Test Manager
ADSS
Total years of experience :15 years, 0 Months
Reporting to the CTO, responsible for the development and management of QA testing services via third-party QA teams and internal testing resources in support of the company objective over a multi-year transformation plan to become a fast growing, purpose-led, data-driven enterprise that delivers market-leading personalized content, propositions, and experiences to traders. Vendor and of the test environments management; integration and testing of the new Trading Platform, Salesforce, Enterprise Data Warehouse, Data Warehouse, Financial Accounting Hub, and Pricer amongst other internal applications.
Implementation of Agile delivery methodology within the Enterprise IT Retail domain for the delivery of Point of Sale (POS) and Self-Checkout (SCO) systems (Diebold Nixdorf/NCR - Retail Pro International Applications) for Marks & Spencer, ACE, Ted Baker, and other brands across MENA and Southeast Asia.
Delivery of QA and testing services for projects in the UAE and KSA regions across banking, telecoms, and retail e.g., Majid Al Futtaim Group SHARE Rewards Loyalty programme, IWG UK, The Saudi Investment Bank.
Led a team of 30+ personnel (Software Development, DevOps, Quality Assurance Testing, UAT,
Solution Architecture, and CRM systems management) in the delivery of enterprise software
solutions, backend services development in the delivery of exceptional customer journeys and
experience via web and mobile devices applications.
▪ Led the team in the development of OSN Web, Mobile Self-Service Application and OSN
Streaming Application via Agile iterative methodology
▪ Ensure customer experience aspects of any new solution are fully captured via
discussion, wireframes, ease of use etc.
▪ Improved software development processes and the success rate of first-time
deployments from 80% to 95% (i.e., reduced rollbacks and reduced fix forward)
▪ Successful management of 24x7 2nd and 3rd line support services
▪ DevOps focus to enhance code flow through development environments and reduce
potential for human error
▪ Partnered with international development companies to deliver mobile applications
e.g., self-service / loyalty app.
▪ Worked with C level to implement of technology solutions that enhanced the customer
experience on Set-Top Box, Self-Service Web and Mobile applications
▪ Implemented and adapted frameworks for partner testing e.g., Checkout for Payments,
customer soft launches (STB)
▪ Set priorities for the department and promoted a positive work environment to
enhance team engagement and performance
▪ Creates go-live plan including soft launch when required inclusive of MVP and
subsequent full go-live
▪ Developed employees viamentoring, coaching, training, and the agreement of SMART
objectives for performance evaluations
Responsible for the development and implementation of IT QA testing processes and QC
functions across OSN’s Digital Transformation program. Ensured software releases were
promoted through the development and test environments to production on meeting agreed
defined levels of quality. MVP and full-go live planning and testing. Led strategic vendor
partnerships in acquiring out-sourced on-shore/off-shore resource services.
▪ Established the IT Software Development Quality Assurance function within OSN
▪ QA & testing across UI, Customer Experience (CX) - Web, Mobile (iOS/Android) devices
and internal process interaction with retail partners
▪ Led vendor/partner agreement meetings regarding SLAs, KPIs, IT environments
readiness, integration testing and functional test execution
▪ Worked with portfolio, and project managers to delivery QA testing services for customer self-
service, payments web/mobile apps, retail partners tools and internal users
▪ Created and agreed IT test strategies that included requirements for all types of
functional and non-functional testing (e.g., Performance, security, etc.)
▪ Development of the maturity model for the function and implementation of strategy to
achieve the desired levels
▪ OSN CAB member, acting as the “gate keeper” for software deployment into production
▪ Ensured test automation was implemented to improve efficiency and reduce resource
costs
Accountable for the planning, delivery, and management of QA testing services in delivery of
newsroom systems. Partner selection via tender process and management through to UAT and
deployment into the production environment.
▪ Responsible for the delivery of projects involving multiple business and technical
dependencies, business critical systems and processes; supporting high reputational and
broadcast output impacts in highly political and commercially sensitive environments
▪ Vendor selection based on requirements, customer experience expectations, systems capability,
time-to-market etc.
▪ Delivery of portfolios, typically to the value of $10-20M and delivery of complex (multiple
dependencies, broadcast critical)
▪ Managed direct reports of up to 8 and a matrixed team of up to 40 personnel
▪ Responsibility for and direct control over the payroll and training budget for the team plus
other delegated Technology budgets e.g., tooling
▪ Managed and monitored the performance of 3rd party partners and suppliers
supporting Testing delivery
Team leadership and management of projects and programs to meet business needs and
achieve objectives regarding efficiency, cost, and quality in-line with defined EE delivery
methodology. 4G services testing, IT systems and mobile device testing.
▪ Management and leadership of resources (Onshore and Offshore) ensuring the
quality of software delivery, the customer experience, business objectives, and
acceptance criteria are achieved
▪ Led the delivery strategy for projects and programs consisting ofsystem, integration, functional
QA testing, end-to-end test, UAT and Non-Functional testing
▪ Worked with vendors/partners to agree and sign-off SOW (contract agreement)
▪ Maintained change, risk, actions, issues, decision logs (RAID) and delivered status reports
▪ Tracked project interdependencies, providing risk analysis, prioritization, options, and
recommendations to stakeholders
▪ Ensured budget & resource requirements were identified and progressed in accordance with
program/project demand
Quality Management of first line support processes and introduction of new business
processes to be managed by the service desk at McGraw-Hill. Continuous improvement
activities developed to ensure SLA performance of suppliers (WIPRO), customer satisfaction
measures were met, and processes improved based on SLA data and customer feedback.
Project management consulting services and leadership on multiple simultaneous BMC
Remedy ITSM 7.5/7.6 projects from initiation through requirements capture, development,
integration,
Management of facility IT infrastructure, laptop and Desktop PCs, audio/desk management, end-
user support.
Developed the configuration management practice for systems integration projects within
the market unit; led the introduction of configuration management tools and processes to
facilitate version control and change management activities; clients were T-Mobile and
Vodafone.
Systems integration and quality assurance testing of OSS telecommunication network
management systems and optical/electrical transmission systems (Cross-Connect, Line
system multiplexers and repeaters). Defined test strategies, led test planning,
conformance testing and UAT with British Telecom.
Programming, Computer Technology, Electronic Systems Devices and Principles, Communication Systems, Software Engineering, Digital System.