Director of Technology QA

Primary Purpose:

The inaugural Director of Technology Quality Assurance will serve a key leadership role in establishing a defined software testing function within TowneBank.

This role is expected to develop and implement testing strategies aligned with industry best practices that will ensure that our platforms and applications are functional, user-friendly, and free from quality issues. You will work closely with cross-functional teams, including developers, business analysts and product managers, to drive continuous improvements and ensure that our products are delivered on time and within specifications.

The good-faith compensation range for this role is expected to be $150,000, based on the role, market, internal equity, and candidate qualifications.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Leading and managing the QA team in the development, implementation, and execution of quality assurance processes and strategies.
• Developing and enforcing quality standards and procedures, ensuring all team members follow them.
• Monitoring and analyzing key quality metrics to track product performance and identify areas for improvement.
• Working closely with product development, engineering, and operations teams to ensure that quality standards are integrated into the product lifecycle.
• Overseeing the planning and execution of audits, inspections, and tests to evaluate product quality.
• Developing and maintaining quality documentation, including test plans, reports, and defect tracking records.
• Establishing and maintaining a strong communication channel with other departments to ensure quality expectations are met throughout the production process.
• Conducting root cause analysis of quality issues and implementing corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
• Providing leadership, training, and development opportunities to QA staff to enhance team skills and performance.
• Oversee and coordinate the daily operations of the QA function, ensuring all activities align with business goals and end user requirements.
• Lead the development and execution of quality assurance plans for products, including both manual and automated testing strategies.
• Perform risk assessments and ensure quality risks are mitigated throughout the product life cycle.
• Monitor testing progress, defect trends, and product performance, providing status updates to senior management.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory standards, industry best practices, and company policies regarding quality assurance processes.
• Collaborate with engineering, product management, and member support teams to gather feedback and improve product quality.
• Conduct periodic team performance reviews, offer constructive feedback, and implement continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure all product releases meet defined quality criteria before they are launched to customers.
• Assist in the identification and implementation of new tools and technologies to enhance the quality assurance processes.
• Manage and mentor the QA team, fostering a collaborative and results-driven environment.
• Stay updated on industry trends, new quality management methodologies, and regulatory changes that affect product quality.

Required skills and qualifications

• A Bachelor's degree in Software Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field.
• Demonstrable experience as a QA Manager, QA Lead, or similar role, with 5+ years in quality assurance (QA) and at least 2 years in a management position.
• Proven experience managing QA teams, including training, performance management, and team development.
• In-depth knowledge of quality assurance methodologies, tools, and frameworks.
• Expertise with ISO-29119 software testing standards and processes
• Background in developing and managing automated test suites using tools (Selenium, TestNG, QTP, or similar) and scripting languages.
• Experience with software testing, defect tracking, and quality management systems (JIRA, TestRail, Quality Centre).
• Experience with performance testing, load testing, and security testing.
• In-depth knowledge of Agile, Scrum, and Waterfall methodologies and the ability to implement QA processes in an Agile environment.
• Excellent leadership skills with the ability to motivate and inspire a team to achieve quality objectives.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with attention to detail.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to present complex information to various stakeholders.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.

Preferred skills and qualifications:

• MBA or Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related technical or leadership field.

• Relevant certification in Quality Management (Six Sigma, ISO 9001, ISTQB).
• Experience with cloud-based QA tools and testing in a cloud environment (AWS, Azure).
• Knowledge of security testing and quality assurance compliances in India.
• Experience with performance testing and monitoring tools (JMeter, LoadRunner).
• Familiarity with database testing and data management tools (SQL, Oracle, MongoDB).
• Strong knowledge of software development lifecycle (SDLC) and quality control processes.
• Familiarity with tools such as Jenkins or Git for continuous integration/continuous testing.
• Experience using statistical analysis and quality control tools.
• Experience within bank, credit union, or similar regulated Financial Services environment
• Familiarity with Q2 online banking platform

Physical Requirements:

• Express or exchange ideas by means of the spoken word via email and verbally.
• Exert up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, use your arms and legs, and sit most of the time.
• Have close visual acuity to perform activities such as analyzing data, viewing a computer terminal, reading, and preparing documentation.
• Not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions.
• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential responsibilities of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential responsibilities.