SUMMARY:
Kestra is seeking a dynamic and experienced Senior Manager of Test Engineering to lead our quality assurance and testing teams. In this strategic leadership role, you will be responsible for overseeing the planning, execution, and improvement of testing practices across multiple projects and teams. As a Senior Manager, you will drive the vision and strategy for test engineering, lead a team of test engineers, and ensure the delivery of high-quality software products. You will also be instrumental in shaping and mentoring the next generation of testing talent, and ensuring that test automation, performance, and quality assurance processes align with company goals.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: To perform this job successfully, this individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily:
- Lead, mentor, and manage 3 groups of test engineers (Manual, Automation and Performance), ensuring alignment with overall company goals and technical strategy.
- Develop and implement a comprehensive test strategy that covers functional, automation, regression, and performance testing across multiple product teams.
- Collaborate with senior leadership, product management, and development teams to define testing objectives and ensure testing activities align with product goals.
- Drive continuous improvement in test engineering practices, test automation, and testing processes across all stages of the software development lifecycle (SDLC).
- Define and implement key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics for test effectiveness and quality assurance.
- Collaborate closely with engineering, product, and operations teams to understand system requirements and establish testing priorities.
- Coordinate test efforts across multiple teams to ensure comprehensive test coverage, with a focus on both functional and non-functional testing.
- Provide leadership in defining test plans and ensuring that all tests are executed as per the product release schedules.
Test Automation & Innovation:
- Champion the adoption and enhancement of automated testing frameworks to improve testing efficiency, effectiveness, and scalability.
- Oversee the implementation and maintenance of automated tests using modern tools and frameworks (e.g., ADO Pipelines, C# Selenium, Playwright, etc.).
- Ensure the test automation strategy is integrated into the CI/CD pipeline to accelerate testing cycles and product delivery.
- Foster a culture of innovation, encouraging exploration of new tools, technologies, and best practices in test automation.
Process Improvement & Continuous Learning:
- Analyze testing processes and identify opportunities for improvement in efficiency, coverage, and effectiveness.
- Lead the integration of new testing tools, methodologies, and industry trends into the team's practices.
- Implement best practices in test documentation, reporting, and defect management, ensuring transparency and clear communication within the organization.
Reporting & Stakeholder Communication:
- Provide regular updates on testing progress, quality metrics, and potential risks to senior management and key stakeholders.
- Lead reviews of test results, identify key findings, and present actionable recommendations for product quality improvements.
- Ensure that all testing documentation is complete, accurate, and easily accessible for internal teams and external stakeholders.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND/OR ABILITIES: To perform this job successfully, individuals should have the following skills and abilities:
- Extensive experience in test strategy development, test planning, and execution for both manual and automated testing.
- Proven track record of managing large, cross-functional testing teams in an agile development environment.
- In-depth knowledge of test automation tools and frameworks (ADO Pipelines, C# Selenium, Playwright, etc).
- Strong understanding of CI/CD pipelines and how to integrate testing into them.
- Experience with performance testing tools (e.g., JMeter, LoadRunner) and techniques for scalability and performance testing.
- Experience with defect management and documentation systems (e.g., Jira/Confluence)
- Strong understanding of modern software development methodologies (Agile, Scrum, Waterfall).
- Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
- Strong problem-solving abilities and attention to detail.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: Yes; Software test engineers, Automation test engineers, Performance/Load test engineers
EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
- 8+ years of experience in software testing, with at least 5 years in a leadership or managerial role.
- Experience with Agile/Scrum methodologies preferred
- Financial Services/Wealth Management industry experience a plus
CERTIFICATIONS, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:
PHYSICAL DEMAND: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Ability to sit at a computer for long periods of time in an office environment well lit.
- Ability to lift up to 20 pounds.
- Position is located in Austin, TX office. Must be able to work in the office during scheduled work hours.
OTHER DUTIES: Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a complete comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
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