Head of Quality Assurance

This job is brought to you by Jobs/Redefined, the UK's leading over-50s age inclusive jobs board.

We're looking for a Head of Quality Assurance (QA) to join our IT team in Milton Keynes. In this role, you will lead the community of QA analysts, oversee the quality assurance process throughout the development lifecycle and within the agile teams. You will be responsible for ensuring that there are the appropriate number of QA analysts within the agile teams to manage the flow of software effectively. Additionally, you will ensure the analysts work to a high standard, and operate effectively within the business aligned teams. As we start to implement automated testing across the roles, you will lead the selection and implementation of the tools and implement the transformation.

Key responsibilities of the Head of QA:

• Ensure there is an appropriate test strategy and approach for QA across all business applications.
• Lead the community of test engineers that sit within the business aligned teams, providing QA thought leadership and develop the capability of the QA team
• Implement QA standards and processes across all types of testing (functional, non functional, regression and load), and levels of testing (unit, system, integration and user acceptance testing).
• Ensure that test practices and outcomes of testing are suitably documented, measured and tracked, with test plans and test scripts.
• Develop and execute a strategy for automated testing, where the benefits of investing into automation can be proved.
• Lead the transition to automated testing in the scrum teams, where it is appropriate, and ensure that it is integrated into the development process.
• Implement a set of operational measures that testing will be tracked by and provide periodic updates.
• Ensure there is the correct number of testers within each agile business aligned teams to manage the flow.
• Build a high performing test team, manage and mentor the QA analysts, and ensure the appropriate performance management activities are adhered to.

Experience & skills:

• Preferably educated to graduate level and 5-10 years' experience in Testing and test automation
• Experience of designing and implementing test strategies, and test automation
• Strong understanding of software testing methodologies and best practices
• Experience with automation tools such as Playwright and Selenium
• Operated within an agile framework and Test Driven Development (TDD) practises
• Experience with DevOps test orchestration
• Excellent communication and leadership skills
• Experience of managing and mentoring a team of test engineers (circa 20)
• Ability to build a high performing team and the driving force who leads and encourages teams to meet and exceed goals and targets
• Must be able to work collaboratively across the organisation, and with external stakeholders at a similar level

Connells Group is one of the largest and most successful estate agency and property services providers in the UK and as of March 2021 also encompasses Countrywide. Founded in 1936 and with a network of over 1,250 branches nationwide, the Group combines residential sales and lettings expertise with a range of consumer and corporate services including new homes, mortgage services, conveyancing, EPC provision, surveying, corporate lettings, asset management, land & planning, LPA receivers and auctions.

Connells Group UK is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, transgender status, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity.

CF00459