Lead QA Engineer

As a Lead Quality Assurance Engineer, you will play a critical role in ensuring the highest standards of quality and performance for products designed and built by Digitas.

You will lead a team of QA testers & engineers on projects, driving the implementation of best practices and methodologies which guarantee the quality of the end product.

This role requires strong leadership skills, technical expertise in QA processes and tooling, and familiarity with modern web development tools and principles, such as Figma, Storybook, JIRA, Next.js, Automated Regression Testing and Accessibility conformance.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of QA testers & engineers on projects, providing guidance and support in implementing quality assurance best practices.
• Leading by example, with authoritative and comprehensive hands-on testing, covering not just the UI but APIs and back-end systems, such as the CMS or database.
• Conduct conformance testing to WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) version 2.2 and provide best practice accessibility guidance to colleagues and clients.
• Design, implement, and execute End-to-End and Visual automated regression tests, using tools such as Playwright, Percy, Applitools Eyes, Chromatic and Cypress.
• Collaborate closely with designers, developers, and project managers to implement and enforce processes that ensure quality is baked into the project (e.g. Bug Triage meetings, Defect workflows, Design reviews etc.)
• Work closely with managers to define and report on quality metrics, providing guidance on test coverage, progress, and overall product & project quality.
• Coordinate with developers to troubleshoot and resolve issues identified during testing, judging when to be pragmatic and when to push back.
• Stay up-to-date with industry trends and advancements in testing methodologies, tools, and technologies, and proactively recommend process improvements to enhance conformance and compliance.
• Communicate effectively with both onshore and offshore colleagues and clients. (e.g. Demoing a new feature or explaining a new process)

Requirements

• Proven experience in a QA role, with a strong background in software testing methodologies, test planning, and test execution.
• Experience leading or managing a project team of QA testers & engineers, with demonstrated leadership and mentoring skills.
• Understanding of web design & development technologies and frameworks
• Proficiency in End-to-End automated regression testing tools such as Playwright or Cypress.
• Experience with Visual regression testing tools such as Percy, Applitool Eyes or Chromatic.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify, prioritise, and address issues effectively.
• Experience with accessibility testing methodologies and tools, with a strong understanding of WCAG.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively in a cross-functional team environment.
• Detail-oriented mindset with a passion for ensuring high-quality deliverables (e.g. exceptional bug reports)
• Ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities and thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic work environment.
• Familiarity with Agile development methodologies (e.g., Scrum, Kanban).

Nice to Haves

• Certification in software testing (e.g., ISTQB Certified Tester).
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines and familiarity with tools such as Bitbucket pipelines.
• Knowledge of performance testing methodologies and tools (e.g., JMeter, LoadRunner).
• Experience with security testing techniques and tools (e.g., OWASP ZAP, Burp Suite).
• Experience in working on web development projects based on MACH principles.