ID: J108

College/Service: Exeter IT

Post: Senior Developer in Test Level 5

Grade: F

Reporting To: Test & Release Manager

Responsible For:

ORGANISATIONAL CONTEXT
The University of Exeter is a Russell Group university that combines world-class research with very high
levels of student satisfaction. Our vision is to become one of the most successful universities in the world,
one that makes the exceptional happen by challenging traditional thinking and defying conventional
boundaries.
THE IT SERVICE
Exeter IT is a key enabler for this vision and is key to delivering the University’s Values and its world class
reputation. The IT & Digital strategy will support the growing ambitions for education, research and
professional services, and exploiting the opportunities from changing technology will enable the University to
thrive in an increasingly digital environment.
What makes Exeter IT different is its defining characteristics: strong leadership, active collaboration, forward
thinking, and delivering at pace. We expect our staff to be comfortable with responsibility, and be innovative
and creative in the delivery of IT and digital services. Being able to adapt to the momentum of change and
having the freedom of action will enable staff to deliver IT solutions that will have a positive impact on our
students, academics, and professional services staff.
SOLUTIONS DELIVERY
The changing digital technology landscape and increase in SaaS and other emerging technologies requires
a wide range of new skills in the IT service. Solutions Delivery covers a broad range of functions and
capabilities to deliver a service that is completely customer focussed, service centric and design led.
Solutions Delivery is key to delivering the capabilities for transitioning new and changed IT services into the
supported environment, whilst ensuring they meet the expectations of the University. The use of IT industry
standard methods and frameworks will be utilised to ensure the effective management of change projects
and initiatives to enable the intended benefits to be realised. Solutions Delivery also capitalises on services.
TEST AND RELEASE
The Test & Release function will test and deploy services built by Solutions Delivery and its partners to the
customer's requirements and within frameworks as specified by Strategy & Architecture, and establish
effective deployment of the service in the operational environment in order to deliver value to the customer.
The function will adapt test and release processes to support Agile and Waterfall development of
applications and ensure customer requirements are recognised throughout the test and release process.
The Test & Release function will manage suitable levels of documentation to support the deployment of
services into the live environment and aid future development,
The function will also always strive to minimise outages to the live environment caused by IT change, and all
test environments will be under the governance of the Test & Release function.
The function will also be responsible for the Change Advisory Board (CAB) administration, obtaining
approval for all releases to Service Management in a controlled and coordinated manner to ensure the new
service is delivered to the requirements of the business, and the integrity of the live environment is protected.
Reporting Structure
For the reporting structure of this job, please see the attached structure chart.
Main purpose of the job
Lead responsibility for the specialist development and management of the University’s automated
capabilities around IT development, deployment and testing in a DevOps environment.
You will select, manage and administer automation tools and techniques that will enable continuous system
integration to increase reliability and repeatability of system development.
Key accountabilities
1. Leadership and application of specialist expertise as follows:
• Implement an automation environment that delivers a repeatable and reliable deployment
process that enables faster and robust IT development across the full range of IT
applications.
• Responsible for implementing and managing tools and techniques for the automated build,
deployment and testing of across a broad range of IT technologies and platforms.
• Implement a consistent and structured approach in the use of automated scripts to ensure
build and deployment of IT systems is correct including writing scripts to automate tasks.
• Lead on the automation of IT tasks ensuring best practice around source control usage,
code review and the release process.
• Create and implement the governance structure to enforce best practice and security
procedures around automated processes across the full range of IT applications.
• In the role of Subject Matter Expert, provide DevOps expertise and opportunities for
automating processes, and collaborate with other senior developers and Research IT
Officers in the planning of new IT applications and services.
• Implement a broad range of complex technical and problem solving activities for IT
automation, and provide professional advice about your area of expertise to academic and
professional services staff.
• Research and keep up-to-date with changing technologies and toolsets to maximise the
opportunities for automation within IT including on-premise and SaaS solutions.
• Convey the value and impact of complex conceptual IT and Digital services through written,
verbal and visual communications to senior stakeholders, and contribute to the evaluation of
new software products and digital services in support of developing the business case for
change.
2. Maintain a strong understanding of the University’s broad range of applications, platforms and
infrastructure, and the impact of new system development on the customer experience and business
processes.
3. Create and manage virtual environments to support DevOps application development, testing and
delivery.
4. Use collaboration and testing management tools and best practices to ensure development is
managed in a controlled environment as standard practice.
5. Participate in and be responsible for the accurate and timely delivery of your contribution to small
and medium sized projects, supervising junior colleagues where appropriate. Actively participate in
University projects and working groups.
This job description summarises the main duties and accountabilities of the post and the post-holder may be
required to undertake other duties of similar level and responsibility.
The post holder will be required to provide support across all University campuses, and may be required to
work additional hours to meet the requirements of the role.
All Exeter IT staff are expected to:
• Ensure the seamless and integrated end-to-end service delivery to academic, research and
professional services staff.

