Job Title : Assurance Manager About us : Cielo Costa is a values-driven, globally expanding consultancy specialising in Microsoft technologies. We pride ourselves on our exceptional team dynamic and our ability to craft solutions that intelligently resolve real business problems. Our expertise spans full-stack web development, SharePoint, Microsoft 365, and Microsoft Azure. Role Purpose: The Assurance Manager will be responsible for unifying and leading the Assurance team, comprising of Quality Assurance (QA) and Business Analysis (BA), ensuring the delivery of high-quality, efficient, and effective assurance services. This role will focus on developing strong internal processes, fostering team growth, and driving operational excellence across both disciplines. Additionally, the role will play a strategic part in expanding Cielo Costa’s Assurance services, contributing to revenue growth by enhancing the value proposition for clients. Key Outcomes (First 6-12 Months) Establish clear leadership and structure for the Assurance function, aligning QA and BA teams. Improve the efficiency and quality of both QA and BA work through better processes, collaboration, and tooling. Define and promote Assurance service offerings to drive growth in sales and client adoption. Support the QA Manager and BA team in scaling effectively while maintaining high performance. Build a strong foundation for Assurance to become a recognised and valuable service pillar within Cielo Costa. Key Responsibilities Leadership & Strategy Oversee all assurance-related activities within Cielo Costa’s service lines, managing key staff, defining offerings, and aligning with business goals. Work closely with the Director of Technology and senior executives to shape the technology strategy and vision. Define and govern quality assurance processes used both internally and for client projects, ensuring high standards of delivery. Ensure the optimal utilisation of the Assurance team, balancing project delivery with sales and process improvement. Team Management & Development Lead, mentor, and develop the Business Analysis and Quality Assurance teams, fostering a culture of high performance and continuous improvement. Provide day-to-day management, resourcing, and oversight of Assurance staff, ensuring effective team structure and workload distribution. Collaborate with Principal Technologists in QA and BA to define and refine service offerings, take them to market, and ensure successful delivery to customers. Sales & Business Development Support the production of estimates and proposals for both dedicated assurance projects and for the assurance aspects of projects delivered by other teams such as Technology Solutions. Work with commercial and sales teams to position Assurance as a valuable service offering, contributing to revenue growth and market expansion. Build and nurture relationships with key customers and stakeholders, understanding their needs and ensuring their satisfaction. Client Engagement & Delivery Engage directly with clients, leading discovery, analysis, and testing sessions to ensure successful project outcomes. Travel to client sites across the UK as needed to facilitate workshops, provide hands-on expertise, and build strong working relationships. Monitor and report on the success of Assurance functions, using key metrics to track impact and drive improvements. Process & Continuous Improvement Drive continuous improvement within the Assurance function, identifying efficiencies in BA and QA processes and implementing best practices. Ensure that all Assurance activities align with industry standards and compliance requirements. Champion quality and excellence across all Assurance-led initiatives, advocating for high standards across Cielo Costa’s project portfolio. Required Skills & Competencies Technical Skills & Knowledge Strong background in either Business Analysis (BA) or Quality Assurance (QA), with a solid understanding of the other discipline. Awareness of and experience with testing processes, methodologies, and best practices, including functional and non-functional testing approaches. Familiarity with common testing tools and frameworks, with the ability to evaluate and shape the testing strategy. Understanding of business analysis methodologies, requirements gathering, and process modelling techniques. Ability to align QA and BA best practices with Cielo Costa’s service offerings to drive efficiency and quality improvements. Soft Skills & Leadership Qualities Exceptional communication skills – able to engage and influence technical and non-technical stakeholders across all levels of the business. Strong leadership and team management skills, with the ability to develop and motivate high-performing teams. Strategic thinking – able to balance day-to-day operational management with long-term planning and growth initiatives. Problem-solving and analytical mindset – capable of identifying challenges and implementing practical, effective solutions. Collaboration and stakeholder engagement – ability to work effectively across teams, fostering a culture of transparency and cooperation. Tools & Technologies Azure DevOps – must be familiar with or willing to transition from other tools such as JIRA. Awareness of common QA tools and automation frameworks (e.g., Selenium, Postman, JIRA, or similar). Figma for process flows and diagrams (Visio licences are available but limited). Strong understanding of Microsoft 365 and cloud-based collaboration tools, as they are core to Cielo Costa’s ecosystem. Key Competencies for Success Ability to shape and refine Assurance processes, rather than just operate within existing ones. Comfortable working in both hands-on and leadership capacities, adapting to project needs. Commercial awareness and the ability to contribute to business growth through the Assurance function. Strong focus on quality and efficiency, ensuring Cielo Costa’s Assurance services deliver real value to clients. Experience & Qualification Criteria 5 years of experience in either Business Analysis (BA) or Quality Assurance (QA), with at least 2 years in a leadership role managing teams or functions. Experience managing one of the two disciplines (BA or QA) is required, but the candidate must have indirect experience in the other. Consultancy or professional services experience is strongly preferred, with the ability to work in a client-facing environment. Experience in Agile methodologies is highly desirable. Higher education to the equivalent of degree level is desired but not essential. No formal qualifications required, but Microsoft certifications and relevant BA/QA industry certifications (e.g., ISTQB, BCS, Scrum Master) are a plus. Reporting & Collaboration Structure Reports to: Director of Technology (Charlie Lee) Direct Reports: Senior Business Analysts (BAs) and the Senior QA Manager Key Internal Collaborations: Technology Solutions Project Managers Sales and Marketing External Collaboration: Direct involvement with external clients, leading discovery, analysis, and testing sessions. Key Stakeholders: Strategic Technology Forum Senior Leadership Team (SLT) Service Heads Performance Metrics & KPIs Success in this role will be measured based on tangible business impact rather than rigid KPIs. Key indicators of success include: Revenue and profitability of Assurance-led projects, ensuring that Assurance services contribute to overall business growth. Quality of BA and QA work on Technology-led projects, ensuring high standards in project delivery and client outcomes. Billable utilisation of BA and QA team members, balancing efficiency with sustainable workload distribution. While formal KPIs are not yet established across the business, it is expected that as the company evolves its approach to performance measurement, strategic KPIs will be introduced. When this happens, the Head of Assurance will be accountable for aligning Assurance team performance with those strategic measures. Salary & Benefits Salary: Open to discussion and will be aligned with the individual's skills, experience, and Cielo Costa’s existing salary bands for this level. Bonus & Benefits: Bonus schemes and additional benefits are available, to be detailed by the People Team. Work Arrangement: Fully remote role with regular travel and attendance at client sites across the UK.