Test Automation Lead

ESSSuper; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave

Personal leave

Salary + superannuation

Job summary

ESSSuper is seeking an experienced Test Automation Lead to drive automation strategy across digital and enterprise platforms. You will design, develop and improve automated testing frameworks, ensuring quality is embedded in the SDLC and delivered through CI/CD pipelines.

You will lead cross-functional teams, balance automated and manual testing, and mentor engineers to raise testing maturity across the organisation.

Qualifications

• Designing enterprise-scale test automation frameworks.
• Automation tools including Katalon Studio, Selenium WebDriver and Playwright.
• Web, mobile, API and backend application testing.
• CI/CD integration using Azure DevOps, Jenkins or GitHub Actions.
• Programming and scripting with Java, JavaScript/TypeScript, Python and/or Groovy.
• API testing across REST, GraphQL and SOAP services.
• Database validation and SQL-based testing.
• Agile, DevOps and continuous testing practices.
• Quality governance, test leadership and release management.

Responsibilities

• Define and deliver the test automation strategy, framework architecture, standards and reusable components across enterprise and digital platforms.
• Design, develop, maintain and optimise automated tests for web, mobile, API, integration and end-to-end business processes.
• Lead test planning, estimation, execution, defect management, reporting and release readiness activities across multiple initiatives.
• Own manual test execution and regression testing while transitioning critical business processes to automated coverage.
• Integrate automated testing into Azure DevOps, Jenkins, GitHub Actions and CI/CD pipelines to support continuous delivery
• Execute functional, exploratory, integration, end-to-end, regression, smoke, sanity, negative and production verification testing.
• Establish quality metrics, dashboards and reporting to provide visibility of testing progress, risks and release confidence.
• Conduct defect triage, root cause analysis and troubleshooting across applications, APIs, databases, environments and automation frameworks.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders, developers, architects, vendors and delivery teams to ensure quality outcomes and effective risk management.
• Champion continuous improvement, automation best practices, code reviews and quality engineering standards across the organisation.

Skills

Test automation

Automation frameworks

Azure DevOps

Jenkins

GitHub Actions

Katalon Studio

Selenium WebDriver

Playwright

Java

JavaScript/TypeScript

Python

Groovy

API testing

SQL

Agile

DevOps

Quality governance

Test leadership

Release management

Tools

Selenium WebDriver

Playwright

Katalon Studio

Azure DevOps

Jenkins

GitHub Actions

Job description

Our Organisation

Since 1925, ESSSuper and the funds before it have served the Victorian State Government, its employer agencies and theiremployees.

We administer the State's statutory defined benefit superannuation funds and obligations. Additionally, we administer accumulation-style products such as the ESSSuper Accumulation Plan and account-based IncomeStreams.

Our mission is to grow and protect our members' superannuation and support them throughout theirlives.

With over 119,000 members holding over $40 billion in defined benefit and accumulation net assets (as at 30 June 2026), ESSSuper is well-positioned to continue serving our members for years to come.

About the position

Reporting to Head of Platforms and AI, the Test Automation Lead is a hands-on technical role responsible for driving the automation testing strategy across digital and enterprise platforms. You will lead the design, development and continuous improvement of automated testing frameworks while ensuring quality is embedded throughout the software development lifecycle.

Working closely with various business and technology teams, you will build and maintain automation solutions across web, mobile, API and backend platforms, integrating testing into CI/CD pipelines and modern delivery practices. You will also guide testing governance, quality metrics, defect management and release readiness activities.

While automation is the primary focus, you will also execute and oversee manual testing where required, ensuring critical business journeys are effectively validated through the right balance of automated and manual testing. This role is ideal for a hands-on automation professional who enjoys solving complex technical challenges while driving quality and continuous improvement across the organisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and deliver the test automation strategy, framework architecture, standards and reusable components across enterprise and digital platforms.
• Design, develop, maintain and optimise automated tests for web, mobile, API, integration and end-to-end business processes.
• Lead test planning, estimation, execution, defect management, reporting and release readiness activities across multiple initiatives.
• Own manual test execution and regression testing while transitioning critical business processes to automated coverage.
• Integrate automated testing into Azure DevOps, Jenkins, GitHub Actions and CI/CD pipelines to support continuous delivery
• Execute functional, exploratory, integration, end-to-end, regression, smoke, sanity, negative and production verification testing.
• Establish quality metrics, dashboards and reporting to provide visibility of testing progress, risks and release confidence.
• Conduct defect triage, root cause analysis and troubleshooting across applications, APIs, databases, environments and automation frameworks.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders, developers, architects, vendors and delivery teams to ensure quality outcomes and effective risk management.
• Champion continuous improvement, automation best practices, code reviews and quality engineering standards across the organisation.

The successful candidate will be employed by ESSSuper on a 6-month fixed term contract. The role will be paid a salary plus superannuation with leave entitlements including annual leave and personal leave.

What we’re looking for

You are an experienced Test Automation Lead or Senior Automation Engineer who thrives in a hands-on environment. You combine deep technical expertise with strong stakeholder engagement skills and are passionate about delivering scalable, maintainable and reliable testing solutions. Ideally, you will have experience within regulated industries such as superannuation, insurance or banking.

Experience

• Designing and implementing enterprise-scale test automation frameworks.
• Automation tools including Katalon Studio, Selenium WebDriver and Playwright.
• Web, mobile, API and backend application testing.
• CI/CD integration using Azure DevOps, Jenkins or GitHub Actions.
• Programming and scripting with Java, JavaScript/TypeScript, Python and/or Groovy.
• API testing across REST, GraphQL and SOAP services.
• Database validation and SQL-based testing.
• Agile, DevOps and continuous testing practices.
• Quality governance, test leadership and release management.

What we offer

IMPACT

Our work has meaning, we serve the people who serve the community. We are passionate about serving our members and supporting them in getting the best possible superannuation and retirement outcomes.

DEVELOPMENT

We foster achievement through the development of our people. Focusing on building expertise and agility creates professional growth opportunities for our people and ensures that we are equipped to rise to the challenges of the future.

FLEXIBILITY

Our benefits and work practices promote the health and wellbeing of our people. We value a supportive and inclusive environment.

RELATIONSHIPS

Being part a small organisation within a dynamic sector draws people to ESSSuper, the supportive work environment keeps them here. We build strong relationships and collaborate to continually strengthen the experience of our members.

ESSSuper is an equal opportunity employer, we value diversity and inclusion, and we are committed to the attraction, retention and development of all people regardless of gender identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation and disability.