Manager of Quality Assurance - Boston, MA

This is a full time, permanent role in Boston.

This financial services client has been in Boston for almost a century.  It's one of the best places to work with a great environment.

The Manager of Quality Assurance plays a key role in the IT department by overseeing and managing all quality assurance efforts to ensure quality of product for all software-based solutions in our operating environment. This is unique opportunity for a qualified individual to analyze, implement and manage technologies that will allow us to achieve our high expectations of quality in our exciting and expanding operating environment.
The Manager of QA will design and implement quantitative quality assurance framework based on leading industry practices. They will assume the lead in the design and oversee the execution of comprehensive testing strategies including, but not limited to, functional, integration, regression, performance, user acceptance and release testing. The Manager of QA ensures that testing activities are conducted in accordance with our technology governance practices to ensure that software released into the production environment meets company standards. They will evaluate and coordinate the implementation of automation testing processes for managed teams and develop and implement results tracking and metrics reporting.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
•         Leads, directs and manages the team responsible for ensuring overall quality of software within the operating environment;
•         Evaluates current QA systems and capabilities and implements new practices and systems to ensure an optimum QA framework;
•         Leads collaboration efforts with directors and Sr. Managers to implement the framework within existing SDLCs while ensuring adherence to operational controls;
•         Directs and prioritizes projects and work based on risk, exposure, and available resources;
•         Designs and implements quality system and testing strategies aimed at making software products defect free;
•         Quantitatively tracks defect rates, identifies and analyzes trends, and provides feedback to the rest of the development organization to improve software delivery processes;
•         Provides direction in the development of test strategies and associated test plans and test scripts;
•         Ensures compliance of test plan release policies and other related  technology governance processes;
•         Mentors and trains teams on testing methodologies and procedures;
•         Manages the integration of one or more manual test teams with use of automation tools or working with automation testers;
•         Directs staff in the development and implementation of departmental policies, procedures and programs;
•         Assumes overall responsibility for assuring quality of software introduced to the operational environment;
•         Champions the use of automation to increase overall efficiencies and product quality;
•         Manages onshore and offshore team resources;
•         Recommends decisions regarding employment, training and development, and performance appraisals.

QUALIFICATIONS:
•         Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent work experience;
•         Experience with software quality assurance systems, tools, techniques and processes;
•         Working experience within a commercial software development environment with multiple concurrent system release cycles;
•         Knowledge and experience with software development lifecycle models, including both “waterfall” and iterative or “agile” approaches;
•         Experience managing both onshore and offshore QA team members;
•         Knowledge  of business systems and applications used within asset managers;
•         Knowledge of quality management systems such as CMMi or Six Sigma. Six Sigma certification or experience highly desirable;
•         Excellent interpersonal, communication, customer service, and project management skills.
•         Ability to design and deliver presentations to diverse audiences, including groups that include senior management and administrative staff members as well as groups that include technical and non-technical personnel.

Please contact Albert Barsoumian with qualified resumes via email at albertb@avidtr.com or via phone at 617-951-1893.

Manager of BSA - Boston, MA

This is a full time, permanent role in Boston.

This financial services client has been in Boston for almost a century.  It's one of the best places to work with a great environment.

The Group Manager, Business Systems Analysis - Operations is responsible for directing a team of Business Systems Analysts (BSAs) on technology initiatives that support the Investment Operational functions.



This position achieves objectives by ensuring that the needs of the business partners are met, while following a disciplined software development lifecycle and by driving projects to successful completion by supporting and motivating team members to achieve goals.  This position acts as a liaison and partner to the business stakeholder community within the Investment Operations group and will help identify development solutions, modifications, and integrations of applications.  Key areas include trade processing, reconciliations, compliance rules, performance and attribution and risk reporting.


Principle Responsibilities:

·         Accountable for the success of the BSA team; ensures appropriate resource allocation, adherence to the software development lifecycle and proper alignment to the overall business strategy and firm goals.

·         Provides leadership and expertise to direct reports; ensures they are provided with the appropriate tools to successfully execute responsibilities.

·         Coaches and mentors BSAs.  Uses real-time feedback and performance reviews to develop consistency and quality across resources.

·         Takes a leading role in BSA community to facilitate networking and knowledge sharing and deliver continuous improvement of BSA competency.

·         Takes a principal role in the analysis tasks of major projects, both as an individual contributor and the team manager.

·         Provides expert Business Analysis capabilities to identify requirements and define solutions.

·         Ensures solution design is in line with service and technology roadmap and provides input to strategy development.

·         Works to develop key metrics and ensure monthly and quarterly reporting requirements are met. .

·         Establishes customer relationships, acting as a liaison for project sponsors to ensure information is communicated and internal and external customer requirements are represented in the most appropriate manner.  Works to resolve issues and coordinate resources, ensuring projects track as expected.



Qualifications:

·         Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

·         8+ years of experience reviewing business requirements, system functional requirements, and developing systems specifications.

·         5+ years of managing staff; ability to motivate and engage direct reports.

·         5+ years of Financial Services Industry experience, working with Investment Operations and supporting technologies.  Specific knowledge of trade processing, reconciliations, compliance rules, performance and attribution or risk reporting preferred.

·         Ability to think strategically and inform/influence/collaborate with senior managers on business opportunities and risks.  

·         Strong knowledge of Systems Analyst responsibilities and processes.

·         Strong analytical and problem solving skills.

·         Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including strong presentation and facilitation skills.

·         Ability to translate broader business initiatives into clear team objectives and concrete goals.

·         Ability to manage multiple projects, priorities and/or teams across.

·         Strong understanding of SDLC methodologies.




Please contact Albert Barsoumian with qualified resumes via email at albertb@avidtr.com or via phone at 617-951-1893.