Head of Global Test & Quality Engineering

Key Responsibilities:  

Leadership & Management: 

• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of test engineers and analysts, fostering a culture of quality and continuous improvement. 

• Develop and execute the overall testing strategy and roadmap in alignment with IT and business objectives. 

• Establish clear performance metrics and monitor team productivity, ensuring adherence to timelines and quality standards. 

Test Strategy & Process Improvement: 

• Own the test strategy development process, ensuring it integrates regulatory (e.g., GxP) and quality requirements. 

• Collaborate with Quality Assurance, IT Operations, and other stakeholders to ensure seamless integration of testing across the software development lifecycle. 

• Continuously assess and refine testing processes, tools, and techniques to optimize efficiency and effectiveness. 

Project & Stakeholder Management: 

• Partner with IT Operations, IT Business Application Delivery, IT Client Focus Solutions Delivery, and IT Business Partnering teams to understand requirements and ensure comprehensive test coverage. 

• Coordinate testing activities across multiple projects and application support, ensuring risk management and issue resolution. 

• Act as the primary point of contact for test-related matters, communicating status, risks, and mitigation plans to senior management and stakeholders. 

Quality & Compliance: 

• Ensure testing practices comply with industry standards and regulatory requirements (such as GxP) and internal policies. 

• Oversee the maintenance of test documentation, including test plans, test cases, and defect logs. 

• Manage audit preparation and remediation activities related to testing processes and outcomes. 

Innovation & Continuous Learning: 

• Stay current with emerging technologies and best practices in software testing and quality assurance. 

• Identify opportunities for automation and process enhancements to improve testing efficiency and coverage. 

• Promote knowledge sharing and professional development within the testing team. 

Skills & Experience:  

• A minimum of 7-10 years in software testing or quality assurance, with at least 3-5 years in a leadership or managerial role. 

• Proven experience in managing testing activities in regulated environments (e.g., GxP, FDA-regulated industries) is highly desirable. 

• Strong understanding of software development life cycle (SDLC) methodologies, including Agile and Waterfall. 

• Experience with test automation tools, frameworks, and modern testing practices. 

• Familiarity with regulatory requirements and quality standards in a regulated industry. 

• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills. 

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities. 

• Ability to work collaboratively in a cross-functional environment. 

• Experience with risk-based testing and test management tools. 

• Proven ability to drive change and foster innovation in testing practices. 

Qualifications/Education: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field. Advanced degree preferred. 

• Certification in quality assurance, testing (e.g., ISTQB), or related areas. 

Team:

• 3 to 5 direct reports 

• ~15 indirect reports  

Travel Requirements 

Position may involve travel up to 10% of the time, mostly within Europe but overseas travel is expected. Most trips will include overnight travel.