Senior Test Engineer

Role overview

The Senior Test Engineer is responsible for quality and timeliness of Education Payroll deliverables, efficiency of testing tasks, progress, and reporting. The role is responsible for leading, implementing and monitoring test automation solutions at Education Payroll and will undertake a key role in testing, defect management, evaluation of test results and reporting on progress against the test plan.

This role is also responsible for setting and maintaining the automation standards and frameworks required for others to follow across the testing practice, they will provide leadership in all aspects of the technical testing centre of excellence at Education Payroll.

The Senior Test Engineer is accountable for the end-to-end delivery of testing services which include test planning, test case specification, test script preparation, test execution, test data management and test closure activities.

The role also includes mentoring and overseeing the work of other test analysts and engineers including providing support, technical expertise and thought leadership on testing best practice within Education Payroll.

Key responsibilities and accountabilities

Software testing

• Supports Agile methodology and plays an active role in embedding of Agile practice at Education Payroll.
• Provide leadership, expertise and advice to the technical testing team, across the software engineering group and to stakeholders as required.
• Collaborate with in-house teams and our vendors to ensure testing services are on time and to agreed quality standards.
• Delivers testing services to meet business as usual requirements as well as supporting programmes/projects of work and major cyclic work.
• Confident in working across varying software methodologies and working to aggressive timelines.
• Possess an ability to work in an environment where you can influence and direct change.
• Develop and manage the test library to encourage effective reuse of test plans.

Automation testing

• Responsible for improving automation testing to achieve process efficiencies.
• Responsible for building frameworks and strategies within the test automation space.
• Provide technical analysis, mentoring and advice to support testing and development teams in relation to test automation development and execution.
• Recognise when testing is a candidate for automation and have the skills to communicate the requirements, develop and execute the pertinent automated testing assets.
• Work independently and collectively in the evaluation and design of test frameworks to support both API and UI automated testing.
• Establish testing practices that align and contribute to Education Payroll’s strategic objectives.
• Maintain a high code standard.

Quality improvement

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives in software testing practice, as well as take a hands-on approach to implementing that initiative.
• Lead efforts to develop, document, and implement applicable improvement in processes and procedures to provide more effective quality methods within the group in support of providing quality products.
• Make suggestions for changes and improvements that increase quality and how to implement them.
• Assist Education Payroll management team in the implementation of relevant quality tools to improve the business.
• Look at ways to reduce waste and increase quality throughout software development lifecycle.

Coaching and mentoring

• Mentor and oversee the work of other software testers in the automation test space and provide technical leadership on the best practices in software testing technique within EPL.

Teamwork

• Develop and maintain good working relationships with key stakeholders.
• Openly shares information, knowledge and expertise with the team and co-workers.
• Interacts with team members effectively.
• Cooperates with other members to achieve the workgroup’s goals.

Relationship building

• Respond and relate to people in all positions, inside and outside of EPLl, or field of expertise.
• Establish and build relationships across the development and testing teams.
• Quickly finds common ground and tries to solve problems for all.
• Values experience and likes to learn from those who have been there before.
• Represents his or her own interests and yet is fair to other groups.
• Encourages collaboration, gains trust and builds the support of others.
• Has skills in diplomacy and fosters goodwill between groups and organisations.

Results orientation

• Manage own time and deliver to promised timelines.
• Implement plans and makes mid-course changes when necessary to achieve goals.
• Complete the job by going the extra mile where needed, within an appropriate time frame.
• Handles and delivers multiple pieces of work or projects simultaneously.
• Sets priorities and evaluates their workload to ensure time is spent on what is important.
• Keeps track of progress and ensures follow-through to desired results.

Leadership expectations

Lead Self                                             

• Demonstrate the EPL values – Treat everyone with respect; works as a team; make things easier; improve though understanding; learn through doing.
• Maintain positive relationships.
• Hold yourself accountable.
• Be agile and adaptive.
• Show courage.

Required experience, skills and knowledge

To be successful in this position you will need the following.

• Object Oriented Programming experience/skills in Java/C#, JavaScript, TypeScript.
• Test frameworks experience or relevant formal experience working on Cypress, Playwright, Java Rest-Assured, REST API testing, Cucumber and Specification by Example or Acceptance Driven Testing.
• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in relevant technology fields.
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in a Test Engineer role which includes manual and automation experience.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Good understanding of the entire testing process and how it fits to the SDLC (software development lifecycle).
• Ability to manage priorities.
• Ability to estimate work effort and timeframes, then deliver to agreed timelines.
• 2 + years’ experience working in an Agile environment.
• ISTQB foundation testing certification or similar desirable.
• Minimum 2 years SQL and Database knowledge. Direct development experience would be beneficial, but not required.
• Ability to build strong relationships with key stakeholders and customers.
• Payroll experience highly desirable.
• Having knowledge or experience working within the Scaled Agile Framework.
• Previous experience in coordinating and overseeing the work of other Test Engineers, including mentoring, and providing testing expertise on test process and best practice.
• Experience in Change Management, Test Management, Incident Management and IT (Information Technology) implementation practices.

If you have more questions about this role email myhr@edpay.nz and we will be able to get you talking to the right people.