Role:Test Automation Lead
Duration: 12 Months Contract
Location: Johannesburg-(Hybrid)
Job Purpose
The Test Automation Lead is responsible for defining, implementing, and governing the automation testing strategy across programmes and delivery teams. This role ensures high-quality, scalable, and efficient testing practices by driving automation adoption, establishing frameworks, and leading test teams within an agile, DevOps-enabled environment.
The role plays a key part in ensuring quality engineering excellence, reduced time-to-market, and improved customer experience across digital and core banking platforms.
Key Responsibilities
Automation Strategy & Leadership
- Define and implement the test automation strategy aligned to business and IT objectives
- Establish automation frameworks, standards, and best practices across delivery teams
- Drive shift-left testing and continuous testing practices within Agile/DevOps pipelines
- Provide thought leadership on modern testing approaches (AI-driven testing, performance engineering, etc.)
Delivery & Execution
- Lead the design, development, and maintenance of automated test scripts
- Ensure coverage across:
- Functional testing
- API testing
- Regression testing
- Integration testing
- Oversee execution of automated test suites in CI/CD pipelines
- Monitor and report on quality metrics, defect leakage, and automation ROI
Team Leadership & Capability Building
- Lead and mentor Test Automation Engineers and QA teams
- Provide technical guidance and coaching on tools, frameworks, and best practices
- Drive capability development and upskilling initiatives
- Foster a culture of quality ownership within cross-functional squads
Stakeholder Engagement
- Collaborate with:
- Product Owners
- Developers
- Architects
- DevOps teams
- Engage senior stakeholders on:
- Testing strategy
- Risk mitigation
- Quality assurance governance
Governance & Compliance
- Ensure adherence to QA standards and governance frameworks
- Support audit readiness and regulatory compliance
- Implement risk-based testing approaches
Minimum Requirements
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or related field
- Relevant certifications (advantageous):
- ISTQB (Advanced Level preferred)
- Agile / Scrum certifications
Experience
- 8–10+ years in software testing
- 3–5+ years in Test Automation leadership role
- Proven experience in:
- Large-scale enterprise environments
- Financial services (highly advantageous)
- Agile and DevOps environments
Technical Skills
✅ Automation Tools & Frameworks
- Selenium / Cypress / Playwright
- RestAssured / Postman / API automation tools
- TestNG / JUnit / Cucumber (BDD frameworks)
✅ Programming / Scripting
- Java / Python / JavaScript
✅ DevOps & CI/CD
- Jenkins / Azure DevOps / GitLab CI
- Version control (Git)
- Integration of tests into pipelines
✅ Other Technologies
- API and microservices testing
- Performance tools (e.g., JMeter, LoadRunner – advantageous)
- Cloud platforms (AWS/Azure – advantageous)
Key Competencies
- Strong leadership and people management
- Strategic thinking and problem-solving
- Excellent stakeholder engagement
- Attention to quality and detail
- Ability to influence delivery teams without direct authority
- Strong communication (technical & business)
