Quality Assurance Manager

About the Role-
We are looking for a sharp, ownership-driven QA Manager who can run a team of 4-5 QA engineers while remaining hands-on as an individual contributor. This is a player-coach role: you will personally own test strategy and execution for critical modules, while also leading, mentoring, and unblocking a small QA team, and driving AI-first ways of working across the function. You deeply understand systems, identify risks early, and hold your team to the same bar of quality and curiosity that you hold yourself to.
Responsibilities-
Team Leadership
Lead, mentor, and grow a team of 4-5 QA engineers, providing technical direction and career guidance
Plan and distribute work across the team; balance workload against sprint and release commitments
Review team members' test plans, test cases, and automation code; hold the line on quality standards
Run 1:1s, contribute to performance reviews, and support hiring/interviewing for QA roles
Act as the QA point of contact for developers, product managers, and delivery stakeholders
Escalate and unblock issues for the team without slipping into micromanagement
Individual Contribution
Own end-to-end quality for at least one critical module or product as a hands-on tester
Design, develop, and execute comprehensive test strategies (Functional, API, UI, Regression, E2E)
Perform hands-on API testing using tools like Postman / Playwright / similar
Build and maintain automation frameworks (UI/API) that the rest of the team builds on
Identify edge cases, hidden risks, and potential production issues proactively
Process & Quality Ownership
Own the defect triage process and root cause analysis across the team's scope
Contribute to and oversee CI/CD pipeline integration of automated test suites
Drive continuous improvement in QA processes, test coverage, and release quality org-wide
Report on team quality metrics, release readiness, and risk to leadership
AI-First Quality Engineering
Leverage AI tools to accelerate test case creation, test data generation, and defect analysis — for yourself and the team
Use AI-assisted automation for smarter test coverage and faster feedback cycles
Explore and implement AI-driven testing approaches (self-healing locators, visual validation, anomaly detection)
Utilize AI for root cause analysis, log analysis, and predictive risk identification
Continuously evaluate and roll out new AI tools across the team to improve QA efficiency
Own the team's adoption of AI-driven QA workflows and agentic testing strategies
Qualifications
Required Skills & Qualifications
6+ years of experience in Software Testing / Quality Assurance
2+ years leading, mentoring, or informally guiding a QA team (formal title not required)
Proven ability to balance hands-on IC delivery with people leadership
Strong understanding of SDLC, STLC, and Agile methodologies
Hands-on experience with automation tools (e.g., Playwright, Cypress, Selenium, etc.)
Solid experience in API testing and backend validation
Good understanding of databases and ability to write SQL queries
Experience with bug tracking and test management tools
Familiarity with CI/CD tools and version control (Git)
Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving, and stakeholder communication skills
Required Skills
Strong understanding of SDLC, STLC, and Agile methodologies
Hands-on experience with automation tools (e.g., Playwright, Cypress, Selenium, etc.)
Solid experience in API testing and backend validation
Good understanding of databases and ability to write SQL queries
Experience with bug tracking and test management tools
Familiarity with CI/CD tools and version control (Git)
Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving, and stakeholder communication skills
Preferred Skills
What We Value (Beyond Skills)
High ownership mindset — accountable for the team's quality output, not just your own
Servant leadership — ability to unblock and grow the team without micromanaging
Strong logical thinking and ability to break down complex problems
Curiosity to understand systems deeply, not just at surface level
Ability to ask the right questions and challenge assumptions
Openness to adopt AI-first ways of working and continuously evolve
Clear and professional communication with both the team and leadership
Good to Have
Experience with performance testing tools (JMeter, k6, etc.)
Knowledge of security testing basics (OWASP concepts)
Exposure to cloud environments (AWS, Docker, Kubernetes)
Experience with visual testing or accessibility testing
Hands-on experience with AI tools or frameworks in testing
Prior experience hiring or interviewing QA candidates

Work arrangement
No