Colin Benn's Email

• Progressed through the full software development lifecycle (SDLC) in a wide variety of roles for a number of respected companies. • Undertaken testing roles at various levels in business and technical testing including System and UAT Test Analyst, System Test Lead, System and UAT Test Manager, Test Coordinator and Programme Test Manager with experience of managing multiple cross functional teams comprising up to 120 resources. • Significant ‘hands on’ and management experience of Data Migration having worked in several Extract, Transform and Load (ETL) based roles, including as Data Migration Manager. • Producing project Management Information (MI) reports, Running daily test meetings, test entry, exit and completion meetings and defect management meetings as Defect Manager are often part of my responsibility and I am comfortable liaising with stakeholders and project staff. • Experience covers applications in Banking, Accounting, Pay and Personnel, Government, Public Safety, Command and Control, Platform Transformation (Deployment Management), Education, Health, Debt Management, Mapping, Asset Management and Secure Mobile Data Communications dealing. • SC level security cleared. KEY PRODUCTS USED SQL Server Management Studio. Visual Studio. Selenium. Quality Centre. TOAD. Spira. Star Team. Microsoft Office Suite - Excel / Word / Visio / Project. KEY SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE Agile. V Model. Waterfall. Test Management. Test Strategy Preparation. Test Plan Preparation. ETL. SQL. C#. .NET . ORACLE. Test Coverage Matrix / SVICRI. Test Scripting. Test Execution. Web Application Testing. Programme, Project and Team MI Production. Defect Management.

System Tester @ Description Working as the lead test resource across all Group Security projects including Network Access Control, Role Based Access Control, Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and Strategic Firewall. Responsibilities • Devise and document Test Strategy and Test Plan documents. • Review of design specification documents. • Deriving system test conditions and production of System Test Scripts or Test Matrix documents to project standards. • Support of project Non Functional and User Acceptance testing. • Management of defects. • Production of MI and weekly progress reports. • Working closely with project stakeholders, development and support staff. Skills Used Test strategy production. Test plan production. SQL. Agile. Spira. Document Review. Scripting. Defect Management. MI and progress reporting From October 2014 to March 2015 (6 months) Newcastle upon Tyne, United KingdomTest Lead @ Description Working as the lead test resource across all Group Security projects including Network Access Control, Role Based Access Control, Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and Strategic Firewall. Responsibilities • Devise and document Test Strategy and Test Plan documents. • Review of design specification documents. • Deriving system test conditions and production of System Test Scripts or Test Matrix documents to project standards. • Support of project Non Functional and User Acceptance testing. • Management of defects. • Production of MI and weekly progress reports. • Working closely with project stakeholders, development and support staff. Skills Used Test strategy production. Test plan production. SQL. Agile. Spira. Document Review. Scripting. Defect Management. MI and progress reporting. From January 2014 to October 2014 (10 months) System Test Analyst @ Description Part of a small team working on a Mortgage Market Review project over several platforms. Responsibilities • Review of design specification documents. • Deriving system test conditions and production of System Test Scripts from design specification documents to project standards. • Script management in SPIRA application testing tool. • Manual and Automated (Selenium) System and System Integrated test execution including SQL interrogation of product database. • Defect management using SPIRA. • Working closely with development and support staff. Skills Used SQL. Selenium. Agile. Spira. Document Review. Scripting. Web App testing. Defect Management. From September 2013 to December 2013 (4 months) Newcastle upon Tyne, United KingdomData Migration Management @ Description Providing all test documentation and managing test execution for a Stock Management and Control application migration (ETL) project. Responsibilities • Liaising with third party software provider and reviewing their specifications. Devising and producing the Test Strategy, project Test Plan and Test Scripts. • Managing tester queries during test execution. • Providing updates at stakeholder meetings. • Production of daily test script preparation and test execution MI. • Production of Test Completion and Test Exit reports. Skills Used ETL Test strategy production. Test plan production. Document Review. Scripting. Test management. Defect Management. MI and progress reporting. From December 2012 to July 2013 (8 months) Test Manager @ Description Hands on test management of a Public Safety, Command and Control (C&C) integrated web application incorporating GIS, Google Earth, RSS live feeds and gazetteer search. Responsibilities • Management of test team and scheduling of workload. • Production of Test Strategy and Plan. • Project MI Production. • Defect Management. • Stakeholder update. • Production of Test Exit reports • Chairing meetings and liaison with the project’s customer. • Review of design documentation, test script and data preparation using SQL, test execution and reporting of metrics. Skills Used SC Cleared. Test strategy and test plan production. SQL. Agile. Spira. Document Review. Scripting. Web App testing. Defect Management. MI and progress reporting. JAVA. From June 2011 to July 2012 (1 year 2 months) Test Lead @ Description Providing test input during requirements gathering and initial design of a Continuing Personal Development (CPD) application project to be used to enable Doctors to record and manage their CPD to meet and satisfy General Medical Council (GMC) guidelines. Responsibilities • Interviewing subject