QA Analyst 4

What You Can Expect In This Role

Responsible for the quality implementation of project deliverables to support Sammons Financial Group (SFG) member companies' systems across multiple business units. Provide leadership while working in an agile team, closely with project teams and with business partners to ensure timely, accurate, fully tested applications are performing as described in the business and technical specifications. Lead and drive test planning and test execution and automation within the team. Mentor quality assurance staff members through automation activities across multiple teams and at a project level in addition to individual workload accountabilities.
What You'll Do In This Role
• Lead testing for complex projects across multiple teams and business units.
• Actively participate in daily standup meetings, story grooming sessions and team retrospectives by suggesting and implementing improvements.
• Participate in review of business requirements, stories and definition of acceptance criteria.
• Identify positive, negative and complex scenarios for testing.
• Facilitate agreement on test plans or acceptance criteria with business partners, product owners and project team members.
• Estimate test planning and execution efforts based upon requirements, stories, development approach and the risks and impacts of production errors. Mentor and guide QA staff in estimation and planning activities, providing feedback as necessary.
• Collaborate with Project Team to define and oversee testing deliverables.
• Actively participate in the team estimation of requirements and stories.
• Define testing risks and mitigation strategies and implement accordingly.
• Lead others in improving test strategy by recommending, developing, and implementing improvements to test plans and cases for future project reuse.
• Document traceability of business requirements/stories and technical specifications to test cases.
• Manage testing tasks against plan at a team and project level and pro-actively communicate status to agile team, project team and management; report on readiness for elevation to production.
• Execute testing, validate test results, analyze and report discrepancies. Recommend solutions or sustained enhancements to address problem resolution.
• Identify automation opportunities and drive the test automation strategy within the team.
• Manage the identification of automation software to be used within the team
• Architect testing framework.
• Mentor others on development and execution of automation scripts.
• Collaborate with other IT teams to share knowledge to align on overall IT automation strategy.
• Compile, analyze and report testing metrics. Assist in implementing improvements to testing identified through metric analysis.
• Work with teams to define elevation schedules and ensure the integrity of the test environment(s).
• Ensure SFG SDLC guidelines and quality assurance standards are followed and maintained. Review documentation across projects to guide others in adherence of guidelines and standards.
• Facilitate Sprint Reviews or ensure production announcements are created and distributed.
• Demonstrate active leadership by identifying training needs and communicating needs to management. Conduct training and mentor team members and others as required.
• Generate enthusiasm around team objectives and corporate strategies.
• Establish and cultivate relationships with key business partners and project team members. Display ownership in managing vendor relationships in regards to testing activities. Support key working relationships with others and promote effective development of those relationships long-term.
• Guide and monitor the testing activities of team members and consultants, while continuing to deliver on assigned work.
• Lead peer reviews of test documentation and output.
• Identify and capitalize upon learning activities that facilitate growth in knowledge of insurance and internal business processes, quality assurance best practices, testing methodologies and understanding of technologies.
• Maximize learning opportunities by applying the knowledge gained from learning activities and sharing the learned knowledge with other quality assurance team members.
• Identify and implement changes as required to procedural and testing documentation based upon enhanced knowledge. Coordinate and perform staff training to implement revised procedures and processes.
• Commitment to embrace Sammons Financial Group Companies shared values (Accountability, Connection, Openness, Respect and Integrity).
• As stated within the Company Attendance and Punctuality policy, regular attendance is required and expected in order to meet the business service levels and workflow demands.
• Participate in other initiatives and/or projects as necessary.
What We're Looking For

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Engineering or a related major preferred consideration will be given to past applicable Quality Assurance experience, certifications, and Financial Services background
• Minimum 6 years' quality assurance experience relative to the development and execution of test cases and analysis of testing results Preferred
• Proven experience with test automation tools Preferred
• Proven experience working in Agile teams Preferred
• Demonstrated leadership experience, preferably in a quality assurance role
• Strong mathematical aptitude
• Strong preference towards test automation experience in a cloud computing environment
• Microsoft Excel skills and familiarity with other Microsoft tools such as Word and Access; Ability to understand and create SQL queries
• Understanding of complex life and/or annuity products, processes and methodologies strongly preferred
• Familiarity with Agile frameworks and regression testing is a plus
• Strong communication skills including verbal, written and presentation skills
• Strong interpersonal skills and proven ability to work and communicate with a variety of personalities, across locations and varying organizational levels
• Proven ability to research, analyze and resolve problem situations using strong judgment and high level decision making skills
• Strong initiative, self-motivation and ability to work independently and oversee work of others
• Ability to mentor others while handling multiple projects simultaneously and work effectively under deadline pressures on complex projects

Other Requirements
• Criminal background check required.

What you can expect when you join Sammons Financial Group
• Sammons Financial Group offers a competitive benefit package that includes: Health, Dental, Vision, Company Paid Retirement, PTO and Holiday Pay.
• Our Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) is a 100% company-funded retirement plan, so you can save for retirement without contributing a penny of your own paycheck.
• Healthy balance between work and personal lives. Friday afternoons off all year long, competitive PTO, and generous number of paid holidays.
• Our incentive program for defined goals subject to eligibility and performance. Monetary rewards are based on individual and/or overall company performance.
• Colleagues who support one another, model our core values, and drive our healthy, high-performing culture.
Salary Range Information

USD $66,791.00 - USD $139,149.00 /Yr. Range includes data points from multiple labor markets. Specific range is dependent on the labor market where the incumbent will be hired to perform the position. Starting salary is dependent on candidate qualifications and experience. For a narrower salary range specific to your labor market, please inquire.
Work Authorization/Sponsorship

At this time, we're not considering candidates that need any type of immigration sponsorship now or in the future or those needing work authorization for this role (This includes, but is not limited to students on F1-OPT, F1-CPT, J-1, etc.)

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