Job Information
Athene Sr Manager Software Quality/QA in West Des Moines, Iowa
We are Athene. At Athene, we are driven to do more. We are a leading retirement services company that issues, reinsures and acquires retirement savings products designed for the increasing number of individuals and institutions seeking to fund retirement needs. We see every day as a new opportunity to measure ourselves against the best - and then we don't stop until we've set the bar even higher. We're ready to help you achieve more.
Purpose:
The Senior Manager of Software Quality Assurance (QA) is responsible for the management, development, control, and oversight of a team of quality assurance professionals. This is a leadership role within the Information Technology area that reports to the head of EPMO and QA.
The Senior Manager of Quality Assurance works with managers and individual contributors to ensure software solutions meet quality standards. They evaluate and implement tools, methodologies, and automation to ensure effective testing and identification of defects. They collaborate across IT leadership and give input on strategic decisions that affect software testing. Providing guidance to the QA team, this role will bring expertise on software testing best practices and processes. The leader in this position is responsible for continuous process improvement, enforcing quality standards, and tracking and reporting key metrics.
Accountabilities:
Lead and manage a team of manual and automation QA engineers monitoring throughput and quality of software testing needed to deliver stated business objectives.
Select and onboard new hires to a high-performing QA team.
Coach and develop staff to maximize individual performance, enhance teamwork, and strengthen support of the Athene values, tactics, and strategies.
Demonstrate performance management techniques including, but not limited to, annual assessments, recognition, and disciplinary action in accordance with Athene policies.
Oversee day-to-day resource allocation to meet project demand.
Monitor the testing lifecycle of projects and update stakeholders on progress to ensure business needs are met successfully and in a timely fashion.
Assist in cascading information from ITQA Management to their team connecting organizational objectives to team priorities.
Provide timely and transparent communications with direct reports, business partners, and ITQA management.
Develop and assess data to monitor and measure team productivity, project testing status, and overall team effectiveness.
Engage with vendors/suppliers to ensure expectations are met; specifically related to resource allocation, productivity, and quality outcomes.
Conduct resource capacity planning to respond effectively to demands on QA.
Participate in and contribute to project scope and planning discussions.
Support and provide guidance on the Business Systems Analyst (BSA) practice.
Willingly take on additional responsibilities as requested to accomplish department and company objectives.
Qualifications and Experience:
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional work experience.
7+ years of progressively responsible software testing experience, includin g h ands on test planning and execution experience with a sound understanding of various test approaches and methodologies; Test Lead role over test planning and execution for complex projects; and Test defect management and reporting. Included in this 7+ years of experience, we require:
3+ years of people management experience including team building, performance management, coaching and mentoring, budget and financial management, and leading offshore and remote teams.
Strong understanding of the software development lifecycle (SDLC) with Waterfall and Agile (Kanban or Scrum) experience.
Ability to collaborate with business leaders and project managers in developing strategies and solutions of high business value.
Strong analytical, planning, and organizational skills with an ability to manage competing demands.
Working knowledge of business systems analysis and requirements elicitation practices.
Additional Preferred Experience and Skills
Experience with testing management software (e.g., QTest, HP Quality Center).
Experience with test automation tools or frameworks (e.g., HP UFT, Selenium).
Hands on Business Systems Analysis (BSA) experience.
Project Management experience.
Drive. Discipline. Confidence. Focus. Commitment. Learn more about working at Athene (https://www.athene.com/about/usa-careers) .
Athene is a Military Friendly Employer! Learn more about how we support our Veterans (https://www.athene.com/our-veterans) .
Athene celebrates diversity, is committed to inclusion and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other status protected by federal, state or local law.
We are driven to do more. More for our customers and the financial professionals who offer our products. If you are driven to do more and love the challenge of pursuing more, Athene is your kind of company. You will find we offer more than the basics to create a diverse, inclusive and dynamic work environment at our various locations.