David Cottle Email and Phone Number

Current position Director of QA @ OpenBet -responsible for global QA Team of 150 across various geographic locations.

Held the position of QA Director / Director of Change at Elevate Credit Intl Ltd, for the brand Sunny Loans, reporting to the CTO. I was responsible for leading a multi-disciplined team, across different platforms, including Business Analysis, Development, QA and Release. Implemented over 60 sprints safely into production delivering a digital transformational programme of work which resulted in a successful implementation of a CI/CD pipeline in Azure, alongside a TDD / BDD software development process. The efficient delivery model enabled us to provide scheduled and ad-hoc releases at pace supporting the business growth. My wider responsibilities included:  Defining, setting and leading the direction of the QA function to ensure optimal customer experience and company outcomes. Setting the QA vision and strategy on all QA activities, policy, standards, methods and tooling across the organisation; utilizing Azure DevOps from requirement definition, epic, feature, user story structure with direct control on code creation and pipeline management. Execution of the Product Roadmap achieving high quality outputs in a timely fashion for external customers and internal support / operational functions. Provide situational leadership management to the QA team on their career development. Collaborating with Business & Technology stakeholders, including 3rd parties, at all levels, to ensure successful outcomes within a dynamic agile environment. Planning of the Change agenda with all stakeholders to ensure that risks and issues are clearly articulated, understood, tracked and mitigated.  Working in partnership with Architecture and Software Engineering functions to develop new product and engineering methods / frameworks to improve organisational practices. Ensure that the QA function continually improves to be effective, efficient and scalable with a view on new dynamic industry practices.

I provided leadership and management to a global test function (UK, US, India & Europe), including 3rd party suppliers, delivering a functional testing service primarily focused on SIT / UAT.For this role I was directly responsible for creating and delivering the end-to-end Test Risk Assessments, Test Strategies, Test estimation of effort and resourcing, managing an annual headcount spend of circa £5m. Furthermore I had control over the low-level Test Plans, execution schedule, defect management and result tracking. I managed a team of offshore Test Managers / co-ordinators who delivered the test output ensuring progress, quality and cost were achieved as per the baseline plan in accordance to the change framework. I reported directly to the Programme Board representing the Test function, presenting status updates, highlighting risks and issues and seeking approval for the test artefacts (Test Strategy, Test Plan, Test Completion Reports) that required governance control.During this time my team worked on a variety of programmes, typically lasting 12-24 months in duration, that were delivered using a range of testing methodologies and tool-sets including manual and automated scripting. Programmes delivered include:- KYC- Trade Transformation / Upgrade- ICB regulatory ring fence of trade transactions - Payment Digital Channels for the transmission of CHAPS, BACS, Faster Payments and International- New Bank start-up for Williams & Glyn - SEPA Payments and Direct Debits- Euro Currency Distress In addition to this I also delivered the offshore transition programme to relocate test services from onshore locations to India thereby reducing operating headcount costs by 50%. I also developed and implemented a common operating model across the test function with regards to Estimation, Analysis, Design, Execution, Reporting, Defect processing, Environment provisioning, Data Management and Automation which ensured consistency to approach and delivery.

My role was that of a Programme Test Manager across a portfolio of projects. The projects varied in size and complexity ranging from small short term changes to large scale bank industry initiatives. The service delivered to a range of businesses within the bank, each with its own set of governance, structure and stakeholders. I lead a team of 55 resources which included 7 Test Managers who reported to me and operated an on/offshore model. Key achievements / areas of responsibility included: • Defining and providing input to the strategic approach for testing in relation to each programme of work, including System, SIT, UAT, SVP and Operational Acceptance Testing.• Determining the resource allocation and management thereof. Balancing resource on and offshore with assignment based on skills / experience / competency.• Delivering the Test Function optimisation programme to improve the overall proposition for recruitment, team on-boarding, assignment selection and internal review.• Engaging with stakeholders to ascertain risk appetite and business drivers to ensure that the test function could fully represent them through the act of test execution.• Provisioning and scoping end-to-end test environments to replicate the desired production set-up, safeguarding the integrity of tests undertaken.My role varied for each programme depending on the individual requirements. However, my overriding input was to drive delivery of the testing service. The scope of projects the team delivered during this time includes the following:• Industry account switching of retail / personal accounts. • New asset management taxation systems to correctly tax circa 10,000 vehicles per month.• Transformation of the Global Billing Platform to reduce and replace legacy systems.• Regulatory programme for Payment Services Directive

My role was that of a Business Test Manager. I was responsible for providing a SIT / UAT service for my assigned projects. Delivery of the testing service was achieved by leading a team of test analysts / test co-ordinators, split across various geographical locations who conducted the preparation and execution of test assets.

At this time my role was that of Test Lead. I managed a team of test analysts on a day to day basis in terms of assigning work as per the project plan, including traceability, test cases, conditions and scripts using test tools appropriately. In addition I supervised external resources for supporting tasks during test preparation and execution.

I managed a User Acceptance Test team within a Payment function. The remit of the team was to conduct UAT across a wide variety of products, ranging from PC database systems to web enabled payment mechanisms. Team consisted of 6 personnel spread across 4 different geographic UK locations.

The role of Test Analyst required me to create test cases / conditions from Business requirements, User case stories and Functional specification. Perform test execution using formal test scripts. Report and advise on progress made and defects encountered.

My role was to provide support and maintenance of the ‘Large Exposures’ database that was used to provide external reporting to the Bank of England. This required me to test new features and releases of the database. In addition, I produced ad-hoc reports, which were created using ‘SQL Talk’ via database management software.

During this time I performed various Corporate Banking roles to facilitate the day to day transaction and payment requirements for International and Corporate customers.