Job summary
This role’s key objective is to ensure the Quality Assurance function is equipped with high performing test analysts and engineers, leading edge technology and efficient processes to deliver testing of a high standard across the organisation.
Main duties
The role oversees both Test and Release functions across the organisation supporting different products and propositions. These include a set of in-house applications, and SAAS products integrated using a Microsoft integration stack.
- Championing the Quality mindset, agile test process and methodology in the business.
- Develop the team and team members to be a high performing, efficient unit.
- Work closely with the Test/Release Manager/Leads to ensure testing within the teams is supported, efficient, and best practise is implemented and continuously improved upon.
- Work closely with the Test/ Release Leads to ensure adequate technologies are in place to allow for efficient testing and driving automation in both the test and release functions.
- Contribute to the Technology departmental strategies and planning. Ensuring Quality strategy and planning is aligned.
- Build a working relationship with other Functional Service Leads and SME’s and provide support to them.
- Continuous review of Quality Assurance members’ skill sets and product knowledge with a view to enhancing it.
- Champion continuous improvement with Quality, testing and release activities through the establishment, measurement, and transparency of relevant metrics that add value and move us closer to the department goals.
- Continuous review of supplier testing processes and looking for opportunities to provide efficiency improvements.
- Keep abreast of new testing tools, technologies, and methods, and implementing where increased efficiency can be achieved.
- Identify resource gaps, writing Job Descriptions, and interviewing candidates.
- Support the Technology department with transformation and implementation of new ideas and ways of working.
- Contribute to Technical Leadership by taking initiatives to make improvement across the division.
- Review performance, and team goal/objective setting.
- Ensure testing tools, technologies and direction across the Quality Assurance team are aligned.
- Ensure the Quality Assurance team is aligned with the Technology goals and objectives.
- Regulatory responsibilities: support the Internal Audit team as necessary.
Technical & Managerial Requirements:
- Experience of managing high performing teams consisting of more than 20 test engineers.
- Experience of understanding and quantifying business risk that could be introduced by software changes.
- Proven leadership and demonstrable communication skills.
- Experience of reviewing performance and objective setting.
- Experience of championing transformation and change using empirical data & dashboards.
- Deep knowledge and understanding of software security standards and challenges.
- A breadth of experience in agile software development fundamentals and life cycles including open-source test automation tools and frameworks
- Advocate and evangelise for best practises like Test Driven Development (TDD), Behaviour Driven Development (BDD), Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Delivery (CD)
- Demonstrable experience in improving the performance and efficiency of functional teams.
- Worked in a product lead squad team structure.
- Demonstrable experience of building a well-rounded test strategy including manual and automated testing and ensuring these are reported on regularly to engage Business stakeholders and manage their expectations.
- Understanding of latest testing and development technologies, frameworks, and approaches.
- Familiar with non-functional testing (Performance/Security/Usability).
- End to End testing and test planning across multiple systems and platforms.
- Understanding and appreciation of user journeys and customer experience.
- Experienced in using Azure DevOps (Epics, Stories and Defect Management) to measure and report.
Education & Skills
- Essential: ISTQB foundation or equivalent.
- Relevant experience of being a Test Manager, Program Test Manager or Head of Testing/Quality Assurance on successful project implementations in a software environment.
Personal skills
- Commercially focused and Innovative.
- Self-motivator with a willingness to learn new skills.
- Effective leader – People person and good listener.
- Ability to thrive in a complex and highly regulated environment.
- Ability to encourage others to be high performers.
- Goal and outcome orientated with a drive to do what it takes to get the job done.
- Thoroughness and attention to detail.
- Ability to generate ideas and draw them out of others.
- Ability to bridge communications between technical and business focused groups.
- Comfortable working with people at all levels in an organisation.
- Excellent planning and co-ordination skills.
- Problem Solving – ability to consider and evaluate all relevant factors (consulting others) and then deciding based on your conclusions.
- Service Orientated – Stand for excellence, our solutions are user friendly and add value to the business.
Technical Awareness
- Keep abreast with the latest developments in the IT industry.
- Familiar with Testing Techniques and setting up CICD for automated deployments.
- Able to determine the suitability of testing tools and methodologies for projects across the portfolio
- Make an Impact – Able to adapt style to meet the needs of different audiences. Able to sell the use of scrum to stakeholders at all levels. You’re passionate about Quality and Agile principles and excited to embed them across the organisation
- Mentoring / Coaching – Be keen to participate in the development and progress of team members.
Posting Date: 13th May 2024
End Date: 30th June 2024
