Manual QA Tester

Burton on Trent | On-site, 5 days per week (This is non-negotiable)

Up to £40,000 + benefits Permanent | Stand-alone QA role | Market-leading software house

Overview

I am delighted to be working exclusively with an established, market‑leading software house is looking for a Manual QA Tester to take full ownership of their testing function. This is a rare opportunity to step into a stand-alone role where you'll shape, define and mature the entire QA process - working directly with developers, product specialists and senior stakeholders to ensure the delivery of high‑quality, robust software used nationwide.

If you're someone who loves autonomy, accountability, and improving how a business approaches testing, this is the perfect next step.

Key Responsibilities

As the Manual QA Tester, you will:

Test Planning & Execution

Design, maintain, and execute comprehensive test plans, test scripts and test cases. Perform functional, regression, system, integration, UAT and exploratory testing. Ensure all software releases meet quality, performance and usability standards.Process Ownership & Improvement

Act as the QA authority within the business, owning the end‑to‑end test lifecycle. Introduce best practices, frameworks, documentation, and structured testing approaches. Identify gaps in current testing processes and implement improvements. Advocate for quality across the development team and wider organisation.Collaboration

Work closely with Developers, Product Owners and Project Leads to understand requirements and translate them into test scenarios. Participate in sprint planning, refinement sessions and stand-ups. Clearly communicate defects, risks and test results to stakeholders.Documentation & Reporting

Maintain detailed and accurate defect logs. Produce regular quality reports and contribute to release readiness decisions. Document new processes, improvements and testing standards.Skills & Experience Required

Essential

Proven experience as a Manual QA / Software Tester. Strong understanding of the SDLC and the role of QA within Agile environments. Experience creating test plans, test cases and test scripts from scratch. Hands-on experience with defect tracking and test management tools. Ability to liaise confidently with technical and non-technical teams. Strong analytical, problem-solving and documentation skills. A proactive mindset - someone who wants to take ownership and improve things.Desirable (but not essential)

Exposure to basic SQL for data validation. Experience testing APIs (e.g., using Postman). Background in testing SaaS or web-based platforms. Any exposure to automation tools or an interest in moving into automation longer-term.What's In It For You?

Salary up to £40,000, depending on experience. Full autonomy to build, influence and lead the QA approach. Opportunity to work for an established, high-performing software business. Collaborative environment with a supportive technical team. Clear progression and the chance to shape the future of testing within the organisation.If this role sounds the right opportunity for yourself then please apply with an updated CV