QA Lead

Job Description

Job Title: QA LeadLocation: Potters Bar, Bristol or Isle of ManType: PermanentDescription: Canada Life UK looks after the retirement, investment and protection needs of individuals, families and companies. We help to build better futures for our customers, our intermediaries and our employees by operating as a modern, agile and welcoming organisation.Part of our parent company Great-West Lifeco, Canada Life UK has operated in the United Kingdom since 1903. We have hundreds of respected and supported employees committed to doing the right thing for our customers and colleagues.Canada Life UK is transforming to create a more customer-focused business by providing our customers with expertise on financial and tax planning, offering home finance and annuities propositions, and providing collective fund solutions to third party customers.Job PurposeWe now need a QA Lead to support the transformation and the future growth of the business within the IT function, so it can simplify our IT architecture by removing our legacy systems and investing in modernised, lower-cost technology systems, and deliver a digital platform that provides a single view of our customers.Job summaryReporting directly to the QA Manager, the QA Lead is expected to lead and delivery initiatives ranging from small to large and complex programmes. Responsible for building out the testing strategy, delivery planning, reporting, resource planning, budgets and estimating, as well managing day to day testing related tasks on initiatives.Will responsible for delivering Functional Testing, Non-Functional Testing, User Acceptance Testing and both Agile and Waterfall delivery models and expected to utilise test automation as much as possible.The role will require line management, performance management, mentoring and building out training plans for direct reports to ensure knowledge is shared as applicable across the team.This exciting role offers a wide range of development opportunities, as well as the opportunity to be part of an IT transformation that will enhance and optimise the way we deliver value to our customersKey Accountabilities• Leading large and complex programmes of work• Resource management of geographically dispersed teams made up of mixed skills from specialist QA and Automation as well as Business SME Testers.• Day-to-day management of QA Analysts to deliver Project / Release Test Plans.• Performing line management activities for a small team of QA Analysts including regular 1 to 1s, performance reviews and ensuring individual development to meet the on-going needs of the team.• Managing the activities involved in delivering specific test tasks enabling QA Analysts and Senior QA Analysts to complete test activities on time.• Performing hands-on testing as required to ensure timely completion of test activities.• Responsible for test preparation and execution of all Canada Life owned testing phases, including Non-Functional testing.• Ensuring that all testing is completed to time, cost and quality.• Definition and sign-off of Project / Release Test Plans.• Overseeing the implementation of test automation for specific Projects / Releases.• Ensuring QA and test automation is integrated into the Canada Life DevOps and CI/CD software delivery approach for specific Projects / Releases.• Identifying skills gaps and related training requirements within the team.• Knowledge transfer, training and mentoring of other members of the QA team.• Defect Management.• Providing Test Progress Reports and relevant Management Information regularly and on request.• Assisting the QA Manager in embedding new test methodologies.• Identifying process improvements to increase efficiency and enhance test maturity.Desired Knowledge / Experience / SkillsEssential:• Test Management experiences in the region of 6+ Years, Programme Test Management experience minimum 2 years• Must have experience in UK Financial Services, Insurance, Pensions, Wealth Management.• Experience in communicating at all levels, ranging from testers through SteerCo level meetings• Excellent and Confident Communicator, capable of reporting up and down and dealing with challenging stakeholders• Previous line management experience.• Proven experience leading the QA effort of a team of testers.• Strong experience working within an agile (SCRUM) development environment and experience working within a waterfall delivery methodology.• Excellent knowledge of manual testing methods and techniques used to identify test scenarios and criteria.• Knowledge of DevOps and Continuous Integration / Continuous Delivery.• Regression Testing & Automation - knowledge and experience of working with automated test frameworks and defining tests to be automated. Applying automation to create an efficient Regression Test approach.• Able to co-ordinate different phases of testing, including System Testing, UAT, Business Acceptance Testing and MOT.• Experience working with and managing quality from external suppliers.Highly Desirable:• Experience using Jira / Zephyr for Test Case Management.• Non Functional Testing - knowledge of industry load and monitoring tools with hands-on experience of their use to meet Non-Functional Requirements.Preferable:• ISTQB / ISEB qualified in a Test Management qualification.• Co-ordinating testers across multiple physical locationsWhat youll like about working hereAs a Canada Life UK colleague, youll receive a competitive salary and comprehensive reward package including income protection, private medical insurance and life assurance, along with a generous pension and bonus scheme. Youll also receive the support you need with your personal and professional development.Diversity and inclusionCanada Life is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. Our role as an employer of choice is to provide the right environment for talented people to do their best work, by respecting, understanding and valuing individual differences