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 • Be passionate about new IT and digital technologies, and promote and be an advocate for the IT
operating model and IT & Digital strategies.
• Work closely with the Continual Service Improvement capability to ensure IT services are aligned to
current and future business needs, and identify opportunities to improve efficiency and effectiveness
in the IT services are delivered.
• Work closely with the Knowledge Management capability to share perspectives, ideas, experience
and information to support decision making and manage IT services.
• Raise the positive profile and good reputation of the University and contribute as a member to your
IT networks and engagements, both locally and nationally where appropriate.
• Proactive personal and professional development including completion of mandatory training, skills
courses and specialist training.
• Professionally represent the IT service by adopting the dress code or uniform appropriate to your
role.
Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA)
IT roles at the University of Exeter have been mapped to the industry good practice Skills Framework for the
Information Age (SFIA1).The role is mapped as a SFIA level 5 “Ensure, advise” against the core
competencies autonomy, influence, complexity and business skills, and summarised as:
Autonomy
Works under broad direction. Work is often self-initiated. Is fully responsible for meeting allocated technical
and/or project/supervisory objectives. Establishes milestones and has a significant role in the assignment of
tasks and/or responsibilities.
Influence
Influences organisation, customers, suppliers, partners and peers on the contribution of own specialism.
Builds appropriate and effective business relationships. Makes decisions which impact the success of
assigned work, i.e. results, deadlines and budget. Has significant influence over the allocation and
management of resources appropriate to given assignments.
Complexity
Performs an extensive range and variety of complex technical and/or professional work activities.
Undertakes work which requires the application of fundamental principles in a wide and often unpredictable
range of contexts. Understands the relationship between own specialism and wider customer/organisational
requirements.
Business skills
Advises on the available standards, methods, tools and applications relevant to own specialism and can
make appropriate choices from alternatives. Analyses, designs, plans, executes and evaluates work to time,
cost and quality targets. Assesses and evaluates risk. Communicates effectively, both formally and
informally. Demonstrates leadership. Facilitates collaboration between stakeholders who have diverse
objectives. Takes all requirements into account when making proposals. Takes initiative to keep skills up to
date. Mentors colleagues. Maintains an awareness of developments in the industry. Analyses requirements
and advises on scope and options for continuous operational improvement. Demonstrates creativity,
innovation and ethical thinking in applying solutions for the benefit of the customer/stakeholder.
Most commonly identified specific SFIA skills required for the role are:
CNSL Consultancy
TECH Technical specialism
EMRG Emerging technology monitoring
METL Methods and tools
DLMG Systems development management
BPTS Business process testing
TEST Testing
SEAC Service acceptance
PENT Penetration testing

1 http://www.sfia-online.org/en

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Person Specification

Competency Essential Desirable

Qualifications • Educational attainment at degree
& attainment level (or demonstrable equivalent
experience)
• ITIL ® Foundation or studying
• Industry standard IT related
certification or professional
qualification including:
• ISTQB-BCS
• UML and use case development

Knowledge & • Technically fluent in programming

skills languages, web services or other
appropriate technical skills.
• Knowledge of various build and
deployment tools
• Knowledge of core infrastructure
components
• An understanding of software design
principles.
• Knowledge of multiple platforms such
as windows/linux as well as cloud
platforms such as AWS and Azure
• Good planning and organisation
skills.
• Proven ability to interact across
cross-functional and technical
working teams and build ongoing
relationships to ensure effective
communications and exchange of
information.
• Proven ability to take independent
decisions without reference to your
line manager relating to significant
events, or influence decision-making.
• Proven communication skills
demonstrating ability to understand
complex conceptual ideas and
experience in conveying information
to senior stakeholders
• Ability to prepare detailed reports,
and complex technical specifications
and systems documentation, and
help others understand the content
taking into account the level of
knowledge of the recipient.
• Ability to build and develop
relationships with peers and
stakeholders to ensure effective
exchange of information to support
day-to-day work using existing
practices.
• Good methodical and analytical
(qualitative and quantitative) and
problem-solving skills

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 Prior • Recent experience of managing • Experience of test management
experience automated build and deployment tools and techniques
tools.
• Experience of working with XaaS
• Experience of working in an Agile solutions
DevOps environment.
• Experience of using JIRA
• Experience of test automation, any
experience with SOAP UI, Selenium, • Experience of Prince2 and other
SQL, scripting/programming project management methodologies.
language (ie C#, Java) • Experience of working in a Design,
• Recent experience of testing Develop, Operate environment
information systems, platforms and IT • Experience of working in a SIAM
digital services, demonstrating environment.
working knowledge of appropriate
theories and best practices.
• Experience of the full project life
cycle.
• Proven experience of managing
relationships, evidencing ability to
break down barriers and building
beneficial working relationships
• Experience of monitoring technology
performance and contributing to
continual service improvement
• Proven experience of undertaking
complex analysis, using different
methodologies, and providing reports
and management information with
supporting commentary.
• Provide training, coaching, mentoring
and guide others on specific tasks,
giving guidance and feedback based
on own knowledge or experience.
• Proactive personal and professional
development including completion of
mandatory training, skills courses and
specialist training.

Behaviours • Demonstrate an understanding of

what customer service excellence
means.
• Offer a flexible and adaptable
approach to working in an
environment with a culture of change
and growth.
• Take a proactive, pragmatic, and
positive approach to problem-solving.
• Undertake tasks with a positive
attitude, prepared to meet business
goals and respond well to change
• Ability to work within a matrix
environment, collaborating effectively
with different categories and levels of
staff

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 • Collaborating effectively with different
categories and levels of staff.

Circumstances • May be required to work additional

hours to meet the requirements of the
role

Terms & Conditions

Our Terms and Conditions of Employment can be viewed here.

Further Information
Please see our website for further information on working at the University of Exeter.

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