X4 Group

Lead Automation Tester (SC Cleared) - Contract Outside IR35 Location: Somerset, England (1-2 days onsite per week) Rate: £Depending on Experience (Outside IR35) Contract Length: 6 months + Start Date: ASAP Clearance: Active SC Clearance (ESSENTIAL) The Opportunity We're looking for an experienced Lead Automation Tester / Test Lead to drive a modern, outcome-focused quality engineering strategy within Azure-hosted enterprise systems in a secure, regulated UK environment. Key Responsibilities Lead a risk-based automation strategy across functional, integration, and performance testing Align quality practices to DORA metrics (Lead Time, Deployment Frequency, Change Failure Rate, MTTR) Design scalable automation frameworks using Playwright and K6 Embed fast, reliable automation into Azure DevOps CI/CD pipelines Promote test pyramid best practices and minimise brittle UI automation Define meaningful quality metrics beyond code coverage Drive continuous improvement through data-driven insights Required Experience Proven experience leading automation strategy in enterprise environments Strong knowledge of modern test automation principles (CI-first, test pyramid, contract testing) Hands-on experience with Playwright and K6 Strong experience with Azure DevOps CI/CD Clear understanding of DORA metrics Experience working in secure or regulated environments Active SC Clearance (mandatory) Why Join? High-impact role on critical enterprise platforms Opportunity to shape quality strategy and delivery outcomes Work alongside mature engineering and DevOps teams Long-term, stable programme in a regulated environment Apply now or reach out directly to discuss further - interviews happening immediately.