Transfer Agency - Testing - Manager

Who we are looking for:

The Test Co-ordinator is a critical role and is responsible for day-to-day planning, governance, quality control, and delivery of offshore UAT and E2E testing activities. This role acts as the interface between onshore test leadership, the vendor for the system under test, and the offshore test team.

Why this role is important to us:

Test activities will be on Transfer Agency systems utilized in the State Street Transfer Agency business across Europe and the UK. Key goal is executing User Acceptance Testing (UAT) of any change to a Transfer Agency application to agreed standards, ensuring that the quality of the output is of a consistently high standard.

The successful candidate will be a structured, calm, risk-led test coordinator who can collaborate effectively with remote leadership, impose order on a new delivery pipeline, work effectively with an immature vendor, protect UAT integrity and keep offshore test activities moving when there are challenges or setbacks.

What you will be responsible for:

Planning and Co-Ordination:

• Act as the primary point of contact between onshore and offshore test resources
• Translate high-level scope, requirements, release notes, and business priorities into clear execution plans – sometimes in the absence of formal requirements
• Create and maintain daily and weekly test execution plans, including allocation, progress forecasts, dependency, risk tracking
• Continuously re-plan based on vendor driven changes, defects, environment availability, changing or new requirements or priorities

Governance and Reporting:

• Produce regular status reporting, including:
  • Execution Progress
  • Defect Metrics and Trends
  • Blockers and Risks
• Facilitate Offshore Stand-ups, triage sessions, checkpoint meetings
• Maintain Consolidated metrics on:
  • Static Testing Progress
  • Test Planning/Scripting Progress
  • Test Coverage
  • Execution Progress
  • Defect Metrics

Quality and Process Oversight:

• Assist offshore test team in test approach and test scripting, produce same where necessary
• Review and approve test cases
• Review and approve test evidence
• Review and approve defect logs and retests
• Ensure adherence to agreed standards and templates
• Work with onshore resources to apply risk-based prioritization when time, scope or other constraints apply
• Work with onshore resources to ensure that UAT remains focused on business impact and not on over-testing or repeating previous test phases (e.g. QA)
• Ensure traceability standards are adhered to between requirements artefact (or substitute), test plans, test scripts, test results, defects, retests etc.
• Participate in delivery model process improvement workstream

Defect Management and Triage:

• Work with onshore test leadership to run internal defect triage sessions, to screen for genuine issues prior to raising them with the vendor
• Ensure that scheduled fixes for defects are incorporated into execution planning
• Escalate blockers and systemic issues to onshore leads
• Track fixes, retests and closures to completion

Resource and Workflow Management:

• Work with the onshore and offshore teams to upskill the team if/where necessary, with a view to the team generating high quality test plans, test cases, test results and artefacts for each project the team are engaged on.
• Maintain knowledge transfer packs and work with onshore test leadership to manage onboarding for new hires, covering access, test fundamentals, state street policies and standards, the SDLC, systems under test etc.
• Manage workload allocation and rebalance as priorities change.
• Own offshore productivity, utilization and performance management and feedback

Test Execution:

• Create comprehensive test documentation with well-defined, reusable test scripts that are traceable back to requirements.
• Execute testing to agreed internal standards; ensure documentation is to an auditable standard.
• Ensure regression testing is performed in a manner that recognizes the risks of introducing defects into an established environment while at the same time meeting deadlines
• Support development of automated regression suite – identify tests suitable for automation and review existing coverage for potential gaps.
• Contribute to shift left philosophy by reviewing all BRDs, providing detailed feedback based on working knowledge of the system being changed and best practice requirements validation.
• Communicate accurate Test status to Test Lead / Test Manager, Project Manager, external vendors and key stakeholders.
• Contribute to the evolution of the Test Charter/Methodology to industry best practice and based on industry standards (ISTQB).

Required Qualifications & Experience: 

• Higher education, Computer Science Degree (desirable).
• At least 3 years of testing experience in a similar position (experience in testing of finance, banking or investment banking software would be a plus).
• Experience coordinating testing and test teams in complex enterprise systems
• Ownership mentality. Strong organisational and stakeholder management skills. Instinct for quality and governance.
• Ability to operate effectively with incomplete requirements or late documentation. Can turn vague inputs into clear test scope, priorities, actionable plans for test team.
• Background in TA preferred, testing experience essential.
• Experience in developing test plans for functional, system, user acceptance testing
• Experience in test execution, defect classification and prioritization.
• Proven ability to deliver high standard deliverables and documentation.
• Ability to review project deliverables for completeness, quality, and compliance with established project standards
• Proven ability to work on multiple complex projects simultaneously.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to coach and motivate testers with mixed capabilities.
• Qualified to ISTQB Foundation level.

Other Role Requirements:

• Shift Flexibility: Willingness to work in rotational shifts, including late shifts based on region served
• Mobility: Open to short-term travel or relocation to other office locations as needed for business or training
• People Management Potential: Ability to lead by example, guide junior staff, and coordinate work allocations
• Work Environment: Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines, attention to details and good command in English.

About State Street

Across the globe, institutional investors rely on us to help them manage risk, respond to challenges, and drive performance and profitability. We keep our clients at the heart of everything we do, and smart, engaged employees are essential to our continued success.

We are committed to fostering an environment where every employee feels valued and empowered to reach their full potential. As an essential partner in our shared success, you’ll benefit from inclusive development opportunities, flexible work-life support, paid volunteer days, and vibrant employee networks that keep you connected to what matters most. Join us in shaping the future.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we consider all qualified applicants for all positions without regard to race, creed, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, age, disability, genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, citizenship, marital status, domestic partnership or civil union status, familial status, military and veteran status, and other characteristics protected by applicable law.

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