Job description
Senior Engineering Leader – Quality (QA Ownership) Department: Engineering / TechnologyReports to: Director of EngineeringScope: ~250 engineers across multiple teamsRole Overview This role is for a Senior Engineering - Leader who owns Quality across a large engineering organization. You are not running a traditional QA function—you are responsible for embedding quality into how 250 engineers build, test, and ship software.You will drive an automation-first, AI-enabled quality strategy, ensuring teams own quality end-to-end while maintaining a high bar for reliability, performance, and customer experience.You are expected to challenge engineers, product managers, and senior stakeholders when quality is at risk. You do not trade quality for speed—you enable both.You are expected to be on the tools and lead by example!What You’ll Own Quality as an Engineering Discipline Make quality a core engineering responsibility, not a downstream QA activityEmbed testing into design, development, and deployment workflowsDrive a strong “shift-left” culture across all teamsDefine what “good quality” looks like and ensure it is consistently metAutomation & AI-Driven Testing Establish automation as the default across all layers (unit, API, integration, E2E)Drive adoption of AI-assisted testing (test generation, flakiness detection, intelligent coverage)Ensure all tests are integrated into CI/CD pipelines with fast feedback loopsContinuously improve coverage, reliability, and execution speed at scaleEngineering Leadership & Standards Set and enforce quality standards, test strategies, and release criteriaDefine and track key metrics (defect leakage, coverage, MTTR, pipeline health)Own quality gates and block releases when standards are not metLead root cause analysis and systemic improvementsInfluencing & Driving Accountability Work directly with senior engineers and tech leads to improve quality practicesPush back on delivery pressure when it compromises qualityHold teams accountable for the quality of what they shipPartner with Product to ensure clear, testable requirementsBuilding Capability (Not Dependency) Build and lead a small, high-impact group of SDETs / Quality Engineers where neededFocus on enablement, tooling, and frameworks—not manual testing capacityCoach teams to own testing independently and quality outcomesWhat Success Looks Like Teams fully own quality with minimal reliance on manual QAHigh automation coverage across all critical pathsFast, reliable CI/CD pipelines with a strong test signalReduced production defects and faster recovery when issues occurEngineers proactively prioritizing quality without external enforcementWhy This Role Matters This role is critical to scaling engineering without sacrificing quality. You will shape how hundreds of engineers think about testing, automation, and ownership—moving the organization away from QA as a gate and toward quality as a built-in capability. RequirementsRequirements Experience 8–12+ years in software engineering, with strong exposure to testing and qualityProven experience as an Engineering Manager in a scaling organizationTrack record of improving quality across multiple teams (not just within one team)Experience operating in modern Agile / DevOps environmentsTechnical Strength Strong background in software engineering (not just QA)Deep understanding of test strategies across the stackHands-on experience with test automation frameworks and CI/CD systemsPractical exposure to AI-driven testing tools and approachesFamiliarity with distributed systems, micro services, and cloud environmentsLeadership & Mindset High standards and unwillingness to compromise on qualityComfortable saying “no” to senior engineers and stakeholders when neededLead by example on the tools and grow your own timber with your teamStrong ownership mindset—you see quality as your responsibility, not someone else’sAbility to influence without authority across many teamsPragmatic and outcome-focused—you balance speed and quality effectivelyNice to Have Experience transforming a QA function into an engineering-led quality modelBackground working in high-growth or scaling tech organizationsExposure to performance, security, and reliability engineering practices