At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a team to ensure top-notch quality in software testing and automation.
- Company: Join Dreams, the UK's most loved bed retailer, in a dynamic tech environment.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, amazing discounts, hybrid working, and wellness support.
- Other info: Free gym access, electric car scheme, and enhanced parental leave.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on quality assurance while working with cutting-edge technologies.
- Qualifications: 5-10 years in software testing with leadership experience required.
The predicted salary is between 53820 - 65780 £ per year.
We re looking for a new Quality Assurance Lead to join our Technology team based in Loudwater, Buckinghamshire.
The QA Lead is responsible for defining, implementing, and continuously improving the quality assurance and testing strategy across Dreams' technology estate.
The role will lead a team of testers and quality engineers, ensuring all technology solutions are delivered to the highest quality standards through effective testing, automation, governance, and continuous improvement.
The QA Lead will be accountable for quality assurance across
- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations (F&O)
- Dynamics 365 Store Commerce / Retail
- Ecommerce and Digital platforms
- Integration services and APIs
- Data and reporting solutions
- Business applications and enterprise systems
The role will also own the strategic relationship with Dreams' testing partner, Cell Software, ensuring external testing services align to business priorities, quality standards, delivery timelines, and value expectations.
Ideally in a retail environment, having a background in working effectively with all parts of the organisation to deliver solutions with outstanding quality.
Ready to skip the snooze button and get stuck in?
- Here s a taste of what you ll be doing day-to-day
- Managing regression testing for Microsoft's One Version updates.
- Coordination of business validation activities.
- Define and maintain Dreams' enterprise testing strategy and quality framework.
- Establish testing standards, methodologies, governance processes, and best practices.
- Drive a quality-first culture across Engineering and Product teams.
- Develop and monitor KPIs to measure quality performance and effectiveness.
- Provide regular reporting on testing progress, quality risks, defect trends, and release readiness.
- Act as the senior escalation point for testing and quality-related issues.
- Lead, coach, mentor and develop a team of QA professionals.
- Build capability across manual, automation, performance and specialist testing disciplines.
- Own test planning activities across projects, programmes, change initiatives and BAU enhancements.
- Define and deliver Dreams' test automation strategy.
- Identify opportunities to reduce manual testing effort through automation.
- Establish automated regression testing capabilities aligned to CI/CD pipelines.
- Drive adoption of modern test engineering practices and tools.
- Evaluate emerging technologies including AI-assisted testing capabilities.
- Manage the relationship with Cell Software and other testing suppliers.
- Own enterprise defect management processes.
- Monitor defect trends and root causes.
- Drive corrective and preventative actions.
- Ensure defects are appropriately prioritised and resolved.
- Report quality metrics to engineering leadership and key stakeholders.
- Support release planning and deployment governance.
- Ensure appropriate testing evidence is available for production releases. 5-10+ years' experience in software testing, quality assurance or quality engineering, including leadership responsibilities.
- Proven experience leading and developing testing teams.
- Experience defining and implementing testing strategies and quality frameworks.
- Strong understanding of software development lifecycles and Agile delivery methodologies.
- Experience managing third-party testing suppliers and partners.
- Excellent stakeholder management, communication and leadership skills.
- Technical Experience
- Strong experience testing Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations (F&O).
- Experience of Dynamics 365 Store Commerce, Retail/POS systems or similar retail technologies.
- Experience testing ecommerce, web and digital platforms.
- Strong knowledge of test automation tools, frameworks and best practices.
- Experience with Azure Dev Ops or similar test management platforms.
- Understanding of API, integration and data testing approaches.
Desirable
- Experience within retail, ecommerce or omnichannel businesses.
- ISTQB certification or equivalent.
- Experience with performance, security and non-functional testing.
- Knowledge of AI-assisted testing tools and modern quality engineering practices.
- Key Success Measures
- Improved software quality and reduction in production defects.
- Increased automated test coverage and efficiency.
- Successful delivery of D365 and digital releases.
- Strong stakeholder confidence in release readiness and quality.
- Effective management of Cell Software and external testing services.
- Continuous improvement of Dreams' testing capability, processes and tooling.
At Dreams, we know your bed is the best place in the whole world.
But for the hours between precious sleep, we d like to make work a special place to be too.
We re the UK s most loved bed retailer, so it s important our people feel the l
Bonus: Our discretionary annual bonus scheme recognises the hard work and dedication of our superstar dreamers.
- Discounts: Amazing staff discount on Dreams products, plus hundreds of brands including restaurants, holidays, and shopping.
- Buy-in schemes: You ll have the opportunity to buy extra holiday, private healthcare, or savings and loans.
- Parking: We know it goes without saying, but our free onsite parking gives you peace of mind when you travel.
- Wellbeing: We partner with the Retail Trust to offer a 24-hour helpline with a variety of support services, as well as hosting an out of hours GP service.
- Electric Car Scheme - Our salary sacrifice eclectic car scheme is a budget friendly way to cruise around in style and most importantly, lower those emissions!
- New to 2024 - enhanced maternity & paternity pay
- On-site gym, Step into our newly refreshed, free on-site gym, where you ll find everything you need to stay fit and energized.
From cardio machines and versatile free weights to dynamic cable machines, resistance bands, and even boxing bags, we ve got it all!
- Hybrid working: Whether you re an early bird or night owl, we trust you to work your hours responsibly to suit you!
- #J-18808-Ljbffr
Quality Assurance Lead employer: Dreams Ltd
At Dreams, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a competitive salary and an uncapped commission scheme that rewards your hard work. Our vibrant work culture in Dumfries fosters team engagement and personal development, with numerous opportunities for training and progression, alongside fantastic benefits like generous discounts and wellness support. Join us to not only achieve your career goals but also to be part of a fun and supportive environment where every day brings new opportunities to excel.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Quality Assurance Lead
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at Dreams Ltd or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to Dreams Ltd.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like Dreams Ltd.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like Dreams Ltd that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Quality Assurance Lead
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at Dreams Ltd.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Dreams Ltd and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at Dreams Ltd
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If Dreams Ltd uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
