Quality Assurance Lead

Job Summary :

We are seeking a seasoned and dynamic QA Lead with 10-15 years of experience, primarily from a product-based company background. The ideal candidate will possess a strong blend of manual and automation testing expertise, with a focus on 70% manual testing and 30% automation testing. This role requires a leader who can define, implement, and optimize QA processes, mentor a team of QA engineers, and ensure the delivery of high-quality, robust, and user-friendly products. You will be instrumental in shaping our quality strategy and fostering a culture of quality throughout the development lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities :

Manual Testing (Approx. 70%) :

- Test Strategy & Planning : Develop comprehensive manual test plans, test cases, and test strategies based on product requirements, user stories, and design specifications.

- Execution & Reporting : Lead and execute complex manual testing efforts, including functional, regression, integration, system, and user acceptance testing. Ensure thorough defect reporting, tracking, and verification.

- Exploratory Testing : Drive exploratory testing sessions to uncover edge cases and usability issues that might be missed by scripted tests.

- User Experience (UX) Testing : Champion the end-user perspective, conducting detailed UX and usability testing to ensure intuitive and seamless product interactions.

- Cross-Browser/Device Testing : Oversee and perform extensive testing across various browsers, operating systems, and mobile devices to ensure cross-platform compatibility and responsiveness.

Automation Testing (Approx. 30%) :

- Automation Strategy : Define and evolve the automation testing strategy, identifying suitable candidates for automation and selecting appropriate tools and frameworks.

- Framework Development : Contribute to the design, development, and maintenance of scalable and robust automation test frameworks (e.g., Selenium, Playwright, Cypress, Appium, etc.).

- Scripting & Execution : Develop, execute, and maintain automated test scripts for functional, regression, and API testing. Integrate automation into CI/CD pipelines.

- Reporting & Analysis : Analyze automation test results, identify trends, and provide actionable insights to the development team for continuous improvement.

- Tool Evaluation : Research and recommend new automation tools and technologies to enhance testing efficiency and coverage.

Leadership & Strategy :

- Team Leadership & Mentoring : Lead, guide, and mentor a team of QA engineers, fostering their professional growth and technical skills in both manual and automation testing.

- Process Improvement : Drive continuous improvement in QA processes, methodologies, and best practices (e.g., Agile/Scrum, Shift-Left testing).

- Stakeholder Collaboration : Collaborate closely with product managers, developers, and other stakeholders to understand requirements, provide timely feedback, and align on quality goals.

- Risk Management : Identify and assess quality risks, developing mitigation strategies and communicating them effectively to project teams.

- Quality Metrics : Define, track, and report on key quality metrics to provide visibility into product quality and team performance.

General QA :

- Participate actively in all phases of the software development lifecycle (SDLC), from requirements gathering to deployment and post-release support.

- Ensure adherence to quality standards and regulatory compliance where applicable.

- Act as a strong advocate for quality within the organization.

Required Qualifications & Skills :

- Experience : 10-15 years of progressive experience in Quality Assurance, with a significant portion in a product-based company.

- Domain Expertise : Proven experience in [mention relevant industry/domain if applicable, e.g., SaaS, E-commerce, FinTech, Healthcare, etc.].

- Manual Testing Mastery : Deep understanding and extensive experience in various manual testing techniques and methodologies.

- Automation Proficiency : Hands-on experience with at least one major automation framework/tool (e.g., Selenium, Playwright, Cypress, Appium) and programming languages like Java, Python, JavaScript, or C#.

- API Testing : Experience with API testing tools (e.g., Postman, SoapUI).

- Database Knowledge : Strong SQL skills for backend data validation.

- Test Management Tools : Proficiency with test management tools (e.g., Jira, Azure DevOps, TestRail, qTest).

- SDLC & Agile : Solid understanding of SDLC and extensive experience working in Agile/Scrum environments.

- Communication : Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical issues clearly.

- Problem-Solving : Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.

Preferred Qualifications & Skills :

- Experience with performance testing tools (e.g., JMeter, LoadRunner).

- Familiarity with security testing concepts.

- Certifications in Quality Assurance (e.g., ISTQB Advanced Level).

- Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).