Test Coordinator

Location: Brussels + Remote

Languages: Dutch/French + English

Start Date: 20/07/2026

End Date: 31/12/2027

Job Title: Test Coordinator (APS NN)

Description:

Key Responsibilities:

• Test Planning & Strategy:
  • Define the test approach, scope, objectives, resource needs, timelines, and deliverables for each project, ensuring alignment with overall program plans and release schedules.
  • Develop the overall test strategy in collaboration with external partners, ensuring effective internal reporting and structured communication across teams.
  • Plan and coordinate the integration of automated tests into the overall testing framework, supporting the transition toward increased automation maturity.
• User Acceptance Testing (UAT):
  • Set up, coordinate, and supervise UAT activities for clients, ensuring smooth execution, timely issue resolution, and high-quality outcomes.
  • Ensure that test environments and test data are properly prepared, stable, and available in line with project schedules.
• Quality Assurance & Continuous Improvement:
  • Oversee test case design, execution, and coverage to ensure all functional and non-functional requirements are adequately tested.
  • Stay up to date with best practices, tools, and emerging trends to propose targeted quality improvements.
  • Manage the defect lifecycle: track, prioritize, and drive resolution in collaboration with development and business teams, ensuring timely communication and documentation.
  • Validate partner proposals and deliverables through sample testing and performance evaluation.
  • Take a proactive role in identifying, discussing, and implementing testing improvements with the Project Manager and other stakeholders.
  • Assess and help evolve partner testing standards and procedures to enhance UAT effectiveness.
• Team Leadership:
  • Lead and coordinate a team of testers (onshore and offshore).
  • Assign tasks, provide coaching, and foster a collaborative, high-performance work environment.
• Stakeholder Collaboration & Communication:
  • Act as the central point of contact for PMs, BAs, developers, testers, and external partners.
  • Communicate clearly, consistently, and proactively with all stakeholders on test progress, risks, issues, and dependencies.
  • Work closely with Project Managers and other stakeholders to translate business requirements into test plans and strategies.
  • Actively drive discussions around test quality, process improvements, and risk mitigation, ensuring testing activities remain aligned with overall project objectives.
• Governance, Metrics & Reporting:
  • Define, monitor, and enforce testing governance across assigned projects, serving as the escalation point for quality-related decisions and ensuring alignment with organizational standards.
  • Establish and maintain testing standards, processes, and methodologies in line with industry best practices.
  • Identify potential testing risks early and develop mitigation strategies to minimize their impact.
  • Continuously monitor test progress and quality metrics to ensure compliance with organizational standards.
  • Produce concise weekly test dashboards and contribute to Go/No-Go readiness reports to support informed decision-making.
  • Provide concise follow-up reports regarding ongoing testing activities to ensure transparency and stakeholder alignment.
  • Define, track, and report on key test metrics (e.g., defect density, test coverage, execution progress, UAT success rate) to provide actionable insights to stakeholders.
  • Collaborate with release and deployment teams to ensure testing activities align with release timelines and do not introduce project delays.
  • Monitor project changes and assess their impact on testing plans, proactively adjusting test scope and resources.
• Cost Awareness:
  • Monitor and manage the cost implications of proposed testing solutions and improvements, balancing quality and budget efficiency.

Conformity Criteria:

• Overall Testing Experience: Minimum 5 years of hands-on functional software testing.
• Test Management Experience: Minimum 3 years leading test strategy, planning, and execution.
• UAT Coordination: Minimum 2 years coordinating or supervising UAT activities.
• Agile Product Ownership: Minimum 3 years as Product Owner or equivalent.
• Distributed/Offshore Teams: Proven experience working in projects involving distributed or offshore teams.
• Domain Requirement: Minimum 1 year experience in the Railway Sector, especially in the planning department.
• Office Presence: Onsite (Belgium) - 2 days per week.
• English: Full professional proficiency and French or Dutch: Native or full professional proficiency.

Evaluation Criteria:

1. Core Testing Expertise:
   • Degree of completeness and complexity of testing activities performed in previous projects.
   • Types of testing covered (regression, integration, system, E2E).
   • Level of involvement in defect lifecycle management.
   • Complexity of test scenarios handled.
2. Test Strategy & Planning:
   • Depth of involvement in defining and executing test strategy and planning.
   • Responsibility level (definition vs. execution).
   • Experience in managing test campaigns.
   • Ability to identify automation opportunities (risk/ROI-based).
3. Tools & Technical Proficiency:
   • Level of practical experience with key tools required for the mission.
   • Use of Jira and Confluence (scope and purpose).
   • Experience with Postman for API testing.
   • Use of SQL for data validation.
4. Agile Ways of Working:
   • Relevance and depth of experience in Agile environments.
   • Participation in Scrum ceremonies (planning, refinement).
   • Role in ensuring testability of user stories.
   • Interaction with product backlog and stakeholders.
5. Leadership & Coordination:
   • Level of responsibility in managing and coordinating testing activities.
   • Team coordination (size, role, responsibilities).
   • Risk management and reporting activities.
   • Contribution to Go/No-Go decisions.