Lead QA Engineer

QA LEAD – MICROSOFT DYNAMICS 365

Engagement Type: Contract-to-Hire (5-Month Conversion Window)

Location: Charlotte, NC area preferred (Open to Eastern Time hours)

We are seeking an experienced, hands-on QA Lead to build and establish the Quality Assurance function from the ground up for an enterprise Microsoft Dynamics 365 implementation. This role requires a proactive leader who can own the end-to-end testing strategy, create master test plans, design manual and automated test cases, and lead execution across D365 CE (Customer Engagement), D365 F&O (Finance & Operations), third-party platforms (Shopify, InRiver PIM), and custom API integrations. You will work closely with system implementation partners (BDO), technology leadership, and business stakeholders across sales, marketing, finance, and operations. The ideal candidate is a strategic self-starter with deep functional D365 expertise who can establish manual testing frameworks first and then leverage AI-driven automation tools (such as elevaite365) to build reusable regression suites for long-term scalability.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

QA Program Leadership & Strategy (Ground-Up Build)

• Design, implement, and govern the overarching QA strategy, testing methodology, and master test plan for the enterprise D365 rollout.
• Translate business requirements and functional design documents into comprehensive test scenarios, test cases, scripts, and acceptance criteria.
• Establish test metrics, defect management workflows, risk monitoring, and executive reporting to keep program leadership informed of go-live readiness.

Cross-Functional & Integration Testing Execution

• Lead end-to-end testing across D365 CE (focusing on Sales & Marketing), D365 F&O, Shopify e-commerce, InRiver PIM, and underlying middleware/Azure integrations.
• Drive System Integration Testing (SIT), User Acceptance Testing (UAT), cutover validation, and post-go-live hypercare support.
• Facilitate defect triage meetings, working directly with functional consultants and technical teams to ensure swift resolution.
• Partner with non-technical business users across departments to guide, facilitate, and coordinate UAT execution.

Test Automation & Regression Suite Management

• Establish robust manual testing foundations prior to identifying high-value scenarios for automation.
• Build, execute, and maintain automated regression test suites using elevaite365 (or comparable D365 test automation/no-code platforms).
• Create reusable automated regression coverage to ensure continuous quality across future system releases, updates, and enhancements.

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS

Must-Have Experience

• 6+ years of hands-on QA & Software Testing experience in complex enterprise environments.
• Direct, proven experience leading QA for Microsoft Dynamics 365 implementations (D365 CE Sales/Marketing experience required; working knowledge of D365 F&O core processes).
• Manual + Automation Balance: Expert in manual testing fundamentals with proven ability to build test strategies from scratch, complemented by hands‑on experience scaling QA through test automation tools.
• Integration & E-Commerce Testing: Experience testing end-to-end data flows across integrated systems (e.g., ERP, CRM, e-commerce, PIM, middleware).
• Stakeholder Management: Exceptional communication, facilitation, and problem-solving skills; comfortable driving meetings with implementation partners (BDO) and internal executives without needing step‑by-step direction.

Preferred Experience

• Experience with elevaite365 or similar AI-driven / low-code D365 test automation platforms.
• Testing experience across Shopify, InRiver PIM, or retail/distribution/manufacturing supply chain business processes.
• Experience using AI tools to analyze requirements, identify functional gaps, and accelerate test-case generation.

SUMMARY OF TARGET PROFILE

• Not an "Automation-Only" Role: Candidates must value thoughtful manual validation before automating.
• D365 is Mandatory: Candidates without direct D365 functional knowledge will not be considered.
• Self-Directed Leader: Must thrive in an environment starting with zero pre-existing testing templates or regression suites.