Our client, a leading Consulting, Technology and Outsourcing company are currently recruiting for an experienced Service Validation and Test Manager for a 4 month contract based in the Midlands. Role: The Service Validation and Test Manager is responsible for governing and managing validation and test management. Including verification of test strategy, test plan and design standards, ownership of the testing process, evaluation exit criteria standards, reporting and oversight of clean-up and closure activities. Additionally the role is responsible for improving service delivery operations and efficiency. The Service Validation and Test Manager is part of a virtual team aligned with Service Introduction and works closely with the Change Manager, Release Manager and Projects community. The role is client facing and is also required to contribute to the development and deployment of an ITIL aligned process, and configuration of the underlying ITSM tool-set. Key responsibilities will include the following: * Service Validation and Test process ownership, governance and management on behalf of the customer and ensuring adherence to this process by the customer's supplier community * Maintaining and improving the Service Validation and Testing standards and the overall reduction of incidents arising from new or changed services * Establishing relationships with the customers' suppliers Service Validation and Testing community and for monitoring performance against the customer's Service Validation and Testing process * Effective coordination of testing of new service functionality and process efficiencies with the customers' suppliers * Coordination of the operational readiness sign-off from relevant customer suppliers for new or changed service, in coordination with Service Introduction, to meet required Service Levels * Alignment of the Service Validation and Testing process with Service Introduction, Change and Release Management processes as well as the customer's project management methodology * Provision of formal operational readiness sign-off for end-to-end operation and support of new or changed services Skills required: Essential: * Service testing methodologies * General knowledge of desktop products, procurement and operational delivery of services * Experience of reporting tools * Knowledge of best practice testing methodologies, frameworks, standards, processes and execution * Experience of managing in every stage of the testing process * Experience governing, managing and measuring service validation and testing performance * Experience of service validation and testing across multiple suppliers * Quality documentation and report writing ability * General management skills (time management, communication skills and staff management) * Experience of managing meetings and facilitation skills Desirable: * Experience working in the service integration of service validation and testing * Experience working for a service integrator in a multi-source model * Experience of working with 3rd parties * ITIL v3 Foundation certification or above * Knowledge of the working practices and infrastructure within data centres, operations centres and service desks * Knowledge of the use of ITSM/Remedy 7.6 (BMC) This role requires candidates to hold a valid BPSS Clearance, or be willing to undergo the process due to the nature of the project. Suitable candidates should submit the CV in the first instance.