MANUAL SOFTWARE TEST LEAD (ISTQB)

Management (L3) | Reports to: Head of QA

A hybrid people-management and technical leadership role for the Manual Testing discipline. You will lead the largest testing team, own Tier-1 regression sign-off, and drive application coverage targets across a major banking environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the embedded manual testing team across Tier 1–3 application portfolios
• Own application coverage trajectory targets across Year 1 to Year 3
• Sign off on Tier-1 regression for critical banking systems including ICS, CRM Retail, and Postilion
• Oversee pass-through governance for annual change request classification
• Architect manual testing methodology across all application tiers
• Coordinate UAT support for major business-driven changes
• Partner with the Methodology & TMMi Specialist on test-design rigour and peer-review discipline
• Coordinate flex engineer resources during major release peaks
• Mentor manual testers on test design, peer review, and audit-defensible documentation

Essential Skills Required

• 10+ years in manual testing with at least 3 years in a lead or architect role
• ISTQB Advanced Test Analyst or Test Manager certification
• Deep expertise in manual testing methodology: test design, exploratory testing, UAT
• Proficiency with test management tools such as Jira, Zephyr, or Xray
• Experience with risk-based test prioritisation across application tiers
• Proven ability to produce audit-defensible test documentation
• Team leadership experience across embedded and flex resources
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field

Desirable Skills

• Banking or financial services domain experience, particularly on Tier-1 core systems
• Working knowledge of automation hand-off points and automation vs manual decision-making
• Experience supporting TMMi assessments
• Familiarity with SAMA regulatory requirements and audit standards

Vertical:

Technology