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Project and Quality Lead
Job Title: Project and Quality Lead Team: Tech Team Accountable to: Technical Director & Senior Developer Working hours: Full-time Contract: 12 Month Fixed Term Contract with possibility of extension. Salary: £40,000-£50,000 depending on experience Location: Hybrid Working, Office in Manchester City Centre
BACKGROUND
Countryscape is a multi-disciplinary company, combining the creative skills of a communications agency with the scientific knowledge of an environmental consultancy.
Countryscape is also a partner in Oppla, an open platform with a mission to connect people around the world in creating, sharing and safeguarding environmental knowledge. Oppla is the world’s largest community on nature-based solutions and offers a permanent home for the outputs of research and innovation projects. Users of the Oppla platform can create their own communities and share case studies, resources, events and news on climate and nature-related topics.
Oppla hosts many different communities that are organised into projects and also by topics. Our communities mostly comprise scientists and academics from the research and innovation sector, with a focus on the environment. But they also include policymakers, businesses, practitioners working on practical projects, students, and civil society organisations, including community groups and interested members of the public.
The Operations & Business Manager provides structure, consistency, and operational clarity across Countryscape. The role oversees systems, IT, compliance, and internal processes to ensure smooth project delivery and free the Directors to focus on clients, creative work, and business growth. This position blends hands-on operational management with forward planning and proactive problem-solving.
WHO WE ARE
We’re a small but growing team united by a passion for making a real difference for our planet.
We all take ownership of our work, shaping it to fit our own unique skills, expertise and ways of working. We value diversity among people and perspectives and have a culture where we listen carefully and speak openly to one another.
This role is ideal for someone open-minded, eager to learn from others, and ready to approach challenges with creativity and positivity.
This role is a hybrid role at our Manchester office with home working once or twice a week.
The diversity of our workforce is important to us, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds and identities. We also encourage applications from candidates who may not meet every requirement but have relevant skills, experience, and a willingness to learn.
The Project and Quality Lead plays a pivotal role in ensuring digital and platform-based projects are delivered efficiently, clearly scoped, and to a high standard of quality. The role sits at the intersection of project management, business analysis, and quality assurance — translating strategic intent into clear requirements and ensuring delivery meets both user and organisational needs.
Job Title: Project and Quality Lead
Team: Tech Team
Accountable to: Technical Director & Senior Developer
Working hours: Full-time
Contract: 12 Month Fixed Term Contract with possibility of extension.
Salary: £40,000-£50,000 depending on experience
Location: Hybrid Working, Office in Manchester City Centre
Job Role in Brief
An experienced project manager with a track record of delivering complex, high-value programmes and supporting effective operations through strong financial, people and data management.
Key Responsibilities
Project Management (PM):
Facilitate key agile ceremonies including scoping sessions, backlog refinement, sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and sprint reviews/retrospectives.
Develop and manage project plans, timelines, and backlogs (Epics, User Stories, Tasks).
Track project progress, proactively identify and mitigate risks and impediments, and manage dependencies.
Ensure overall project delivery, aligning scope, quality, and timelines with stakeholder expectations.
Coordinate software releases, communicate release schedules, and manage stakeholder communication throughout the project lifecycle.
Foster a collaborative and efficient team environment.
Business Analysis (BA):
Work closely with the Technical Director, Creative Director, and other stakeholders to elicit, analyse, and clearly document business needs, user requirements, and project objectives.
Translate high-level strategic vision into detailed user stories, functional specifications, and actionable development tickets.
Define and document clear, concise, and testable acceptance criteria for each user story/ticket, ensuring they align with business outcomes.
Act as the primary liaison between stakeholders and the development team, ensuring a shared understanding of requirements and goals.
Support the product vision by managing and prioritising the product backlog in collaboration with stakeholders.
Quality Assurance (QA) / Testing:
Develop and execute comprehensive test plans and test cases based on requirements, user stories, and acceptance criteria.
Perform thorough functional, usability, integration (where applicable), and regression testing to ensure high-quality deliverables.
Clearly document, report, and track bugs and issues through to resolution, working closely with developers.
Retest fixes meticulously and validate that all quality standards are met before User Acceptance Testing (UAT).
Facilitate UAT sessions with stakeholders, gather feedback, and ensure it is appropriately actioned.
Champion quality assurance best practices within the team.
Desirable Skills & Experience
Experience working with CMS platforms (ideally Drupal) or similar web-based application projects.
Familiarity with project management software (e.g., Jira, Trello, Asana).
Experience with test management tools.
Ability to understand technical discussions and contribute to scoping from a requirements and quality perspective.
Qualifications
Formal qualifications in one of the/multiple of the following: Project Management (e.g., PRINCE2, AgilePM, PMP), Business Analysis (e.g., BCS/IIBA certification), or Software Testing (e.g., ISTQB).
Behaviours & Ways of Working
Comfortable working in a small, fast-changing environment
Able to manage competing priorities
Willing to take ownership and use initiative
Working Relationships
Internal stakeholders
External suppliers / clients
Any cross-functional responsibilities
Teamwork, Systems & Flexibility
Act as a positive, collaborative team player, contributing to a supportive and professional company-wide culture.
Effectively manage workload and priorities using the company’s project management systems and agreed processes.
Demonstrate flexibility and a proactive attitude by supporting a range of tasks outside of the core job description, recognising the evolving needs of a small and growing organisation.
TO APPLY
For the position, please complete the Application Form below. Upload a copy of your CV and cover letter in ONE document. Applications without a cover letter or CV will not be considered. Enquiries should be addressed to office@ashfieldhr.co.uk
Closing date: Friday 6th March 2026
Interview date: Friday 20th March 2026
Ideal start: ASAP