Test Lead

Summary:

Client - Department of Industry, Science and Resources

Rate & term - $130 per hour including Super | 12 month initial contract | 2x12 month extension option

Location & work arrangements - Canberra, ACT | ~2-3 days in office

Security Clearance - Must be an Australian Citizen | Baseline Clearance preferred refer )

Overview:

The Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR) and our broader portfolio are integral to the Australian Government's economic agenda. Our purpose is to help the government build a better future for all Australians through enabling a productive, resilient and sustainable economy, enriched by science and technology. We do this by:

• growing innovative and competitive businesses, industries and regions
• investing in science and technology
• strengthening the resources sector.
• The APS and DISR offer a clear direction and meaningful work. You will be able to create a positive impact in people's lives whilst contributing to improved outcomes for Australia and our people.

If you would like to feel a strong connection to your work and you are accountable, committed and open to change, join us in shaping Australia's future.

Please see the APSC's APS Employee Value Proposition for more information on the benefits and value of employment within the APS.

About the CIO Division

The CIO Division (CIOD) is an exciting, fast-paced division that drives the digital agenda for DISR. Leading the delivery of the department's digital offerings, CIOD partners with business areas and stakeholders to:

• Realise the digital policy objectives of the department
• Define the department's digital landscape and strategies
• Drive innovation and transformation of ICT services and solutions.
• About the Section

The Grants Platform team in CIOD is responsible for supporting, maintaining and enhancing the department's external facing grants platform which underpins the Business Grants Hub (BGH).

The Business Grants Platform —also referred to as the Business Grants Management System (BGM)—is a digital infrastructure within DISR that enables the end-to-end administration of government grants. It supports both internal departmental users and external applicants, streamlining the lifecycle of grants from creation to closure. The platform was launched in March 2017, and the Grants program is administrated by over 400 staff in the BGH Division.

Our ideal candidate

We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Test Lead to oversee the planning, coordination, and execution of testing activities across multiple projects. This role requires strong leadership, a deep understanding of automated and manual testing methodologies, and the ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams working in Scrum methodology to ensure the delivery of high-quality software solutions and quick resolution of defects.

Key duties and responsibilities

Test Strategy & Planning

• Define and implement test strategies, plans, and processes aligned with project goals and timelines
• Define and implement master test plan, test entry and exit quality gates, defect triage and reporting, risk templates
• Collaborate with project managers, developers, and business analysts to understand requirements and define test coverage
• Estimate testing efforts and allocate resources effectively

Team Leadership & Management

• Lead and mentor a team of testers (manual and automation) working on multiple project simultaneously, providing guidance, training, and performance feedback
• Foster a culture of quality, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Cultivate a collaborative testing culture that promotes the sharing and adoption of best practices across teams
• Champion a growth mindset by encouraging continuous learning, skill development, and process improvement within the testing discipline.

Automation & Tools

• Ability to support automated testers to design, develop, and maintain automated test frameworks and scripts using tools such as EasyRepro and Mstest(C#)
• Ability to ensure automated tests are integrated into CI/CD pipelines (Azure DevOps).
• Conduct comprehensive gap analyses to identify opportunities for expanding test automation coverage, improving efficiency, and aligning automation efforts with business and technical priorities.
• Support and encourage manual testers to upskill and contribute to automation efforts through structured learning and hands-on collaboration
• Evaluate and recommend testing tools and technologies to improve efficiency and coverage.

Test Execution & Reporting

• Oversee execution of functional, regression, integration, performance, and user acceptance testing.
• Track and report test progress, defect metrics, and quality KPIs to stakeholders.
• Ensure timely identification, documentation, and resolution of defects.
• Establish and lead structured forums such as defect triage and test strategy reviews to promote alignment, transparency, and continuous improvement in testing practices

Quality Assurance & Compliance

• Ensure adherence to QA standards, best practices, industry standards and compliance requirements.
• Conduct risk assessments and contribute to go/no-go decisions for releases.
• Support audits and documentation for quality assurance processes.

Essential criteria:

1. 7+ years of Dynamics 365 CRM/.NET testing experience, including 3+ years in a leadership role.
2. Proven ability to define test strategies and align them with project goals and timelines.
3. Demonstrated experience driving testing capability uplift by assessing current maturity, establishing a baseline, and implementing strategies to build sustainable improvements across people, process, and tools.
4. Experience with automation testing and integrating test suites into CI/CD pipelines.
5. Proficient in DevOps tools, Agile/Scrum methodologies, and QA best practices.
6. Skilled in leading and mentoring teams, with excellent communication and stakeholder engagement and championing a growth mindset.

About Arctic Fox

We are a panel supplier into the Federal Government's Digital Marketplace. We leverage our practical experience and expertise in business and technology transformation to source and place exceptional people across all Federal Government Departments. As practising Project Delivery professionals we have a genuine understanding and appreciation for the work that our contractors undertake. We provide end to end contract management including payroll and insurance.

We provide holistic support for candidates throughout the unique application process for Federal Government opportunities. This includes:

• Completing a collaborative review of the client brief with each candidate to ensure that the candidate is suitable for the opportunity.
• Undertaking a thorough review of selection criteria responses to provide feedback, insight, guidance and editing services.
• Being open and transparent with information regarding margins and on costs - we provide an open costbook for all candidates to give you assurance that excessive margins are not being placed on top of your contracted rate.