Programme Test Assurance Consultant

Programme Test Assurance Manager/Consultant Location: Basingstoke - Full-time onsite Clearance: Active DV Clearance required Contract: 18-month contract IR35 Status: Outside IR35 Rate: £600 to £700 per day We're supporting a major defence programme seeking an experienced Programme Test Assurance Manager to lead assurance and acceptance activities across a highly complex, multi-workstream delivery environment. This is not a traditional test management role. The focus is on programme-level capability assurance, acceptance governance, integration readiness, and delivery confidence across infrastructure, systems, and software domains operating at significant scale. You'll work across multiple Agile delivery teams, suppliers, and technical disciplines to ensure the programme delivers operational capability that is assured, accepted, and deployment-ready. Key Responsibilities Lead programme-wide test assurance and capability acceptance activities across complex delivery streams Provide independent assurance across infrastructure, systems integration, software, and operational capability delivery Coordinate assurance activities across multiple Agile / SAFe teams and suppliers Manage dependencies, risks, integration points, and acceptance criteria across the programme landscape Ensure governance, readiness, and evidence frameworks support formal capability acceptance Drive alignment between engineering, delivery, test, security, and operational stakeholders Oversee assurance reporting, quality metrics, and programme-level delivery confidence Support release and operational readiness activities within secure and highly regulated environments Champion best practice assurance approaches within Agile and scaled delivery models Required Experience Proven experience operating as a Programme Test Manager, Test Assurance Manager, or Capability Assurance Lead within large-scale defence or secure government programmes Strong experience working within Agile and SAFe delivery environments Demonstrable experience managing assurance across: Infrastructure Systems integration Software delivery Multi-supplier ecosystems Experience operating within highly complex programmes involving multiple teams and interdependencies Strong understanding of capability assurance and acceptance, beyond traditional testing execution Experience engaging with senior stakeholders across engineering, delivery, and operational functions Excellent governance, risk management, and reporting capability Essential Active DV Clearance Willingness to work full-time onsite in Basingstoke Defence, MOD, or secure government programme experience Desirable Experience within large-scale transformation or mission-critical environments Knowledge of operational acceptance and service transition frameworks Previous experience within complex systems integration programmes