Quality Assurance Lead

Job Title: Quality Assurance Lead

Job Role & Responsibilities:

1. QA Strategy and Vision:
   • Establish long-term Quality Assurance goals, best practices, and process improvements aligned with company objectives, including the thoughtful adoption of automation and modern QA tools.
2. Stakeholders Communication & Cross-departmental Collaboration:
   • Work closely with client stakeholders (when applicable), Senior and Executive management, and collaborate with project leadership to ensure QA deliveries align with customer/business expectations.
3. Performance and Compliance Oversight:
   • Ensure adherence to industry and company-specific compliance requirements (ISO 27001:2022 & CMMI L3) by offering mentoring and oversight to the team.
   • Establish, implement, and periodically review document artifacts and repository management practices.
4. Risk Management and Escalation Handling:
   • Establish checkpoints and quality assurance processes to proactively identify quality risks, handle escalation and subsequent reporting while ensuring mitigation strategies are in place.
5. Operations Efficiency & Cost Management:
   • Optimize QA processes to maximize efficiency, reduce costs, and ensure high-quality outcomes within budget constraints by balancing resource utilization and service delivery requirements.
6. Team Management and Resource Planning:
   • Lead, mentor, and upskill QA team members along with ensuring clear roles, fostering collaboration, and maintaining a motivated workforce to achieve quality goals efficiently.
7. Continuous Improvement & Innovation:
   • Drive continuous improvement through automation and effective QA tools to enhance testing efficiency, accuracy, and scalability.
   • Foster a culture of innovation and ensure processes evolve with industry best practices.
8. Modern QA Tool Adoption:
   • Evaluate and adopt appropriate QA tools and frameworks, including AI-enabled capabilities where relevant, to improve test effectiveness and team productivity.

Specific Expertise Required:

• Proven experience as a QA Manager, QA Lead, or in a similar role, with 12+ years in quality assurance and at least 3 years in a management role leading QA operations across multiple accounts, projects, or a large QA department.
• Extensive experience working with PMO teams to gather and analyze requirements and develop test plans based on user needs.
• Proven ability to lead and manage QA teams of 20+ members, including training, performance management, team development, and resource allocation.
• Deep expertise in QA methodologies, tools, and frameworks, with hands-on experience implementing scalable QA processes.
• Extensive experience designing and managing automated test suites using tools such as Playwright, Selenium, Cucumber, or similar, along with scripting languages like Python, JavaScript, or Java.
• Proficient in defect tracking and quality management systems such as JIRA, with exposure to performance, load, and security testing tools.
• Strong understanding of Agile, Scrum, and Waterfall methodologies, with the ability to adapt QA strategies to changing project needs.
• Strong problem-solving skills, keen attention to detail, and the ability to analyze complex issues to ensure high-quality deliverables.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to senior leaders, clients, and other stakeholders.
• Hands-on familiarity with AI-powered test automation tools such as Testim, Mabl, Applitools, Functionize, or similar platforms for self-healing tests, visual validation, and intelligent test maintenance.
• Working knowledge of generative AI and machine learning concepts for QA, including prompt engineering, AI-assisted test case generation, defect prediction, risk-based test prioritization, and responsible use of AI in regulated environments.
• Ability to define and execute an AI adoption roadmap for the QA function — evaluating tools, upskilling team members, and embedding AI into the test lifecycle without disrupting delivery timelines.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver QA objectives on time.

Technical / Functional Skills:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
• Certifications: Relevant software quality certifications (e.g., ISTQB) are preferred. Certifications in Agile methodologies, modern test automation tools, or Cloud platforms are a strong added advantage.
• Quality & Efficiency Expertise: Demonstrated experience driving continuous improvement initiatives, conducting Root Cause Analysis (RCA), and implementing Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPA) within complex delivery environments.
• Modern QA & Automation: Deep understanding of integrating test automation frameworks into CI/CD pipelines and exploring AI-led operational efficiencies to accelerate software delivery and testing lifecycles.
• Auditing and Compliance: Proven ability to drive and maintain internal process maturity and security standards, specifically ISO 27001 and CMMI Level 3. Experience governing delivery adherence to both these internal benchmarks and client-specific regulatory standards, such as HIPAA.
• Strategic Thinking: Ability to align QA strategies, tools, and process improvements with broader organizational goals to support long-term business success.