Lead IT Quality Assurance Analyst

Company Description

Job Description

The Lead IT Quality Assurance Analyst will play a primary role in planning, implementing, leading and executing all aspects of Quality Assurance (QA) and software testing. This individual will also analyze data gathered in support of business cases, proposed projects, and systems requirements to provide estimated level of effort in testing. This will include writing test plans and scripts for tracking defects and fixes in product development, software application development, information systems, and operating systems. The QA Lead will apply proven analytical and problem-solving skills to help validate IT processes through careful testing in order to maximize the benefit of business investments in IT initiatives.

Job Responsibilities:

• Develop and establish quality assurance measures and testing standards for new applications, products, and/or enhancements to existing applications throughout their development/product lifecycles.
• Prepare test plans including testing strategy and identify QA resources to be allocated to various IT projects.
• Analyze documentation and technical specifications of any new application under deployment or consideration to determine its intended functionality.
• Attend training on new software products being considered for purchase to accomplish a project.
• Create and execute test plans and scripts that will determine optimal application performance according to requirements and specifications.
• Review and update test cases and scripts per requirements.
• Identify QA resources to be assigned to different projects based on knowledge and expertise required.
• Mentor junior QA team members on various software products, applications and back-end architecture.
• Attend project status meetings to provide status updates and discuss any problems to effectively resolve issues.
• Communicate with other teams to resolve any issues, coordinate any downtime in test environments to make sure project timelines do not get impacted.
• Identify QA test environment to be used for each project to make sure testing is conducted in the best possible environment.
• Conduct internal audits to measure and assure adherence to established QA standards for software development, application integration, system performance, and corresponding documentation.
• Ensure change control processes for deploying changes to QA test environments are followed properly.
• Ensure that testing activities allow applications to meet business requirements and systems goals, fulfill end-user requirements, and identify existing or potential issues.
• Make recommendations for improvement of applications to programmers and software developers or engineers.
• Communicate test progress, test results, and other relevant information to project stakeholders and management.
• Validate any new software to ensure integration into existing company systems meets functional requirements, system compliance, and technical specifications.
• Analyze formal test results in order to discover and report any defects, bugs, errors, configuration issues, and interoperability flaws.
• Assist in the development of change control processes, practices, and guidelines for new and existing technologies.
• Facilitate UAT with business users in staging environment.
• Review test results and progress and communicate the same to project team.
• Resolve defects and test environment issues by communicating with other teams and troubleshooting the applications in test environment.
• Cultivate and disseminate knowledge of quality assurance best practices.

Qualifications

• Requires a bachelor's degree in software engineering, computer science or similar disciplines; will consider equivalent work experience and education
• A minimum of five (5) years of experience as a lead tester for major application integration and/or major application product release
• Experience in overseeing the design, development, and implementation of quality assurance standards for software testing
• Strong knowledge of system testing best practices and methodologies
• Extensive experience with core software applications, including Microsoft web and client/server applications
• Experience with writing basic or advanced SQL queries used to retrieve information stored in SQL Database
• Exposure to .Net technologies, web services, stored procedures, and middle tier applications.
• Expertise in applications like Micros Opera, Micros Simphony, IGT Gaming Systems (CTA, CCTG, Table Touch Main Floor, Patron Management), NuWave Title 31, NewMarket Delphi, Slots Gaming and Epicor Retail Software Suite
• Experienced in testing websites in different Operating Systems and Browsers as well as testing mobile websites