Test Lead

Application closing date: Thursday, 18 September 2025 • 11:59pm, Canberra time

Estimated start date: Saturday, 01 November 2025

Location of work: NSW

Working arrangements: Remote working arrangements may be considered on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the supervising manager, subject to business needs.

Length of contract: 12 months

Contract extensions: 2x 12 months

Security clearance: Must be able to obtain Baseline

Rates: $90 - $110 per hour (inc. super)

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 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.

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.

DISR is 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:

1. 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

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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

HOW TO APPLY

Please provide an updated CV (a maximum of 3-5 pages) to reflect your suitability to the role based on the job description. You will also need to complete a response to the Essential and Desirable criteria above in a summary no more than 5000 characters in total.