At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and grow a team of Test Engineers while shaping quality engineering in an AI-driven environment.
- Company: Cox Automotive, the world's largest automotive service organisation with a supportive culture.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hybrid work model, and a strong focus on professional development.
- Other info: Join a collaborative team that values outcomes and supports personal growth.
- Why this job: Play a key role in a large-scale digital transformation and shape the future of quality engineering.
- Qualifications: Strong leadership in Quality Engineering and proven success in delivering QA strategies.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
We’re looking for a Lead Quality Engineer to shape and lead quality engineering across a major transformation programme within our Manheim Vehicle Services (MVS) platform. This is a high-impact leadership role where you’ll guide teams through the evolution from a legacy .NET monolith to a modern, cloud-native AWS architecture—while redefining how quality works in an AI-assisted development world. You’ll combine hands-on engineering expertise, strategic thinking, and people leadership to ensure we build software that is reliable, secure, and built to last.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Lead & Grow the QE Function
- Lead, coach, and develop a team of Test Engineers and Analysts
- Set the vision and standards for quality engineering
- Act as a champion for quality across engineering and product
- Own Quality in an AI-Driven Engineering Environment
- Define quality guardrails for AI-generated and AI-assisted code
- Evolve practices for testing, validation, and review
- Shape how we maintain confidence in increasingly automated delivery
- Drive Strategy & Delivery
- Own and deliver the QA strategy and roadmap
- Define approaches across: Functional and exploratory testing, Performance, security, and resilience
- Lead automation strategy and tooling decisions
- Provide clear, risk-based input into release decisions
- Modernise Quality Engineering
- Work across both legacy and modern platforms
- Embed BDD and spec-driven development practices
- Drive measurable improvements via metrics and KPIs
Our Tech Landscape
You’ll operate across a modern, evolving stack:
- Cloud: AWS
- Backend: .NET / .NET Core
- Frontend: React
- Containers: Docker, EKS, ECS
- Data: Aurora, DynamoDB, DocumentDB
- Messaging: Kafka, SNS/SQS, EventBridge
- CI/CD: GitHub Actions
- Testing: Playwright, Cypress, Postman, K6
What We’re Looking For
Essential Experience
- Strong leadership experience in Quality Engineering / QA
- Proven success delivering QA strategies with measurable outcomes
- Deep knowledge of: Agile, CI/CD, modern SDLC
- Test automation at scale
- Hands-on experience with: Modern and legacy systems, API and performance testing, Cloud environments (AWS preferred)
- Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills
Nice to Have
- Experience working with AI-assisted or agentic development
- Background in large-scale transformation or migration programmes
- Familiarity with Docker, Terraform, observability tooling
- Data testing and quality experience
How You’ll Work
- Value-driven: Focused on outcomes, not activity
- Pragmatic: Able to balance speed, risk, and quality
- Empathetic leader: Supporting teams through change
- Collaborative: Partnering across engineering, product, and architecture
Why Join Us?
- Play a key role in a large-scale digital transformation
- Help define quality engineering in an AI-enabled future
- Work with modern cloud technologies and practices
- Shape the direction of quality across a complex, high-volume platform
- Lead and grow a team in a supportive, forward-thinking environment
If you’re passionate about building quality into modern software delivery and want to lead through one of the most exciting engineering transformations in the industry, we’d love to hear from you.
Lead Quality Engineer in Leeds employer: Cox Automotive
Cox Automotive Europe is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic and supportive work environment where innovation thrives. As a Lead Quality Engineer, you'll play a pivotal role in a large-scale digital transformation, working with cutting-edge cloud technologies while benefiting from a culture that prioritises employee growth, collaboration, and inclusivity. With a strong commitment to learning and development, you'll have the opportunity to lead a talented team and shape the future of quality engineering in an AI-driven landscape.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Quality Engineer in Leeds
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the industry on LinkedIn or at local meetups. A friendly chat can open doors that a CV just can't.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews! Research the company and its tech stack, especially around AWS and quality engineering. Show them you’re not just a fit on paper but also in spirit.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your storytelling skills. Be ready to share your past experiences and how they relate to the role. We want to hear about your leadership journey and how you've driven quality in previous projects.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our team.
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Quality Engineer in Leeds
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that match the Lead Quality Engineer role. Highlight your leadership experience in Quality Engineering and any relevant projects you've worked on, especially those involving cloud environments or AI-assisted development.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Use your cover letter to tell us why you're passionate about quality engineering and how you can contribute to our transformation programme. Share specific examples of how you've successfully delivered QA strategies and led teams in the past.
Showcase Your Technical Skills:Don’t forget to mention your hands-on experience with modern and legacy systems, as well as your familiarity with tools like Docker, AWS, and CI/CD practices. We want to see how you can bring your technical expertise to our team!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website for the best chance of getting noticed. It’s the easiest way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it reaches the right people!
How to prepare for a job interview at Cox Automotive
✨Know Your Tech Stack
Familiarise yourself with the technologies mentioned in the job description, especially AWS, .NET, and testing tools like Playwright and Cypress. Being able to discuss your hands-on experience with these technologies will show that you're not just a leader but also technically savvy.
✨Showcase Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully led teams in Quality Engineering before. Highlight specific instances where you coached team members or defined quality standards, as this role is all about guiding others through transformation.
✨Understand AI in Quality Engineering
Since the role involves working in an AI-driven environment, brush up on how AI impacts quality assurance. Be ready to discuss how you would define quality guardrails for AI-generated code and your thoughts on evolving testing practices in this context.
✨Prepare for Strategic Discussions
Think about how you would approach defining a QA strategy and roadmap. Be prepared to discuss risk-based decision-making and how you would balance speed, risk, and quality in a fast-paced environment. This will demonstrate your strategic thinking capabilities.
