Reporting to: Head of Enterprise Architect & Integration
About the Role:
We are seeking an experienced and strategic Lead Quality Assurance & Integration to play a pivotal role in ensuring the quality and seamless integration of our vital technology ecosystems. Your focus will be on driving excellence in quality assurance practices while ensuring the successful integration of core systems that underpin our unifying work processes. You will lead the establishment and operation of a Center of Excellence for Quality Assurance, drive automation, and collaborate closely with integration teams to deliver robust and reliable technology solutions.
Responsibilities:
Quality Assurance Leadership:
- Develop and implement a comprehensive Quality Assurance strategy for IT solutions, with a strong emphasis on automation and integration testing for core systems.
- Establish and scale a Technology Factory focused on Test Automation, DevSecOps, and Process Automation, specifically aligned with the demands of complex system integrations.
- Champion DevSecOps adoption and drive maturity across the organization, particularly within teams involved in core system development and integration.
- Stay current on industry trends and emerging technologies in Quality Assurance, Automation, and System Integration, with a focus on solutions that enhance core system stability and performance.
Core Systems Integration & Testing:
- Lead and oversee the implementation of comprehensive testing strategies for all core system integration projects, ensuring alignment with unifying work processes.
- Collaborate with the Integration team to define and validate the target integration landscape ("to-be" state) and design robust testing scenarios that reflect real-world usage of these critical systems.
- Design, develop, and execute automated test suites for APIs, integration points, and end-to-end business processes related to core systems.
- Ensure seamless handover of tested integrations to the application support team, providing comprehensive documentation and training to ensure ongoing stability.
Team & Project Management:
- Lead and mentor a team of QA professionals, automation specialists, and integration testers, fostering a culture of quality and collaboration.
- Manage the day-to-day operations of the Quality Assurance function, including resource allocation, vendor management, and budget oversight.
- Collaborate with Program/Project Managers to evaluate and continuously improve Quality Assurance processes, tools, and automation frameworks.
- Proactively identify and mitigate risks related to quality and integration within core systems and associated IT projects.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field.
- 12+ years of experience in IT, with at least 4 years in a leadership role focused on Quality Assurance and/or Integration Testing within complex technology environments.
- Proven experience in leading and managing Quality Assurance for large-scale, mission-critical IT projects, ideally involving ERP systems or similar core platforms.
- Deep understanding of software testing methodologies (including integration testing), tools, and best practices, with an emphasis on solutions for complex integrations.
- Proven expertise in implementing and managing test automation frameworks (Tricentis Tosca, TestIM, NeoLoad preferred).
- Familiarity with API testing tools and techniques, experience with integration platforms/middleware is a plus.
- Experience with DevSecOps practices and tools (GitHub, GitHub Actions).
- Excellent communication, interpersonal, and stakeholder management skills.
- Strong leadership skills and the ability to develop, communicate, and execute strategic plans.
Preferred Skills:
- Experience in the CPG/Retail industry.
- Familiarity with AI-driven Test Automation and DevOps.
- Direct experience with core systems implementations or similar large-scale technology transformations.
