Defence Business Services - DBS - Test Engineer

Are you a dedicated person who is passionate about making a difference?
Would you like to work for the Ministry of Defence?
Defence Business Services (DBS) is one of the largest shared service organisations in Europe that provides a wide range of corporate services, to over 1.2 million end users, including serving and past military and families, as well as MoD civil servants and industry. DBS delivers large scale administration and smaller specialist services to enable the wider MOD to focus on its core aims, maintaining the UK’s Defence and Security. Services include Human Resources, Pay, Veterans, Finance and Procurement.
+ Our Vision - To support UK defence customers with outstanding service every time.
+ Our Mission – Together we will proudly support Defence, continuously improving and delivering flexible, timely, sustainable and value for money services that underpin the whole force and enhance operational capability.
DBS is committed to creating a great place to work for all our colleagues. We are building an inclusive culture and respectful environment that reflects the diversity of the society.
We want to maximise the potential of everyone who chooses to work for us through opportunities to develop your skills and experience. We also offer a range of flexible working patterns and support to make a fulfilling career accessible to you and offer a Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%. Where your role permits, we support a blended working approach alternatively known as hybrid working.
Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office, will also count towards this level of attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.
Come and join the DBS community today!, As the Band EO Test Engineer in the Defence Business Services (DBS) Test Team you will be responsible for ensuring DBS Civ Pers applications are tested using all effective testing methods/best practice, using test strategy, plans, schedules , requirement traceability , technical design documents, carrying out the testing and ensuring deliveries meet the standards expected.
You will be responsible for the testing of all development, changes i.e. Business as Usual, new systems, upgrades and transformation of Civ Pers applications, to ensure that the DBS Civ Pers applications are delivered to production for live use that are of the highest quality and standard
The main duties are:
Testing/Technology
+ To analyse changes to the development of products and services to allow for planning, design and test environment selection for testing
+ To evaluate the development and/or solution according to specifications and requirements
+ To understand and identify the most effective testing techniques, data sets and testing methodology to use to execute test cases
+ To write test scripts using the appropriate test scenarios and test cases to ensure that requirements have been fully met against the development.
+ To execute test cases (manual or automated) and analyse results
+ To design, or provide assurance for, appropriate risk-based end-to-end system integration testing
+ To identify simple patterns and trends
Vision/Problem Solving
+ To visualise, articulate and solve complex problems and concepts, and make disciplined decisions based on available information and can contribute to recommending solutions to these
+ To apply logical thinking, gather and analyse information using comprehensive tools and techniques, use data to formulate test scenarios and test cases, identify and analyse options, and assess feasibility and operational impact
+ To ensure that the business solution aligns with the vision, mission, objectives, strategy and the business and user needs
Communication
+ Work with Stakeholders and/or Developers to develop effective test plans
+ To communicate defects or trends clearly to software developers, outlining how defects are identified and the possible causes.
+ To attend required meetings which relate to changes you are testing and communicate updates to wider audience
+ To update and complete any status reports for Business as Usual change and/or Project testing and update the Change Management Tool i.e. Defect Logs, Testing Status Report, Test Plans
+ To coach and mentor other testers, + Testing experience either manual or automated
Software testing related qualifications i.e.
+ ITSDQB Certified Tester (Foundation) - The successful candidate will be required to attend the training course. Achieving the qualification is desirable but not mandatory
+ ISEB Intermediate Level in Software Testing
+ ISEB Practitioner Level in Test Management
To Note: The Test Engineer role aligns to the skill set out in the Digital, Data and Technology Test Engineer Framework.

Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Delivering at Pace
+ Making Effective Decisions
+ Leadership
+ Working Together, Please ensure that at the application and interview stages of the campaign you review the Success Profiles Framework to assist you in the demonstration of your skills and experience.
Your suitability for the role will be assessed using the Success Profile elements that have been chosen for this campaign. Each element will be scored accordingly, and the successful candidate will be appointed on merit.
Applications will be sifted on all Success Profile elements, but in the event of a high number of applications, an initial sift will be conducted on your Primary: Experience - CV, Secondary: Experience - Personal statement. In this instance the remaining elements will be tested at interview.
At application stage you will be assessed against the following:
Behaviours:
+ Delivering at Pace
+ Making Effective Decisions, Interviews are currently taking place via Ms Teams and will be conducted week commencing: 11/11/2024
A minimum of 2 full working days’ notice will be provided for interviews.We endeavour to stick to these dates, but these are subject to change around business needs.The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBS-EnhancedRecruitmentTeam@mod.gov.uk
MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – we may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.
As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points-based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical.
The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points-based system. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected, and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.
To assist with your application please find attached -
DBS Candidate Information Guide - Working for Defence Business Services - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
(26) UK Ministry of Defence: Life , LinkedIn
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
+ UK nationals
+ nationals of the Republic of Ireland
+ nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
+ individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
+ Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

+ Experience of analysing data – being able to critically evaluate and communicate findings to a broader audience;
+ Experience in leading investigations into problems, and seeing them through to resolution;
+ Experience using range of different tools and approaches, and an ability to apply the right tool and approach to the task in hand;
+ Understanding of both functional and non-functional testing arenas;
+ Proven communication skills – being able to communicate the progress and issues to the wider team and stakeholders;
+ Highly motivated and resilient.

Alongside your salary of £28,300, Ministry of Defence contributes £8,198 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
+ An environment with flexible working options Monday-Friday
+ 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service (pro rata). In additional to 8 public holidays per year, you will also receive leave for HM The Sovereign's birthday
+ Hybrid working where role permits
+ An opportunity to be considered for Reward and Recognition - £250-£5000 per year
+ Family-friendly policies including - parental leave and adoption leave
+ Learning and development tailored to your role
+ Professional and personal development of skills
+ A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
+ Minimum of 15 days special leave in a rolling 12 month period for volunteer reserve commitments
+ Special paid leave to volunteer up to 6 days per year
+ A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
Allowances
The post does not offer relocation expenses.
Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.
External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.
Employment Hours
This position is advertised at 37 hours per week., + Personal Statement
At interview you will be assessed against the above Behaviours & Personal Statement.
In the rare case where individuals have exact matching scores, the order of merit will be determined based on the behaviour scores at interview in the following order:
1. Experience - CV
2. Experience - Personal statement
3. Behaviour - Delivering at Pace
4. Behaviour - Making Effective Decisions
If candidate scores are still exact, the merit order will then be determined on the sift score in the below order or priority:
1. Experience - CV
2. Experience - Personal statement
3. Behaviour - Delivering at Pace
4. Behaviour - Making Effective Decisions
5. Behaviour - Leadership
6. Behaviour - Working Together
We want to offer opportunities to all who are successful at interview for our roles, but this isn’t always possible, so we do hold candidates on an active reserve list for 12 months.