Head of SDET

You, as Head of Test and QA for Digital Systems, are responsible for leading a team of System Test and Test Automation Engineers. Your primary role is to define, execute and oversee the end-to-end test strategy for several digital products. These products enable banknote processing systems, manage cash logistics in a cash centre inbound, outbound and in transit, manage the transportation and delivery of cash, and provide monitoring and analytics solutions for our customers to optimise the efficiency and security of the entire cash cycle.

Two of our leading products are Compass Cash Centre and Compass Transport, which are used by banks and cash-in-transit businesses globally. This role requires a hands-on leader who will mentor the team, spearhead automation initiatives and drive all aspects of software test planning, preparation, execution and reporting. Your team will work within Scrum teams, collaborating closely with colleagues in India and Germany to enhance test efficiency and overall software product quality.

Responsibilities:

• Lead, mentor and develop a team of System Test and Test Automation Engineers, embedded into cross-functional agile Scrum teams.
• Manage team capacity, resource allocation and project assignments to ensure timely delivery of testing milestones.
• Define, monitor and report on key quality metrics and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) to the teams and up to senior leadership, providing insights into product quality and release readiness.
• Encourage a 'shift-left' approach to quality, embedding testing and quality practices early in the software development lifecycle (built-in quality approach).
• Identify, assess and mitigate quality risks across the product portfolio, and communicate risks to stakeholders.
• Own the procurement, renewal and management of testing tools and infrastructure.
• Develop and implement effective, end-to-end test strategies.
• Lead the architecture and development of test automation strategies to enhance test efficiency and coverage.
• Oversee the design, creation and maintenance of comprehensive test artefacts, including test plans, test cases and automation scripts.
• Guide the team on execution of integration, system, solution, regression, acceptance, performance and security tests.
• Collaborate closely with Architects, Product Owners and Developers to ensure complete and accurate test coverage along the whole test pyramid.
• Collaborate closely with the overarching Software Quality Assurance Lead, Software Engineering Excellence Lead, Software Cyber Security Lead and the DevSecOps team to ensure a high degree of automation, software engineering excellence and efficiency, and to foster best practices and standards across our whole software portfolio (beyond Digital Systems).
• Drive the continuous improvement of testing processes by analysing test outcomes, diagnosing issues and refining strategies.
• Ensure the team adheres to all defined quality standards and testing processes.

Requirements:

• B. Tech or Bachelor's in computer science or any other relevant field.
• M. Tech or Master's in computer science or any other relevant field.
• Experience in testing transactional software products, particularly in the financial or banking sector.
• Strong understanding of system and integration testing with a focus on requirement validation and functional coverage.
• Experience defining and tracking key quality metrics (e. g., defect density, test coverage, automation ROI)
• Expertise in test automation strategies and with tools/frameworks such as Selenium, JMeter and SOAP UI/ REST-assured.
• Experience in software test development with hands-on experience in Java, C# or Python.
• Experience with UI and API testing.
• Proficiency with test management tools, especially Azure DevOps and understanding of CI/CD principles.
• Expertise in writing complex SQL queries for data validation on RDBMS (Oracle, MS SQL Server)
• Experience with cloud environments (preferred Azure), containerization technologies (Docker, Kubernetes) and verification of SaaS solutions as well as on-premise deployments.
• Familiarity with application security testing (SAST/DAST) principles and tools.
• Hands-on experience with Linux and Windows operating systems, as relevant to test execution and analysis.
• Advanced analytical, troubleshooting, and debugging skills to resolve complex technical issues.
• Deep understanding of Agile methodologies, including Scrum and Kanban.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to collaborate effectively with cross-functional and multicultural teams.
• Self-motivated and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, structured environment.