QA Automation Lead

QA Automation Lead

Up to £60,000

Manchester (hybrid)

We are seeking experienced QA Leads to join our expanding technology team based in Manchester, UK. As part of our innovative tech function, you’ll play a key role in enhancing an award-winning digital platform that supports thousands of businesses. This role will help set quality standards across our three product domains.

The QA Lead will focus on ensuring the highest quality and performance of our technology products by leading QA Automation Engineers, implementing robust testing strategies, and driving a culture of continuous improvement across engineering squads.

You’ll collaborate with cross-functional teams, utilizing automation and testing best practices to ensure the reliability, scalability, and functionality of our product portfolio.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee testing activities within the product lifecycle, including functional, regression, performance, and security testing.
• Contribute to the strategic QA direction.
• Track and report on key quality metrics, including test coverage and defect statuses.
• Mentor QA Automation Engineers, fostering a focus on quality and continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with product owners and developers to define effective test strategies.
• Design and implement automated test scripts using tools such as Selenium, SpecFlow, Pact, and Gatling.
• Manage and configure test environments, ensuring stability and close alignment with production settings.
• Develop and maintain automated test suites for functional, regression, and performance testing.
• Identify, document, and track software defects, working closely with developers to resolve them.
• Participate in code reviews, sprint planning, and release management to ensure high-quality software releases.
• Stay current with emerging trends and best practices in software testing and automation.
• Review automated and manual test cases to ensure comprehensive coverage.
• Assist in testing platform enhancements outside regular hours to minimize business disruption.
• Support release management and ensure efficient product delivery.

Required Experience

• 4+ years of experience in a QA Lead or similar role.
• Proficient in writing automated end-to-end functional tests using Selenium WebDriver, ideally with C#.
• Experience in API testing (Postman, SpecFlow, and Pact).
• Skilled in cross-device testing (laptops and mobile devices).
• Strong knowledge of Test Plan preparation, estimation, and status reporting.
• Experience in performance testing and identifying platform improvements.
• Proficient in Git version control and manual testing (UAT/System/Regression).
• Working knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
• Familiar with CI/CD pipelines and Blue-Green deployments.
• Experience with microservices testing (unit, integration, contract, load, stress, security, resiliency testing).
• Ability to work well under pressure and support business stakeholders.
• Knowledge of cloud platforms (AWS).

Our Benefits

• Competitive base salary with annual company bonus.
• Flexible hybrid working model (2 days home, 3 days office).
• Career development and promotion opportunities.
• 25 days holiday, increasing to 28 days after 5 years.
• Enhanced maternity/paternity pay.
• Option to buy or sell up to 5 days of holiday per year.
• 3 paid charity leave days per year.
• Company events, social activities, and incentives.
• Company pension scheme.
• Costco membership.
• Salary sacrifice company car scheme.
• Cycle to Work scheme.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Employee discounts.
• Private medical insurance or healthcare cash plan options.