QA Manager (REMOTE)

Koniag Professional Services, LLC a Koniag Government Services company, is seeking an experienced QA Manager to support KPS and our government customer. The position is remote. This position requires the candidate to be able to obtain a Public Trust. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k) retirement plan, paid time off, paid parental leave, life and disability insurance, flexible spending accounts, commuter benefits and tuition reimbursement. The ideal candidate is a strategic, results-driven leader who is passionate about software quality, committed to building and mentoring high-performing QA teams, and possesses the ability to design and implement robust quality assurance frameworks that ensure the delivery of reliable, compliant, and high-quality solutions. This position requires the ability to obtain a Public Trust Clearance to support our government customer. The QA Manager will be responsible for leading all quality assurance activities across one or more software development programs, establishing and enforcing QA standards, managing a team of test engineers, and ensuring that all software solutions meet defined quality, performance, security, and compliance requirements prior to deployment. This individual will serve as the primary quality assurance authority within the program, partnering closely with project managers, developers, business analysts, and government stakeholders to embed quality throughout the entire software development lifecycle. Principal responsibilities will include but are not limited to: Lead, manage, and mentor a team of QA engineers and test analysts, providing technical direction, performance feedback, and professional development support. Develop, implement, and continuously improve comprehensive QA strategies, frameworks, methodologies, and standards across all assigned programs and projects. Oversee the design, development, and execution of test plans, test cases, and test scripts for all testing phases including functional, regression, integration, system, performance, security, and user acceptance testing. Ensure complete and accurate test coverage across all software deliverables by reviewing and approving test plans, test cases, and test results produced by the QA team. Serve as the primary point of contact for all quality assurance matters, communicating QA status, risks, metrics, and findings to project leadership and government stakeholders in a clear and timely manner. Establish and maintain quality metrics, key performance indicators (KPIs), and reporting dashboards to monitor and communicate software quality trends and testing progress throughout the project lifecycle. Collaborate with project managers, developers, and business analysts during requirements reviews, design walkthroughs, and sprint ceremonies to ensure quality considerations are integrated early in the development process. Drive the adoption and continuous improvement of test automation frameworks and tools to increase testing efficiency, coverage, and reliability across programs. Oversee defect management processes, ensuring defects are identified, documented, tracked, prioritized, and resolved in a timely manner consistent with project SLAs and quality standards. Conduct root cause analysis on recurring defects, production incidents, and quality escapes, developing and implementing corrective and preventive action plans. Ensure all QA activities comply with applicable federal regulations, agency-specific requirements, Section 508 accessibility standards, and established security and compliance guidelines. Develop and maintain QA process documentation including QA plans, standard operating procedures (SOPs), testing guidelines, and traceability matrices. Coordinate and manage user acceptance testing (UAT) activities with government customers and end users, providing planning support, documentation, and training as needed. Assess and manage quality-related project risks, developing mitigation strategies and escalating issues to program leadership as appropriate. Evaluate, recommend, and implement new testing tools, technologies, and methodologies to enhance the QA program's capabilities and effectiveness. Support proposal efforts, program reviews, and audits by providing QA-related input, documentation, and subject matter expertise as required. Ensure QA team adherence to Agile and SDLC best practices, actively participating in sprint planning, backlog grooming, retrospectives, and other Agile ceremonies. Education and Experience: Required: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Information Systems, or a related field from an accredited college or university. 7 years of experience in software quality assurance or test engineering, with at least 2 years in a QA leadership or management role. Demonstrated experience developing and implementing QA strategies, frameworks, and processes across complex software development programs. Experience managing and mentoring teams of QA engineers or test analysts. Experience working in an Agile software development environment. Preferred: 10 years of experience in software quality assurance or test engineering, with 3 years in a QA management role. Experience leading QA efforts in a federal government IT environment. Required Skills and Competencies: Proven ability to lead, manage, and develop high-performing QA teams, including setting clear expectations, providing constructive feedback, and fostering a culture of quality and continuous improvement. Deep expertise in QA methodologies, testing types, and best practices across the full Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC) and Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). Strong experience overseeing the development and execution of comprehensive test plans, test cases, and test scripts across all phases of testing including functional, regression, integration, system, performance, and user acceptance testing. Proficiency with defect tracking, project management, and collaboration tools such as Azure DevOps, Jira, or similar platforms. Experience establishing and driving test automation initiatives, including the adoption and governance of automation frameworks and tools such as Selenium, Playwright, Cypress, or similar. Strong analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills with the ability to conduct root cause analyses and develop effective corrective action plans. Demonstrated ability to develop and report on QA metrics, KPIs, and dashboards to communicate quality status and trends to both technical and executive-level stakeholders. Solid understanding of Agile development methodologies, including Scrum, and experience integrating QA practices within Agile team environments. Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, with the ability to clearly articulate QA strategies, findings, and recommendations to diverse audiences including government customers. Experience developing and maintaining QA process documentation including QA plans, SOPs, testing guidelines, and requirements traceability matrices. Knowledge of Section 508 accessibility standards and experience ensuring software solutions meet applicable compliance requirements. Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities, projects, and deadlines simultaneously. Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust Clearance. Desired Skills and Competencies: Experience leading QA operations in a federal government IT environment, preferably supporting a civilian agency. ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level -- Test Manager (CTAL-TM) or equivalent quality assurance management certification. Project Management Professional (PMP) or Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) certification. Experience with API testing tools such as Postman, SoapUI, or similar platforms. Familiarity with performance and load testing tools such as JMeter, LoadRunner, or similar. Experience integrating automated testing into CI/CD pipelines using tools such as Azure DevOps, Jenkins, or GitLab CI. Knowledge of security testing concepts, tools, and compliance frameworks applicable to federal IT environments. Experience supporting or managing user acceptance testing (UAT) with government or enterprise-level stakeholders. Familiarity with cloud-based testing environments, particularly within Microsoft Azure or AWS ecosystems. Knowledge of database querying (SQL) for backend data validation and audit log review. Experience contributing to proposal development efforts, program audits, or Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) appraisals. Our Equal Employment Opportunity Policy The company is an equal opportunity employer. The company shall not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of race, color, religion, creed, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity (except where gender is a bona fide occupational qualification), national origin or ancestry, age, disability, citizenship, military/veteran status, marital status, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We are committed to equal employment opportunity in all decisions related to employment, promotion, wages, benefits, and all other privileges, terms, and conditions of employment. The company is dedicated to seeking all qualified applicants. If you require an accommodation to navigate or apply for a position on our website, please get in touch with Heaven Wood via e-mail at [email protected] or by calling View phone number on click.appcast.io to request accommodations. Koniag Government Services (KGS) is an Alaska Native Owned corporation supporting the values and traditions of our native communities through an agile employee and corporate culture that delivers Enterprise Solutions, Professional Services and Operational Management to Federal Government Agencies. As a wholly owned subsidiary of Koniag, we apply our proven commercial solutions to a deep knowledge of Defense and Civilian missions to provide forward leaning technical, professional, and operational solutions. KGS enables successful mission outcomes for our customers through solution-oriented business partnerships and a commitment to exceptional service delivery. We ensure long-term success with a continuous improvement approach while balancing the collective interests of our customers, employees, and native communities. For more information, please visit Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled. Shareholder Preference in accordance with Public Law 88-352 #J-18808-Ljbffr Koniag Government Services