Head of QA Architecture and Engineering

at  Glencore

SKILLS:

• Strategic Planning: Ability to set and implement a strategic vision for QA standards and processes across the organisation.
• Expertise with Automation Tools: Proficiency with both modern and legacy automation and testing technologies including Test Complete, ReadyAPI, JMeter, Specflow, Playwright and Selenium.
• Knowledge of Modern Testing Methodologies: Hands-on understanding of Behaviour Driven Development (BDD) and Test-Driven Development (TDD) to enhance testing efficiency and outcomes.
• Hands-on Technical Proficiency: Capability to directly engage in technical requirements and provide pragmatic solutions.
• Reporting and Analytics: Able to create effective reporting to track and communicate QA metrics across teams and portfolios.
• Leadership and People Management: High leadership skills to develop QA teams, inspire collaboration, and promote a positive working environment.
• Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills to articulate the QA strategy, vision, standards, and processes.
• Quality Assurance Advocacy: Passion for promoting and defending quality assurance standards and procedures within the organisation.
• Problem Solving Skills: Ability to identify, analyse, and resolve complex issues within the QA domain.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Demonstrable experience in either growing or having a key role within a central QA team or major project / programme team.
• Demonstrable experience in implementing standards, tools and techniques and ensuring buy-in/compliance from a wider group.
• Demonstrable experience in developing, maintaining, and executing regression test suites.
• Project management experience (within a testing stream) an advantage
• Experience in working with offshore teams a key advantage.
• Degree-educated or equivalent
• ISQTB, ISEB or equivalent qualifications an advantage.
• Experience in working within a commodity trading or Investment Banking environment an advantage.

• Ensure creation of high quality testing assets to be used across the Glencore UK IT teams through consolidation, streamlining and improvement of existing assets (tools, standards, processes, test suites, etc.) and implementation of new assets as necessary.
• Direct management of QA resources across the portfolio delivery teams whilst also fulfilling a QA lead role within the core engineering team.
• Oversee the lifecycle of QA assets, ensuring their effective use by Scrum teams.
• Drive and govern the consolidation and development of comprehensive quality assurance practices for the application estate.
• Ensure QA artifacts developed by Scrum teams are of high quality, well-maintained, and reusable beyond project completion.
• Promote consistency in QA activities across teams by standardizing processes, tools, and methodologies, and creating a quality-focused culture within Glencore.
• Contribute to the development of automated testing suites where relevant to ensure high productivity and efficiency.
• Promote the improvement of QA, testing, and deployment processes, ensuring alignment with best practice.
• Implement a consistent approach to QA reporting, ensuring timely and accurate reports are provided to Scrum and management teams.
• Provide governance to ensure that (where appropriate) software development conducted by a third party follows good QA practices.
• Advocate for a ‘left shift’ in QA activities, integrating quality assurance early in the development lifecycle throughout Glencore.