We are looking for an experienced Test Lead to oversee the testing activities across multiple projects and ensure the delivery of high-quality software solutions.

The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience in manual and automation testing, test planning, test strategy development, and team leadership.

You will work closely with cross-functional teams-including development, product management, and business stakeholders - to ensure comprehensive test coverage and defect-free product delivery.

This role requires strong analytical skills, excellent communication, and a proactive approach to continuous improvement in QA processes.

Key Responsibilities :

- Define, document, and implement comprehensive test plans, test cases, and test strategies aligned with project goals and business requirements.

- Determine testing scope, test objectives, and entry/exit criteria for each release or sprint.

- Identify and assess testing risks and propose mitigation strategies.

- Ensure adherence to established QA standards, processes, and methodologies (Agile/Waterfall/Hybrid).

- Lead the QA team in executing manual and automated test cases for functional, regression, integration, system, and UAT testing.

- Track and monitor test progress, defect status, and quality metrics throughout the release lifecycle.

- Conduct test reviews and ensure complete traceability between requirements, test cases, and defects.

- Drive continuous improvement in test coverage and quality assurance deliverables.

- Identify areas suitable for test automation and develop strategies for automation coverage.

- Work with automation engineers to design, implement, and maintain automation frameworks (e.g., Selenium, Cypress, Playwright, etc.)

- Integrate testing activities with CI/CD pipelines using tools like Jenkins, GitLab CI, or Azure DevOps.

- Manage test environments, data, and configuration for both manual and automated testing.

- Lead and mentor a team of QA engineers, ensuring clarity in task assignments, goals, and expectations.

- Conduct knowledge sharing sessions, code reviews, and QA training to upskill the team.

- Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning within the QA team.

- Coordinate with project managers, developers, and business analysts to align testing activities with project timelines.

- Communicate testing progress, issues, and risks to stakeholders in a clear and timely manner.

- Collaborate with clients and business teams during UAT and production validation phases.

- Provide test summary reports and recommendations for release readiness.

- Drive the adoption of QA best practices, templates, and metrics across the organization.

- Introduce process automation, defect prevention techniques, and quality measurement frameworks.

- Participate in retrospectives and continuous improvement initiatives to enhance QA efficiency.

Required Skills & Expertise :

- 6-10 years of experience in software testing, including at least 2+ years in a lead role.

- Strong knowledge of software testing life cycle (STLC) and defect life cycle (DLC).

- Hands-on experience with test management tools (JIRA, TestRail, Zephyr, HP ALM, Azure DevOps).

- Strong experience in manual testing and at least working knowledge of automation testing.

- Good understanding of API testing using Postman, RestAssured, or similar tools.

- Experience with SQL and database validation.

- Familiarity with web, mobile, and integration testing.

- Knowledge of Agile methodologies (Scrum/Kanban) and working in sprint-based environments.

- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills