Software Test Coach

Overview Contract: 12 month fixed-term (maternity cover) Location: Hybrid (Head Office: Quorum Business Park, Newcastle upon Tyne) This is a hybrid working role, so you’ll need to be able to work from our Head Office once a quarter Hours per week: 37 Salary: Up to £43,000 depending on experience About The Role We're excited to be looking for a Software Test Coach to join our Software Delivery team. Reporting to the DevOps Delivery Manager, you will lead and support a team of five Software Testers, helping them develop their skills and perform at their best while ensuring all software is thoroughly tested. You will actively participate in daily stand-ups, Agile meetings, as well as resource and management meetings, providing feedback on any issues, risks, or opportunities for improvement. How You'll Make An Impact • Actively monitor the productivity and quality outputs of testers to ensure that associated backlog items and tasks are correctly maintained • Review requirements to provide estimates (cost and time) on new software development areas and associated test approach, providing feedback to the internal customer. • Analyse software requirements and provide feedback to help ensure that testability and quality incorporated throughout the life cycle Provide support to the business during the user acceptance testing (UAT) process and software stabilisation cycle • Performance management including line management, coaching, monthly 1-2-1’s and end of year reviews • Act as a career mentor to provide advice and guidance on career development We'd love to hear from you if you offer the following: • Experience of Performance Management within a Software Test environment • Proven QA testing experience and a passion for software testing • Recent testing experience in Agile (especially Scrum) development projects • Experience in the creation and execution of automated testing solution • Good knowledge of SQL and / or NoSQL database technologies • Basic knowledge of Azure cloud services including PaaS and IaaS • Strong written and verbal communication skills, with excellent analytical ability and a keen eye for identifying and resolving issues. Feeling inspired? Read the full Job Description At NCFE, our people managers play a crucial role in creating a positive colleague experience by prioritising their people to drive an engaged always learning culture, develop and retain talent and achieve results . Our Line Manager Responsibilities can be found here . What will we offer you in return? Below are just some of the fantastic benefits w e’ll offer you to support you both professionally and personally. You can also visit our Life at NCFE page which covers financial, physical and mental health support, time off and your development. • Annual leave starting at 25 days and increasing up to 30 days with length of service • 8 bank holidays and an additional 3 days off during the Christmas closure • YOU celebration day to celebrate your birthday or another life event • YOU hour allowing you one hour per month to spend time on something that promotes your wellbeing • L earning and Wellbeing fun d of up to £200 per year • £400 towards any NCFE accredited qualifications  per year • Up to 20 Volunteering hours per year • Flexible working culture with a hybrid working approach • Early finish on a Friday at 4:30pm to start your weekend early • Health cash plan through Westfield to claim towards health costs such as dental and optical • Tech and Home scheme with savings at Currys and IKEA • Employee Assistance Programme  with a confidential helpline and access to face to face and telephone counselling • Pension of up to 9% employer contribution when you contribute 3% • Death in service payment worth 4 x your salary In addition to our benefits package, Our Colleague Experience Charter sets out the unique experience you can expect when working at NCFE, to enable a thriving, engaged culture. You can find out more about our Colleague Experience Charter and working life at NCFE . Shape real change with an NCFE career Imagine a career where your contributions affect not only what people learn, but the way that learning is developed and delivered. With over 170 years of education experience our core purpose remains at the heart of the organisation – to promote and advance learning to create a fairer, more inclusive society, making sure no learner is left behind. Want to know more? Take a look at our website https://www.ncfe.org.uk/ How To Apply Before applying, please note that we require all candidates to be able to demonstrate proof of Right to Work in the UK. Ready to join us and shape real change? Apply with your CV if you have the commitment to excel in this position. Closing Date: Wednesday 1 July 2026 Interview Date: 8-10 July 2026 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) statement We're committed to building rich diversity into our workforce at all levels, to ensure that we understand and are representative of the communities and customers we serve. We do not discriminate against anyone due to their gender, sexuality, race, age, religion, beliefs, identity, social background, visible or hidden disability, or neurodiversity. Instead, we pride ourselves on our collaborative, vibrant and high-performance culture which embraces everyone, celebrates uniqueness, and enables everyone's voice to be heard.