At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and inspire a team of QA engineers to ensure high-quality software delivery.
- Company: Join Admiral Group, a leading multinational financial services provider focused on technology.
- Benefits: Enjoy 33 days holiday, flexible leave options, and up to £3,600 in free shares annually.
- Why this job: Be part of a diverse, inclusive culture that values innovation and personal growth.
- Qualifications: Strong QA knowledge, leadership experience, and familiarity with agile methodologies required.
- Other info: Recognised as a Great Place to Work for over 25 years, promoting equality and wellbeing.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
The Chapter Lead for Test Automation Engineering is a pivotal leadership role within Admiral IT. This role is responsible for building technical capabilities, driving functional excellence, and ensuring value delivery across squads. The Chapter Lead combines technical expertise with people leadership, focusing on recruitment, development, and retention of engineering talent, while also leading strategic initiatives and fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration.
Main Duties
Leadership
- Provide line management and career development for all technical squad members within the Chapter.
- Define and manage compensation, benefits, and promotion processes.
- Apply effective performance management mechanisms to support squad leaders and product owners.
- Create an inclusive environment that encourages innovation, experimentation, and learning from failure.
- Champion values of productivity, quality, transparency, and openness across Chapter operations.
- Ensure compliance with Admiral IT governance and architectural standards.
- Serve as a senior coach and advisor to Agile squads, balancing proximity for support with autonomy for problem-solving.
Implementation & Delivery
- Support squads in identifying problems, conducting root cause analysis, and making informed decisions.
- Drive technical improvements in testing, including automation and integration strategies.
- Sponsor and teach required software and hardware engineering skills to support high quality development.
- Lead initiatives to improve squad performance through effective controls and corrective actions.
- Participate in portfolio syncs and checkpoints to remove systemic impediments and support delivery.
Collaboration & Communication
- Establish open and effective communication channels to facilitate knowledge transfer within the Chapter.
- Support squad leads and product owners in transitioning knowledge across squads and the wider organization.
- Form close relationships with leadership to understand development needs and improve culture.
- Protect teams from distractions and unrelated work, enabling focus on delivery.
Experience Required
Technical Expertise
- Extensive experience in testing large-scale web applications using automation techniques.
- Proficiency in writing and maintaining automated tests using Playwright, JavaScript/TypeScript and mocking techniques and tooling.
- Experience with version control systems such as GIT or SVN.
- Exposure to CI/CD tools like Azure DevOps or Jenkins.
- Experience in designing and implementing integration, security, performance, accessibility and operational testing.
- Hands-on experience with API test tooling (Postman, Node-Fetch), contract and integration testing using mocking techniques and tooling.
- Knowledge of Jira and Confluence for project and documentation management.
Desirable Skills
- Experience in BDD (Gherkin), Docker, Kubernetes, and cloud platforms (Azure/AWS).
- Awareness of Guidewire products such as Policy Centre, Billing Centre, and Customer Engage Digital suite.
Behavioural Competencies
- Strong coaching and mentoring capabilities aligned with agile principles.
- Ability to foster a culture of continuous improvement and high performance.
- Strategic thinking and decision-making in a regulated environment.
- Commitment to Admiral values including productivity, quality, transparency, and openness.
Admiral: Where You Can
We take pride in being a diverse and inclusive business. It\’s a place where you canBe You, and show up as you are. We’re committed to fostering a people-first culture where everyone is accepted, supported, and empowered to be brilliant. You can,Grow And Progressat a pace and direction that suits you,Make A Differencefor our customers and each other, andShare in Our Futurewith all colleagues eligible for up to £3,600 of free shares each year after one year of service.
Everyone receives 33 days holiday (including bank holidays) when they join us, increasing the longer you stay with us, up to a maximum of 38 days (including bank holidays). You also have the option to buy or sell up to an additional five days of annual leave.
We’re proud of our people-first culture. In fact, we\’ve been recognised as aGreat Place to Work for Women, aGreat Place to Work for Wellbeing, and an overallGreat Place to Workfor over 25 years! We’re fully committed to making sure your progression is not slowed or halted by barriers related to race, gender, age, sexuality or any of the protected characteristics.
Our fantastic benefits make sure our colleagues have a great work-life balance; You can view some of our other key benefits here.
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Chapter Lead - (QA) employer: Admiral Group plc
Contact Detail:
Admiral Group plc Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Chapter Lead - (QA)
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with Agile methodologies, especially Scrum and Kanban, as these are crucial for the role. Understanding how these frameworks operate will help you demonstrate your ability to lead a QA team effectively.
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your leadership skills by preparing examples of how you've successfully managed and mentored teams in the past. Highlighting your experience in fostering a culture of quality and continuous improvement will resonate well with the hiring team.
✨Tip Number 3
Research Admiral Group's values and culture, particularly their commitment to diversity and inclusion. Be ready to discuss how you can contribute to this environment and support your team members in achieving their best.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare to discuss your vision for a high-performing QA function. Think about what strategies you would implement to develop your team and improve testing processes, as this will show your proactive approach to leadership.
We think you need these skills to ace Chapter Lead - (QA)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in QA leadership and agile methodologies. Use specific examples that demonstrate your ability to manage and mentor teams, as well as your understanding of QA processes.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for quality assurance and leadership. Mention how your vision aligns with the Admiral Group's values and how you can contribute to their culture of continuous improvement.
Showcase Your Technical Skills: Include any relevant certifications, such as ISTQB, and mention your familiarity with testing frameworks like Playwright or JMeter. Highlight your experience with both functional and non-functional testing techniques.
Demonstrate Leadership Experience: Provide examples of how you've successfully led teams in the past. Discuss your approach to performance management, team development, and creating an inclusive environment that fosters innovation.
How to prepare for a job interview at Admiral Group plc
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Chapter Lead, you'll need to demonstrate your ability to inspire and guide a team. Prepare examples of how you've successfully led teams in the past, focusing on your mentoring and coaching experiences.
✨Understand Agile Methodologies
Familiarise yourself with Agile principles, particularly Scrum and Kanban frameworks. Be ready to discuss how you've implemented these methodologies in previous roles and how they can enhance QA processes.
✨Emphasise Continuous Improvement
The Admiral Group values a culture of quality and continuous improvement. Think of specific instances where you've driven improvements in QA processes or team performance, and be prepared to share these during your interview.
✨Prepare for Technical Discussions
While you may not be writing automated tests, having a solid understanding of testing practices and tools is crucial. Brush up on your knowledge of frameworks like Playwright and JMeter, and be ready to discuss how they can be applied in a QA context.