QUALITY ASSURANCE LEAD

Quality Assurance Lead Job Number: 416793 Department: Technology & Innovation (Delivery) Location: 121 N LaSalle, Chicago, IL The Department of Technology & Innovation (DTI) is seeking an experienced and strategic Quality Assurance (QA) Lead to support enterprise application delivery and digital transformation initiatives across the City of Chicago. The role will lead quality assurance strategy, testing governance, release validation, and continuous improvement efforts for enterprise platforms, custom applications, cloud solutions, integrations, and digital services. The QA Lead will work closely with Delivery leadership, Project Managers, Business Analysts, Service Owners, Application Development teams, Infrastructure & Operations, Data Services, Security, vendors, and departmental stakeholders to ensure solutions are delivered with high quality, reliability, accessibility, security, and operational readiness. Essential Duties Manage and direct the work of Quality Assurance Analysts responsible for testing and ensuring quality expectations are met and ensuring high-quality software delivery by planning, implementing, and automating quality assurance testing. Complete performance appraisals for subordinate staff, administer disciplinary functions, and approve staff time off requests. Set goals and objectives for team members for the achievement of operational results. Review QA and Testing plans for vendors/contractors. Review and interpret various documents (e.g., legal documents, requests for information, contractual requirements, legislation, performance bonds) for department management. Define the quality assurance and product testing program, discipline, and culture. Govern and manage activities related to QA and testing using industry best practices. Develop a quality assurance and product testing team. Own the development of QA governance and embed the management of these activities within the full application and service lifecycle, including developing performance metrics and execution of review processes to ensure compliance. Note: The list of essential duties is not intended to be inclusive; additional duties may be required for this position. Minimum Qualifications Six (6) years of work experience in quality assurance testing. Graduation from an accredited college with an Associate’s degree, plus four (4) years of work experience in quality assurance testing. Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s degree or higher, plus two (2) years of work experience in quality assurance testing. Preferred certifications: ISTQB, Certified Software Quality Analyst (CSQA), PMP, SAFe Certification, and vendor certifications such as Microsoft, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Oracle, or Workday. Desired Skills Experience in government, public sector, or highly regulated environments. Experience supporting ERP implementations and enterprise system integrations. Experience with cloud-based platforms and API testing. Knowledge of accessibility testing and WCAG 2.1 AA compliance standards. Experience with CI/CD pipelines and DevSecOps practices. ISTQB, Certified Software Quality Analyst (CSQA), PMP, SAFe Certification, Microsoft, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Oracle, or Workday certifications. Core Competencies Enterprise Quality Assurance Leadership Strategic Thinking Test Governance & Standards Enterprise Release Management Process Improvement Cross-Functional Collaboration Executive Communication Customer Service Orientation Key Responsibilities Lead enterprise QA strategy, standards, methodologies, and governance across DTI delivery initiatives. Develop and maintain QA frameworks, testing policies, procedures, templates, and best practices. Establish enterprise testing lifecycle processes for planning, execution, defect management, regression testing, and release validation. Provide leadership and oversight for QA Analysts, testing vendors, and project-based testing resources. Collaborate with Delivery leadership to improve delivery quality, release readiness, and operational stability. Lead testing activities for enterprise applications including ERP systems, Financial systems, HR and payroll systems, CRM platforms, Permitting and licensing systems, Workflow and case management platforms, Web and digital services, and Custom application development. Validate application functionality, integrations, workflows, reporting, and data accuracy. Ensure solutions meet business, operational, and technical requirements. Test Planning & Execution Develop comprehensive test strategies, test plans, test cases, and testing schedules. Coordinate functional testing, system integration testing, user acceptance testing, regression testing, end-to-end testing, performance testing, accessibility testing, and security validation support. Ensure traceability between business requirements, technical specifications, and testing outcomes. Defect & Release Management Manage enterprise defect tracking, prioritization, escalation, and resolution processes. Coordinate with development teams and vendors to resolve defects and validate fixes. Support release readiness assessments and go-live validation activities. Provide quality metrics, testing dashboards, and executive-level reporting. Lead implementation and expansion of automated testing capabilities. Evaluate and implement QA tools, automation frameworks, and CI/CD quality controls. Improve testing efficiency, repeatability, and quality maturity across DTI. Recommend process improvements aligned with enterprise modernization initiatives. Compliance, Accessibility & Security Ensure compliance with ADA/WCAG accessibility requirements, City technology standards, Security and privacy requirements, Data governance standards, and Audit and compliance controls. Partner with security and infrastructure teams to support vulnerability remediation and secure release practices. Stakeholder Collaboration Collaborate with Project Managers, Business Analysts, Service Owners, Business Relationship Managers (BRMs), Application Development teams, Infrastructure & Operations teams, Vendors and System Integrators, and Departmental stakeholders. Facilitate testing workshops, release reviews, and quality governance meetings. The City of Chicago is an Equal Employment Opportunity, Military Friendly, and Fair Chance Employer. #J-18808-Ljbffr