Director, QA Engineering

Job description

Who are we? At Finastra, we’re a global leader in financial services software, dedicated to expanding access to financial services and shaping what’s next for the industry. Our technology powers mission‑critical solutions across Lending, Payments and Universal Banking, supporting over 7,000 customers, including 80% of the world’s top 50 banks, in more than 110 countries. What will you contribute? Reporting to the VP, Head of Payments Quality Engineering , the Director, QA Engineering will lead a global, cross-functional Quality Engineering organization responsible for quality strategy, intelligent test automation, and end-to-end validation of the Payment To Go (P2G), Financial Messaging (FM), US Payments, BACS & EIPP and UI. This role partners closely with the Director, R&D Development to jointly ensure high-quality, scalable, secure, and resilient software delivery through a shift-left, AI-first, and automation-driven engineering approach . The role is accountable for embedding quality across the SDLC , modernizing QA into Quality Engineering , and driving predictable, metrics-driven releases with superior customer outcomes . Quality Engineering Leadership & Transformation Define and drive the enterprise-wide Quality Engineering strategy aligned with engineering, AI, and cloud modernization goals Lead the transformation from reactive QA to proactive Quality Engineering , embedding quality early in design and development cycles. Champion AI-augmented Quality Engineering practices , including: AI-driven test generation & optimization Intelligent defect prediction & root cause analysis Autonomous test execution & self-healing frameworks Establish a quality-first engineering culture across Development, QA, DevOps, and Product teams. Ensure adoption of shift-left and shift-right testing strategies , covering functional, non-functional, and production validation. Strategy, Governance & Metrics Define and institutionalize quality frameworks, standards, and governance models across all product lines. Establish and monitor engineering quality KPIs , including: Defect density & leakage Release success rate & deployment stability Test coverage (functional, performance, security) MTTR and incident escape rates Drive data-driven decision making through real-time dashboards and quality insights. Ensure alignment with enterprise quality policies and regulatory/compliance requirements. Technology, Automation & Architecture Lead the design and execution of scalable test architecture for: Functional, integration, regression testing Performance, scalability, and resilience testing Security and compliance testing Partner with Development to embed testability into system design and ensure quality gates in CI/CD pipelines . Drive 100% automated regression (functional & non-functional) to enable release-on-demand capabilities Standardize tools and frameworks across teams (e.g., Selenium, JMeter, Postman, CI/CD toolchains). Support modernization initiatives including: Cloud-native architecture Microservices-based platforms ISO20022 and real-time payments transformations Execution & Delivery Excellence Co-own delivery outcomes with R&D Development, ensuring: On-time, high-quality releases Reduced rework and production defects Improved customer satisfaction Drive measurable improvements in: Defect leakage Release cycle time Release stability and deployment success rates Ensure fully stable nightly automation packs with high pass rates to support continuous integration and delivery. Lead quality assurance for both legacy platforms and modern cloud-native systems . AI Driven Quality & Innovation Partner with the Development organization to embed AI across the SDLC, ensuring aligned adoption across build and test functions. Drive AI-enabled quality engineering use cases, such as: Predictive defect analytics Test optimization using ML models Intelligent production monitoring Establish best practices for test data management, observability, and quality analytics. Leadership & Talent Development Build, mentor, and scale high-performing global QA engineering teams across geographies. Drive a culture of: Accountability and ownership Continuous improvement Engineering excellence Develop strong leadership bench strength and succession pipeline within QA Engineering. Lead vendor and partner ecosystems effectively. Stakeholder Management & Collaboration Act as a trusted partner to Director, R&D Development , ensuring seamless collaboration across SDLC. Work closely with: Product Management Architecture & DevOps Customer Support & Services Influence cross-functional stakeholders to prioritize quality as a strategic differentiator . Provide transparent executive-level reporting on quality metrics, risks, and outcomes. Key Challenges Fragmented tooling and inconsistent quality practices across teams. Balancing legacy system quality with modernization velocity . Scaling automation and AI adoption across large distributed teams . Driving accountability for quality across engineering (not just QA). Required Qualifications & Experience Education & Technical Background BS/MS in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field Leadership Experience 15+ years in QA/Engineering leadership roles Experience managing large global teams (50 upto100) across geographies Quality Engineering Expertise Deep expertise in: Test automation frameworks Performance and resilience testing CI/CD and DevOps integration Defect management and quality governance Strong understanding of Agile, DevOps, and cloud-native architectures AI & Innovation (Preferred) Experience driving AI/ML adoption in QA Engineering, including: Automated test generation Intelligent defect analytics AI-driven quality insights Familiarity with MLOps and AI-assisted engineering workflows Domain & Collaboration Experience in payments or financial services domain preferred Strong stakeholder management and executive communication skills Key Success Metrics Reduction in production defects and defect leakage Improvement in release stability and on-time delivery Increase in automation coverage and effectiveness Reduction in MTTR and customer-reported issues Improvement in customer satisfaction (NPS) What This Role Enables This role is pivotal in ensuring that quality becomes a competitive advantage for P2G, FM, US Payments, BACS & EIPP and UI , enabling: Predictable, high-quality releases at scale Seamless alignment between build (Development) and validate (QA) A best-in-class, AI-enabled engineering organization delivering superior customer outcomes Consistent quality, release governance, and engineering standards across a portfolio of 8 products with significantly different maturity levels, customer expectations, release cadences, team sizes, and lifecycle stages A risk-based and pragmatic approach that balances the unique needs of growth, mature, and strategic products while driving a common vision for engineering excellence We are proud to offer a range of incentives to our employees worldwide. These benefits are available to everyone, regardless of grade, and reflect the values we stand for: Flexibility: Enjoy unlimited vacation, subject to local regulations and business priorities. Benefit from hybrid working arrangements and inclusive policies such as paid time off for voting, bereavement, and sick leave. Well‑being: Access confidential one‑to‑one support through our Employee Assistance Program, connect with our network of Wellbeing Champions and Gather Groups, and take part in monthly events and initiatives designed to help you thrive—inside and outside of work. Health & Financial Security: Medical, life and disability insurance, retirement plans, lifestyle, and other benefits.* Sustainability: Paid time off for volunteering and donation‑matching opportunities to support causes that matter to you. Inclusion: Get involved in our inclusion communities, such as Count Me In, Culture@Finastra, Proud@Finastra, Disabilities@Finastra, and Women@Finastra—open to everyone who wants to participate and contribute. Career Development: Access online learning and accredited courses through our Skills & Career Navigator tool. Recognition: Take part in our global recognition program, Finastra Celebrates, and share your voice through regular employee surveys that help shape our culture and ways of working. *Specific benefits may vary by location. At Finastra, each individual is unique—bringing their own ideas, perspectives, cultural backgrounds, and experiences. We learn from one another, value what makes us different, and create an environment where everyone feels included, supported, and able to be their authentic selves. Be unique. Be exceptional. Help us make a difference at Finastra.