matter experts (SMEs) • Documenting and reviewing information gathered. Skills Used Test strategy production. Agile. Document Review. Progress reporting. From February 2011 to June 2011 (5 months) Newcastle upon Tyne, United KingdomTest Manager @ Description Managing all System and System Integration Testing and associated tasks on a project comprising GIS based asset management, secure mobile data communication gateway, MDCG, and mobile data platform applications. Responsibilities • Test team recruitment and management. • Liaison with the project’s customer including running meetings. • Production of Test Plans. • Scheduling of work. • Management of design review, test script and data preparation and test execution. • Production and reporting of MI metrics. • Defect Management. • Production of Test Exit reports. Skills Used CTC Cleared. Customer liaison. Test strategy and test plan production. Recruitment. Agile. Spira. Test management. Defect Management. MI and progress reporting. JAVA From June 2010 to January 2011 (8 months) Test Manager @ Description An expansive role encompassing definition of the company wide Operational Reconciliation (Ops Recs) UAT Test Strategy, Test Management and Business Assurance within the HBoS / Lloyds Banking Group integration programme. Responsibilities • Management of the Operational Reconciliation (Op Recs) test solution. • Production of the Master UAT Test Strategy, Plan and Schedule. • Management of the UAT test teams through all stages of Op Recs testing from test preparation, through execution, to test completion and sign off. • Engage stakeholders from other work streams. • Review test plans, scripts, execution results and defect management to provide assurance of earlier test phases relating to Ops Recs. • Produce metrics on progress and defects utilising Quality Centre. • Identify and communicate project and programme risks and issues. Skills Used Test strategy production. Test plan and documentation review. Stakeholder engagement and liaison. Test management. Defect management. Quality Centre. From February 2010 to April 2010 (3 months) Halifax, United KingdomTest Manager @ Description An expanding role in a high-pressure environment encompassing management of all areas of system test within the Child Maintenance programme. Responsibilities • Plan, schedule and hands on management of workload, strategy, resource, environments strategy and defects. • Produce metrics on progress and defects utilising Quality Centre. • Identify and communicate project and programme risks and issues. • Represent testing organisation at project and programme stakeholder meetings. • Gain and build the trust of all areas within the programme. • Troubleshoot system test and UAT processes. • Liaise with other areas out with the programme and third party suppliers. Skills Used Stakeholder and UAT liaison. Test strategy and test plan production. Multi-project cross-functional test team management. Waterfall. V model. Quality Centre. Defect Management. MI and progress reporting. From November 2007 to November 2009 (2 years 1 month) Newcastle upon Tyne, United KingdomSystem Integration @ Description Undertake a variety of System and UAT test roles on a number of applications provided by BT from design to implementation to their customers. Responsibilities • Review of design specification documents. • Production of test strategy, test plan, test scripts and test results documentation from design specification documents to BT standards. • Definition of acceptance test criteria and project documentation requirements. • Production of weekly MI and progress reports. • Oversee test preparation, Configuration Management, test execution, data preparation using SQL, defect management and improving procedures where necessary. • Working closely with in-house and third party project management, development and support staff. Skills Used Test strategy and test plan production. Agile. Star Team. Defect Management. MI and progress reporting. Process definition. C#. .NET. From January 2006 to November 2007 (1 year 11 months) Newcastle upon Tyne, United KingdomTest Manager @ Description Managing a number of phases of testing of a bespoke Package and Deployment Management (PADM) application, part of a program to re-platform the organisation. Also involved in the design and development of the .NET deployment solution, integrating with Tivoli and Remedy systems in conjunction with project stakeholders. Responsibilities • Formulating system test requirements for PADM. • Preparing test plans, schedules, test documentation and user guide within given deadlines for both system test and UAT. Management and execution of system test phase. • Supervising UAT test phase. • Documenting all test results. • Defect management using Quality Centre. • Providing application support to HBOS staff. Skills Used Test plan production. Recruitment. Agile. Quality Centre. Tivoli. Remedy. Test management. Test execution. Defect Management. UAT liaison. Project MI and progress reporting. C#. .NET. From June 2004 to December 2005 (1 year 7 months) Test Analyst @ Description Devising and preparing tests and documentation for a new prescriptive pricing loan application. Responsibilities • Preparation of test conditions. • Preparation of test scenarios and test scripts to cover all test conditions. • Identifying test data. • Working as part of a team of business staff, giving technical advice to non-technical team members where needed. Skills Used Test scenario production. Test script production. Test execution. Quality Centre. Waterfall. Test data preparation. SQL. COBOL. From July 2003 to June 2004 (1 year) Halifax, United KingdomTest Analyst @ Description Test preparation and execution of examination result information systems for NCS on behalf of the Data Collection Agency. Responsibilities • Derive test scenarios from high level test specification. • Preparation of test conditions document and system test scripts. • System test execution and documentation of results. • Defect management from detection to resolution. Skills Test scenario production. Test script production. Test execution. Defect