Supervisor, Software Quality Assurance

LOCATION: Winnipeg, Manitoba             

SCHEDULE: Full-Time              

REPORTS TO:  Manager, Business Analysis and Quality Assurance           

DIRECT REPORTS: Quality Assurance Engineers, Test Automation Engineer         

COMPANY PROFILE:

Red River Mutual is a progressive insurance company with a focus on our customers and employees. We believe everyone has a right to feel safe and protected, and to know that someone is looking out for them.  So, we treat our employees like family members – we’ll be honest with them, support them, offer a listening ear, admit when we’re wrong and be a positive force in their lives and in our communities.

PURPOSE OF POSITION:

This position will lead and oversee the Quality Assurance (QA) team, ensuring the development and implementation of effective QA strategies and processes. This position provides guidance and support to team members, sets performance goals, and fosters a collaborative work environment. This position also coordinates with stakeholders and cross-functional teams to ensure projects meet quality standards and milestones. Additionally, this position ensures continuous improvement of QA frameworks and supports the creation and execution of test plans and scripts.

KEY RESPONSIBILITY AREAS:

• Work with the Manager, Process and Business Analysis to develop and implement the QA framework, processes, and testing strategy, ensuring adherence to industry standards and best practices.

• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of QA activities, adjusting as necessary to improve quality and efficiency.
• Work with the Manager, Process and Business Analysis to make informed decisions regarding QA strategies and methodologies, balancing quality with project and operational constraints
• Ensure all software releases meet established quality criteria before deployment and submit relevant material to the Change Advisory Board (CAB) for approval in a timely manner.
• Foster a proactive approach to identifying potential risks and implementing preventive measures.
• Develop and drive the adoption of best practices and standards for test automation, ensuring scalability, reliability, and maintainability of automation suites.
• Work with Manager, Process and Business Analysis and Senior Automation Engineer to define and implement the overall automation strategy.
• Lead efforts to automate repetitive testing tasks, thereby reducing manual effort and increasing test coverage and reliability.
• Coordinate with stakeholders to ensure QA activities are aligned with timelines and objectives.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to estimate the QA effort for operations and projects.
• Represent the QA team in cross-functional meetings, providing updates and insights on QA progress and challenges.
• Maintain open and effective communication channels with other IT practices and departments to ensure seamless integration of QA activities.
• Participate in vendor discussions for clarification of questions and defect findings.
• Address and resolve any issues or challenges that arise during the QA process, ensuring minimal impact on timelines.
• Facilitating collaborative problem-solving sessions to address complex quality challenges, leveraging the collective expertise of the team.
• Collaborate on the development of comprehensive Test Plans, Scenarios, Cases, and Scripts aligned with business requirements.
• Review and ensure test coverage by evaluating test cases provided by the onshore and offshore team to ensure the overall quality and stability of products.
• Identify, document, and track software defects, collaborating closely with the development team to ensure timely resolution.
• Conduct defect triage meetings to ensure all defects are reviewed and triaged based on business priorities in a timely manner.
• Perform manual and automated test execution.
• Collaborate with both onshore and offshore team members in reviewing proposed solutions, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the requirements, and contributing to the overall quality of delivered systems via comprehensive test coverage.
• Stay current on industry best practices and emerging trends in Guidewire, other enterprise applications, and quality assurance.
• Apply Lean values and practices in exercising the duties of this position.
• Foster a culture of quality by improving automation tooling, implementing processes and best practices, and introducing innovative approaches to the team across different phases of the SDLC
• Continuously research and integrate the latest methodologies and testing tools where necessary to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the QA process.

Leadership:

• Provide leadership and guidance to the QA team, fostering a collaborative and high-performance work environment. 
• Set clear performance goals for both the team and individuals, measuring progress towards those objectives.
• Mentor QA team members, providing technical guidance and support to remove blockers, enhance their skills and knowledge.
• Allocate resources effectively to meet operation and project deadlines, managing workload distribution within the team.
• Identify training needs and facilitate professional development opportunities for team members.
• Address and resolve conflicts effectively while maintaining a productive and healthy team culture.
• Track and report on QA metrics weekly, providing insights and recommendations for improvements.
• Elevate QA engineering across teams, ensuring quality software and a delightful user experience through continuous, iterative testing practices
• To motivate, coach and hold accountable employees under your direction in the business. 
• Administer timely performance reviews, assessing needs for education, rewards and setting direction.
• Embody and influence the organization to have the following leadership competencies:

QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS:

• A minimum of 5 years of experience in quality assurance in the Guidewire space is required;
• A minimum of 2 years in a supervisory or leadership role is required;
• A College or University degree in Computer Science, or related discipline is required;
• Certified Software Test Professional (CSTP), International Software Testing Qualification Board (ISTQB), or Certified Software Testing Engineer (CSTE) certification are considered an asset.
• Testing designation such as Certified Software Test Professional (CSTP), International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB) or Certified Software Tester (CSTE) is considered an asset.
• Certification with Guidewire is considered an asset.
• Certification and/or experience with Lean and/or Agile is desirable.
• Experience standardizing testing processes and creating consistency across various teams
• Working knowledge and experience in the insurance industry
• Skilled in test planning and execution of comprehensive test strategies
• Experience working in an Agile/Scrum environment.
• Solid understanding of SDLC, CI/CD, and DevOps practices
• Experience in Jira, Rally, SharePoint, and Teams is considered an asset.
• Exposure to Guidewire Testing (GT) framework is considered as asset.
• Exposure to test automation strategies and automation experience is considered an asset.