<p>The Lead IT QA Analyst is responsible for developing or assisting in the development of functional requirements, testing applications, developing test plans, editing and/or writing test cases and test scripts, and evaluating test results to determine compliance with test plans and established business processes. The individual will interact with business development, system developers, end users, and all other groups involved in project development, testing, or test planning. The ideal candidate has strong leadership skills, experience automated and manual testing and a keen eye for detail.</p><p></p><p>The Lead IT QA Analyst is also expected to demonstrate hands-on exposure to <b>AI-assisted</b> software development and testing, leveraging tools such as GitHub Copilot and other generative AI platforms to enhance productivity, quality, and efficiency across the QA lifecycle.</p><p></p><p><b>QA Activities</b></p><ul><li><p>Actively participate in elaboration sessions to understand requirements.</p></li><li><p>Design and develop comprehensive test strategies and approaches for user stories and defects.</p></li><li><p>Create detailed test scenarios and test cases aligned with acceptance criteria.</p></li><li><p>Write SQL queries for test data setup and validation of test results.</p></li><li><p>Collaborate with Product Owners and Business Analysts to clarify acceptance criteria and obtain sign-off on test cases.</p></li><li><p>Execute test cases, manage defects, and ensure timely resolution through re-testing and regression.</p></li><li><p>Conduct feature demonstrations and walkthroughs.</p></li><li><p>Perform non-functional testing including security, performance, load, stress, multitenancy, and disaster recovery.</p></li><li><p>Document defects clearly with reproducible steps and expected outcomes.</p></li><li><p>Coordinate with the automation team to identify test cases for automation and contribute to script development.</p></li><li><p>Execute end-to-end testing across integrated systems and domains.</p></li><li><p>Collaborate with offshore QA teams for task hand-offs, including participation in off-hours calls when necessary.</p></li><li><p>Support various testing phases such as regression, integration, smoke, and platform testing.</p></li><li><p>Identify opportunities where AI can reduce manual effort and improve test cycle efficiency.</p></li><li><p>Lead adoption of AI-first QA practices within the team and mentor QA engineers on effective use of Copilot and related tools.</p></li><li><p>Collaborate with development and DevOps teams to embed AI-assisted testing practices across the SDLC.</p></li><li><p>Measure and report on productivity and quality gains enabled by AI adoption.</p></li></ul><p></p><p><b>Lead Activities</b></p><ul><li><p>Provide leadership across the QA lifecycle, including test planning, execution, defect tracking, and reporting.</p></li><li><p>Guide and oversee the design, implementation, and execution of test cases.</p></li><li><p>Assess team capabilities and allocate tasks to leverage individual strengths.</p></li><li><p>Coordinate onshore and offshore QA efforts, including off-hours collaboration as needed.</p></li><li><p>Monitor defect status and ensure timely re-testing and closure.</p></li><li><p>Adapt to shifting priorities and support agile delivery timelines.</p></li><li><p>Collaborate with Scrum Masters to track sprint progress using key QA metrics.</p></li><li><p>Promote early quality practices by integrating QA into the initial stages of development.</p></li><li><p>Define strategies for non-functional testing and ensure their execution.</p></li></ul><p></p><p><b>AI-Driven QA Leadership </b></p><ul><li><p>Leverage GitHub Copilot and AI tools to accelerate test case design, automation scripting, and documentation activities.</p></li><li><p>Drive adoption of AI-assisted testing practices, enabling faster test creation, improved defect detection, and enhanced test coverage.</p></li><li><p>Utilize AI to generate test scenarios, test data, and automation scripts, ensuring inclusion of edge cases and negative paths.</p></li><li><p>Validate and refine AI-generated outputs to ensure accuracy, completeness, and compliance with enterprise standards.</p></li><li><p>Encourage use of shared prompt libraries and reusable AI patterns to standardize QA processes across teams.</p></li><li><p>Identify opportunities to reduce manual effort and improve QA efficiency using AI-driven solutions.</p></li><li><p>Apply AI techniques for defect analysis, root cause identification, and test optimization.</p></li><li><p>Ensure adherence to AI governance, security, and compliance guidelines, including data protection and human validation.</p></li><li><p>Track and report productivity and quality metrics derived from AI adoption.</p></li></ul><div></div><p></p><p><b>Automation, Frameworks & Continuous Improvement</b></p><ul><li><p>Advocate for and implement test automation to enhance regression coverage and reduce risk.</p></li><li><p>Architect and enhance automated test frameworks and lead automation initiatives.</p></li><li><p>Integrate AI capabilities into test automation frameworks and CI/CD pipelines to improve scalability and efficiency.</p></li><li><p>Integrate automation hooks into the development codebase for seamless testing.</p></li><li><p>Work closely with development staff to design automation hooks into main code base.</p></li><li><p>Research, suggest, and implement tools (including AI-enabled tools) to enhance test efficiency and effectiveness.</p></li></ul><div></div><p></p><p><b>Collaboration & Delivery</b></p><ul><li><p>Work with release management to track code deployments and test environment readiness.</p></li><li><p>Collaborate with developers, product managers, and stakeholders to align quality goals with business needs.</p></li><li><p>Ensure effective integration testing across domains by collaborating with other QA leads.</p></li><li><p>Communicate progress, risks, and blockers during daily stand-ups.</p></li><li><p>Actively contribute to sprint retrospectives to improve team performance and QA processes.</p></li><li><p>Maintain traceability across all QA activities.</p></li><li><p>Participate in sprint planning, estimation, and commitment of QA tasks.</p></li></ul><div></div><p></p><p><b>Leadership & Governance</b></p><ul><li><p>Estimate and manage test efforts across test cycles.