Services to meet the regulatory requirements and the needs of the Customers (Service Users), and where not to identify and address any discrepancies Drive a Customer focused culture that actively seeks process improvement and undertake periodic service reviews Liaise with Customers and act as a point of escalation for issues arising from their testing Maintain, and where required develop, the documentation and processes that underpin the DCC’s Test Services Work with other areas of the DCC to ensure the Testing Services Team and Customers are supported, to deliver a quality Testing Service Plan, coordinate and direct the activities and resources required to deliver the DCC’s Testing Services Preparation and presentation of materials explaining the DCC’s Testing Services processes, progress and future direction - for both internal and external audiences Provide insight into Testing Services and put forward future testing strategy for Customer impacting change. Oversee the training, development and well-being of the DCC’s Test Services teams Overseeing changes to Testing Services to ensure that the quality of the service is maintained and where possible enhanced Oversight over new releases and enhancements to the solution, acting as a gatekeeper for User Testing Services following gating principles established in DCC Responsible for development of an automation framework to enable UIT proving activities Responsible for Transition and management of the system changes and enhancements promoted from DCC programmes to Testing Services Skills and Experiences Essential Excellent stakeholder management, with a desire to deliver a good Customer service to all Customers and an ability to establish good working relationships Experience of working with and supporting a diverse and demanding group of external Customers Strong communications skills - written and verbal - with an ability to explain complex issues and review the work of others Ability to plan and manage parallel work streams and to prioritise requests for support from the team Experience in managing operational business processes and driving business process improvement Keenness and ability to identify and propose process improvements and to find alternative solutions to issues Experienced in recruiting, developing and leading a team and delivering through others Experience in managing or leading a testing service and demonstrates a clear understanding of test artefacts, test execution, test reporting and test issue resolution Experience in the utilities or another regulated industry A skilled user of MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook) Skills and Experiences Desirable Recognising the varied nature and loading of the work, the individual should be comfortable working within a challenging and dynamic environment Experience in service and stakeholder management Experience in managing staff and team performance Experience of working to deliver multiple complex programmes Experience of smart metering or a similar technology implemented transformation What's in it for you? Become part of our team at DCC and you’ll find an inclusive culture which prizes mutual respect, innovation and high performance. It all adds up to make DCC a great place to work. Hard work deserves great benefits, and we offer our colleagues a range of reasonsto enjoy their time at DCC: Bonus scheme