management. SQL. Visual Basic From May 2003 to June 2003 (2 months) Test Planner / Analyst @ Description Planning and execution of tasks leading to a Model Office test phase. Responsibilities • Preparation of UAT test strategy documents. • Devising and writing Model Office action plan. • Collection, collation and presentation of Management Information. • Incident management using Test Director. • Amending Project plan as required. • Preparing both high level and detailed test scenarios, conditions, data and scripts. • Liaising with business and IT stakeholders. Skills Used Stakeholder liaison. UAT test strategy and plan production. Model Office. Test Director. Test management. Test execution. SQL. Defect Management. MI and progress reporting. From July 2002 to May 2003 (11 months) Halifax, United KingdomTest Coordinator @ Description Co-ordination of Integration of RBS and Nat West Retail Credit systems. Responsibilities • Formulation of System and UAT test requirements for the Retail Credit system. • Preparation of test plans, schedules and test documentation. • Execution of integration, system and UAT testing and supervision of UAT within model office. • Documentation of test results. • Defect management. • Liaising closely with both business and technical stakeholders at all levels. Skills Used Test requirement gathering. Test plan production. Test schedule production and management. Test management. Test execution. Defect Management. UAT. Integration. Project MI and progress reporting. From May 2001 to May 2002 (1 year 1 month) Edinburgh, United KingdomTest Analyst/System Tester @ Description Testing an education based personnel management application. Responsibilities • Production of test strategy and plan • Devising, writing and running test scripts from specification documents. • Interrogation and manipulation of data using TAOD SQL tool. Skills Used Test strategy production. Test plan production. Document review. Test execution. Defect Management. SQL. TOAD. MI and progress reporting. Tracker. From February 2001 to May 2001 (4 months) Test Analyst/System Tester @ Description Test activities relating to third party software integration. Responsibilities • Devising, writing and running integration tests for Coolplex Debt Manager. • Preparation, Interrogation and manipulation of data using SQL. • Training business staff to test throughout the testing lifecycle. Skills Used Test script production. Test execution. Defect Management. UAT liaison. Third party liaison. MI and progress reporting. SQL. Oracle. From September 2000 to February 2001 (6 months) Luton, United KingdomUA Tester/Test Analyst @ Description Test activities relating to integration of a third party Wealth Management application. Responsibilities • Devising, writing and running test scripts from specification documents for a new NT server / Oracle based financial application supplied by a third-party software provider. • Ensuring product compliance to specification. • Identifying problems, raising incident logs and managing their progress to resolution. • Training of new team members. • Providing support to model office staff. • Liaising closely with business and third party supplier staff. Skills Used Test plan production. Test execution. Defect Management. UAT liaison. Third party liaison. Model Office. MI and progress reporting. Oracle. Training. From May 2000 to September 2000 (5 months) Ilford, United KingdomSystem Tester/Test Analyst @ Description Devising, performing and analysing both System and User Acceptance tests for a variety of business applications amended to ensure millennium compliance. Responsibilities • Identifying and resolving faults in date critical processes. • Liaising with technical and business staff to obtain change sign off. • Developing, testing, running and analysing results of adhoc DB interrogation programs. Skills Used Defect review. Programming. Test execution. Defect Management. UAT liaison. MI and progress reporting. COBOL. IDMSX. JCL. SCL. From May 1999 to December 1999 (8 months) Newcastle upon Tyne, United KingdomSystem Tester @ Description System test of amendments for Y2K compliance and general maintenance. Responsibilities • Preparation of test packs. • Amendments to input data and database records. • Training of junior staff. Skills Used Test plan production. Test execution. Defect Management. Training. MI and progress reporting. COBOL. IDMSX. JCL. SCL. From September 1998 to March 1999 (7 months) Application Maintenance @ Description Resolution of Live Business Functional problems and SOLVE incidents. Responsibilities • Amendments to COBOL, DB2, SQL and Assembler code and queries. • Production of code through maintenance life cycle. Skills Used Defect review. Programming. Test execution. Defect Management. MI and progress reporting. COBOL. IDMSX. JCL. SCL. SOLVE. From October 1997 to September 1998 (1 year) Edinburgh, United KingdomSenior Software Engineer, Software Engineer, COBOL Programmer @ Description Employed in the development, test, maintenance and live support of the DSS Pay and Personnel application, the Financial and Management Information System (FAMIS). Responsibilities • Training and supervision of Software Engineers. • Scheduling testing within Service Delivery Testing and Product Testing environments. • Planning and scheduling of live work (including Batch or Online failures) to SLA. • Providing pager cover during silent hours, reacting to high priority incidents. • Close customer contact, both internal and external. • Programming and maintenance of bespoke software for FAMIS releases. Skills Used Defect review. Programming. Test execution. Defect Management. Live Support. MI and progress reporting. COBOL. IDMSX. JCL. SCL. AltaData. Automator QA. Training. From March 1991 to October 1997 (6 years 8 months) Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom

Walbottle High School Colin Benn is skilled in: Quality Center, System Testing, Test Management, Test Strategy, Testing, User Acceptance Testing, Requirements Gathering, Test Planning, System Integration Testing, Manual Testing, Defect Tracking, Integration, SDLC, Software Documentation, Regression Testing