Test Lead

ROLE SUMMARY:

The Test Lead is responsible for creating test plans for all given projects and overseeing the end-to-end testing process of our clients payment systems and applications. This role involves developing comprehensive test strategies, leading a team of testers, and ensuring that all deliverables meet the highest quality standards. The Test Lead will collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless integration and functionality of systems, driving continuous improvement in testing methodologies and processes.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Own end-to-end SIT, UAT coordination, including planning, test data readiness, environment validation, execution scheduling, defect triage, and final sign-off in collaboration with business stakeholders.
• Design, execute, and maintain manual and automated test cases, ensuring traceability to business requirements and complete UAT coverage.
• Act as the primary QA/UAT point of contact for key stakeholders (Credit Union, Business, Product, Project Management, Development, Operations), facilitating clear communication and decision-making
• Identify, log, prioritize and track defects through closure; conduct defect triage sessions and work closely with development and business teams to ensure timely resolution.
• Drive continuous improvement of testing processes through root cause analysis, corrective actions, and preventive measures to reduce defect leakage.
• Estimate test effort, define testing scope, manage dependencies, and provide regular status, risk, and execution reporting to stakeholders and leadership.
• Ensure adherence to QA and UAT best practices, standards, and governance, including entry/exit criteria, defect management, and sign-off processes.
• Perform risk assessment and mitigation planning related to UAT readiness, data availability, timelines, and cross-team dependencies.
• Coordinate and execute knowledge transfer sessions, walkthroughs, and documentation to ensure smooth handoffs across QA, business, and operational teams.
• Support go-live and post-implementation validation, including sanity checks, production verification, and defect trend analysis.
• Stay current with testing methodologies, UAT best practices, tools, and industry trends to continuously enhance QA effectiveness and stakeholder confidence. 

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field.
• Proven experience as a Test Lead or in a similar role within the Canadian financial or payments industry (5 to 10 Yrs Exp).
• Strong knowledge of Canadian payment systems (e.g., WIRES, Interac, CAFT) and ISO 20022 regulatory standards.
• Familiarity with Canadian compliance and risk management frameworks.
• Strong knowledge of software testing methodologies, tools, and processes.
• Experience with test automation tools and frameworks.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Experience with Agile and DevOps methodologies.
• Familiarity with continuous integration and deployment processes.
• Experience in performance and load testing is a plus.
• Knowledge of programming languages (e.g. Playwright, Cypress, Python, Java script) for test automation.

Key Attributes:

• Proactive and self-motivated with the ability to adapt to changing priorities.
• A team player with excellent interpersonal and collaboration skills.
• High attention to detail and a commitment to delivering high-quality results.