Lead Quality Assurance Specialist

Position: Lead Quality Assurance Specialist | W2-CONTRACT ROLE Location: St. Paul, MN 55101 Work Model: Hybrid (Onsite at least 1 day per week; more as business needs dictate) Interview Mode: In-person interview in St. Paul, MN Key Responsibilities: Act as the Program QA Lead for various enterprise-wide initiatives, driving quality and excellence. Design and execute robust QA strategies, standards, and testing frameworks to enhance overall software quality. Lead hands-on testing efforts, including test planning, test case development, execution, and defect management. Mentor and direct QA Analysts while effectively managing individual workstreams to foster professional growth. Oversee vendor-led testing, ensuring adherence to integration and program quality standards. Manage QA schedules, dependencies, risks, and create effective mitigation strategies. Conduct manual, regression, functional, and integration testing to ensure thorough coverage. Support release management, configuration control, and maintain QA traceability throughout the development lifecycle. Define, track, and report on QA metrics such as defect density, coverage, and release readiness criteria. Collaborate with program managers, business analysts, developers, and vendors to prioritize and resolve defects efficiently. Provide QA governance within Agile, Iterative, and Waterfall project environments. Minimum Qualifications: 10+ years of experience in software QA/testing, demonstrating a strong foundation in quality assurance practices. 5+ years of leadership experience in QA, guiding teams toward successful outcomes. 1+ year of experience with cloud-based SaaS implementations, understanding associated challenges and requirements. 2+ years leading QA initiatives in multi-vendor or multi-system integration settings. 2+ years of experience in both manual and automated testing approaches. 2+ years developing comprehensive QA strategies, test plans, test cases, and establishing quality metrics. 1+ year of familiarity with Azure DevOps, JIRA, or HP ALM for effective project tracking. 2+ years of experience in Agile, Iterative, and Waterfall methodologies. Ability to work onsite in St. Paul at least one day per week, fostering team collaboration. Preferred Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field. Experience within government or regulated industries will be an advantage. Familiarity with mass transit technologies, including fare collection, asset management, and operational analytics. Background in public sector, utilities, or transportation industries. Experience in performance testing, test data management, and vendor validation processes. Knowledge of automation frameworks/tools to increase testing efficiency. Relevant certifications such as PMP, CSM, SAFe, or QA certifications preferred. Key Competencies: Strong leadership skills and ability to manage cross-functional teams effectively. Excellent communication skills, adept at conveying information to both technical and executive audiences. Analytical mindset with meticulous attention to detail, ensuring quality in all deliverables. Expertise in conflict resolution and stakeholder management to drive project success. Capable of balancing strategic oversight with hands-on testing execution.

Created: 2026-03-09