Test Automation Implementation Lead

Test Automation Implementation Lead Client: UK Government Body (Public Sector) Contract: 3 months Rate: £550 per day (inside IR35) Location: Hybrid - 4 days per month on-site in Brighton (these days are flexible and can be spread out across the month) The Opportunity We are working on behalf of a UK government body to recruit an experienced Test Automation Implementation Lead for a short-term contract engagement. This is a hands-on, delivery-focused role supporting the implementation of Test as a Service (TaaS) and the transition from manual to automated testing across a complex application estate. Reporting to the Head of IT Solutions, the successful candidate will work closely with a third-party automation supplier and internal testing teams to ensure high-quality delivery, knowledge transfer, and the establishment of sustainable test automation capability. Key Responsibilities • Act as the client-side lead for the implementation of a Test Automation as a Service (TaaS) model • Work with a specialist supplier to convert appropriate manual test scripts to automated tests across the organisation's estate • Provide test assets, documentation, and domain knowledge to support supplier delivery • Oversee and quality-assure the creation of test plans, automated scripts, and regression packs • Ensure automated tests are validated, approved, and embedded into BAU and continuous delivery processes • Build and validate end-to-end testing scenarios • Lead process improvements across functional and non-functional testing frameworks • Support product release quality and provide clear testing status reporting • Lead the capability uplift of internal testers, including mentoring and training in automated testing tools (notably Playwright) • Act as the main liaison between internal teams and the third-party supplier throughout the engagement Skills & Experience Required • Expert-level experience with test automation tools, particularly Playwright (plus Selenium and SpecFlow) • Strong background in .NET / C# development and testing • Experience leading, coaching, and mentoring testers and developers • Solid experience working in Azure cloud environments (Functions, Logic Apps, Service Bus) • Hands-on experience with Azure DevOps, including CI/CD pipelines • Strong understanding of Agile delivery methodologies • End-to-end testing experience, including defect management, regression testing, and automation strategy Technical Skills • Web testing using Playwright • BDD using SpecFlow or ideally ReqnRoll • Unit and integration testing with xUnit / NUnit Desirable Experience • ISTQB / ISEB Foundation (or equivalent experience) • Broader Microsoft technology stack experience • Experience working in both Waterfall and Agile (Scrum/Kanban) environments Personal Attributes • Strong organisational and time management skills • Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement ability • Analytical, detail-oriented, and solutions-focused • Confident leading stand-ups and removing delivery blockers • Comfortable producing test reports, dashboards, and status updates Additional Information • Inside IR35 • Hybrid working - attendance in the Brighton office required 4 days per month • No budgetary responsibility This role would suit an experienced Test Automation Lead or Senior Automation Engineer who enjoys hands-on delivery while shaping long-term testing capability within a public sector environment. Morgan Hunt is a multi-award-winning recruitment Business for interim, contract and temporary recruitment and acts as an Employment Agency in relation to temporary vacancies. Morgan Hunt is an equal opportunities employer, job suitability are assessed on merit in accordance with their skills, qualifications and abilities to perform the relevant duties required in a particular role.