QA Lead in Manchester

QA Lead in Manchester

Manchester Full-Time 63000 - 77000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
Xpertise Recruitment

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead QA strategy for innovative SaaS and AI products, ensuring top-notch quality.
  • Company: Fast-growing tech business focused on product innovation and engineering excellence.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, hybrid work model, and a culture of continuous improvement.
  • Other info: Join a collaborative environment that values quality as a shared responsibility.
  • Why this job: Shape the future of QA practices while working with cutting-edge technology.
  • Qualifications: Strong QA leadership experience and hands-on test automation skills required.

The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.

  • QA Lead
  • Manchester (Hybrid) | Full-Time | £75,000

Are you an experienced QA Leader with a passion for quality engineering, test automation, and modern software delivery?

This is an opportunity to take ownership of quality strategy across a portfolio of innovative Saa S and AI-powered products, ensuring quality is embedded throughout the entire software development lifecycle.

You'll combine hands-on technical expertise with strategic leadership, helping engineering teams deliver high-quality software at pace while shaping the future of QA practices, automation frameworks, and AI-assisted testing approaches.

Our client is a fast-growing technology business investing heavily in product innovation, engineering excellence, and artificial intelligence.

They offer an environment where quality is viewed as a shared responsibility and where continuous improvement is encouraged across every aspect of delivery.

  • Why Join
  • Lead quality assurance strategy across innovative Saa S and AI-powered products.
  • Shape the future of test automation, engineering standards, and AI-assisted testing.
  • Work closely with engineering, product, and platform teams to influence delivery practices.
  • Join a business investing in modern technology, automation, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

  • Define and own the end-to-end QA strategy across multiple products and engineering teams.
  • Lead the development and evolution of automated testing frameworks using C#, x Unit, Selenium, and Playwright.
  • Establish quality standards, testing processes, and release validation procedures.
  • Drive the integration of testing and quality gates throughout CI/CD pipelines.
  • Lead approaches for testing AI-enabled features, automation workflows, and non-deterministic systems.
  • Monitor quality performance, defect trends, and production issues to drive continuous improvement.
  • Coach and mentor engineers on automation, testing best practices, and quality ownership.
  • Partner with stakeholders across Engineering, Product, and Platform to improve software delivery outcomes.

Requirements

  • Strong commercial experience in QA leadership and test automation.
  • Hands-on experience with C#, x Unit, Selenium, and Playwright.
  • Proven track record of defining and implementing QA strategy across multiple teams or products.
  • Deep understanding of automated, manual, integration, regression, and end-to-end testing approaches.
  • Experience embedding testing and quality controls into CI/CD pipelines.
  • Strong analytical, problem-solving, and stakeholder management skills.
  • Experience working within Agile software development environments.

Desirable Experience

  • Experience testing AI, machine learning, or LLM-enabled applications.
  • Exposure to cloud-native platforms, containerisation, and distributed systems.
  • Experience with event-driven or highly scalable Saa S applications.
  • ISTQB certification or equivalent quality assurance qualifications.
  • Key Details

Location

Manchester (Hybrid)

Salary

£75,000

Working Pattern

Hybrid, Full-Time

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds. Our client is an equal opportunities employer.

Right to work in the UK is required for this role.

#J-18808-Ljbffr

QA Lead in Manchester employer: Xpertise Recruitment

At Xpertise Recruitment, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, particularly for those passionate about making a difference in the medical technology field. Our Bristol location fosters a collaborative work culture where innovation thrives, and employees are encouraged to grow through mentorship and personal development opportunities. With competitive benefits like hybrid working and private medical insurance, we offer a fulfilling environment for Senior Electronics Engineers looking to contribute to life-changing projects.

Xpertise Recruitment

Contact Details:

Xpertise Recruitment Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land QA Lead in Manchester

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 Xpertise Recruitment 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 Xpertise Recruitment.

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 Xpertise Recruitment.

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 Xpertise Recruitment 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 QA Lead in Manchester

QA Leadership
Test Automation
C#
xUnit
Selenium
Playwright
Quality Strategy Development

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 Xpertise Recruitment.

Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Xpertise Recruitment 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 Xpertise Recruitment

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 Xpertise Recruitment 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.