</p></li><li><p>Lead test automation initiatives.</p></li><li><p>Lead and mentor a team of QA Analysts and testers, including coaching on effective use of AI and Copilot tools.</p></li><li><p>Participate in performance reviews and provide feedback for QA team members.</p></li><li><p>Suggest and implement QA process improvements, including AI-driven continuous improvement initiatives.</p></li><li><p>Document and communicate test results, issues, and activities clearly.</p></li></ul><p></p><p><b>Business/User Requirements</b></p><ul><li><p>Analyze requirements/user stories for testability and completeness.</p></li><li><p>Interpret user requirements/user stories and extend them into test cases.</p></li><li><p>Communicate technical concepts in everyday language.</p></li><li><p>Understand the needs of the user community.</p></li></ul><p></p><p></p><p><b>What are the requirements needed for this position?</b></p><ul><li><p>Bachelor’s degree in computer science is desired</p></li><li><p>8+ years of experience of application quality assurance testing</p></li><li><p>3+ years leading teams</p></li><li><p>4+ years of automation testing experience using Selenium, Load Runner, JMeter and/or other automation tools</p></li><li><p>4+ years of experience with Python and writing SQL queries in SSMS</p></li><li><p>Comfortable in using DB and Infrastructural monitoring tools (Solarwinds, Datadog, Dynatrace, Fortify, Graylog)</p></li><li><p>Exposure to testing Data Migration, Data Quality</p></li><li><p>Experience testing WCF and REST services within a Service Oriented Architecture</p></li><li><p>Experience in ADO, Visual Studio for test</p></li><li><p>Exposure on using Visual Studio code, VS for leveraging AI capabilities</p></li><li><p>Excellent written and verbal communication skills</p></li><li><p>Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.</p></li><li><p>Ability to mentor and develop junior QA team members</p></li><li><p>Familiarity with the insurance industry is desired</p></li></ul><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>#AssurantProudJR</p><p></p><p style="text-align:inherit"></p><p style="text-align:inherit"></p><p style="text-align:inherit"></p><p style="text-align:left">Pay Range:</p>$88,000.00 - $147,000.00<p style="text-align:inherit"></p><p style="text-align:left">Any posted pay range considers a wide range of compensation factors, including candidate background, experience and work location, while also allowing for salary growth within the position.</p><p style="text-align:inherit"></p><p>If there is no posting end date listed then this is a pipeline requisition, and we will continue to collect applications on an ongoing basis.</p><p></p><p></p><p><b>Helping People Thrive in a Connected World</b><br>Connect with us. Bring us your best work and your brightest ideas. And we’ll bring you a place where you can thrive. Learn more at <a href="https://jobs.assurant.com/en/?utm_source=job_posting&utm_medium=boilerplate&utm_campaign=2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">jobs.assurant.com</a>.</p><p></p><p>For U.S. benefit information, visit <a href="https://www.myassurantbenefits.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span style="overflow-wrap: break-word; display: inline; text-decoration: inherit; hyphens: auto;">myassurantbenefits.com</span></a>. For benefit information outside the U.S., please speak with your recruiter.</p><p></p><p><b>What’s the culture like at Assurant?</b><br>Our unique culture is a big reason why talented people choose Assurant. Named a Best/Great Place to Work in 14 countries and awarded the Fortune America’s Most Innovative Companies recognition, we bring together top talent around the world. Although we have a wide variety of skills and experiences, we share common characteristics that are uniquely Assurant. A passion for service. An ability to innovate in practical ways. And a willingness to take chances. We call our culture <a href="https://jobs.assurant.com/en/the-assurant-way/?utm_source=job_posting&utm_medium=boilerplate&utm_campaign=2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Assurant Way</a>.</p><p></p><p><b>Company Overview</b><br>Assurant is a leading global business services company that supports, protects, and connects major consumer purchases. A Fortune 500 company with a presence in 21 countries, Assurant supports the advancement of the connected world by partnering with the world’s leading brands to develop innovative solutions and deliver an enhanced customer experience through mobile device solutions, extended service contracts, vehicle protection services, renters insurance, lender-placed insurance products, and other specialty products.</p><p></p><p><b>AI and Biometric Usage</b></p><p>Assurant supports the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), but we want to know the real you. Visit our <a href="https://jobs.assurant.com/candidate-ai-usage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span style="color:#0875e1"><u>AI Usage Guidelines page</u></span></a> to understand what we expect from applicants regarding their use of AI during the application process.  </p><p> </p><p>Employment is contingent upon completion of a required identity verification process, which may include biometric technology, where permitted by applicable law and subject to applicable notice and consent requirements. See our <a href="https://jobs.assurant.com/assurant-careers-privacy-notice/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span style="color:#0875e1"><u>Privacy Notice</u></span></a> to learn about Assurant’s privacy practices, including our use of AI-enabled technology, automated decision making, and biometric information.</p><p></p><p><b>Equal Opportunity Statement</b><br>Assurant is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and does not use or consider race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law in employment decisions.</p><p></p><p><b>Job Scam Alert</b><br>Please be aware that during Assurant's application process, we will never ask for personal information such as your Social Security number, bank account details, or passwords. Learn more about what to look out for and how to report a scam <a href="https://jobs.assurant.com/en/job-scam-alert/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a>.</p>