Head of Global Test & Quality Engineering

Rhian_Convatec; London; Remote; GBP 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job description

Convatec is a global medical products and technologies company, focused on solutions for the management of chronic conditions, with leading positions in advanced wound care, ostomy care, continence care, and infusion care. With around 10,000 colleagues, we provide our products and services in almost 100 countries, united by a promise to be forever caring. Our solutions provide a range of benefits, from infection prevention and protection of at-risk skin, to improved patient outcomes and reduced care costs. Group revenues in 2023 were over $2 billion. The company is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index (LSE:CTEC). To learn more about Convatec, please visit http://www.convatecgroup.com.

Change is everywhere at Convatec. It’s transforming our business, and helping us improve millions of lives. And we’re nowhere near finished. Across every part of our business, we’re pushing for better. Join us on our journey to #ForeverCaring as a Head of Global Test & Quality Engineering, and you’ll do the same.

The IT Head of Global Test & Quality Engineering is responsible for overseeing the testing function within the IT organization, ensuring the delivery of high-quality software and systems in compliance with both internal standards and external regulatory requirements. This role involves managing a team of test professionals, collaborating with cross-functional stakeholders, and driving continuous improvements in test processes and methodologies.

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership & Management:

• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of test engineers and analysts, fostering a culture of quality and continuous improvement.
• Develop and execute the overall testing strategy and roadmap in alignment with IT and business objectives.
• Establish clear performance metrics and monitor team productivity, ensuring adherence to timelines and quality standards.

Test Strategy & Process Improvement:

• Own the test strategy development process, ensuring it integrates regulatory (e.g., GxP) and quality requirements.
• Collaborate with Quality Assurance, IT Operations, and other stakeholders to ensure seamless integration of testing across the software development lifecycle.
• Continuously assess and refine testing processes, tools, and techniques to optimize efficiency and effectiveness.

Project & Stakeholder Management:

• Partner with IT Operations, IT Business Application Delivery, IT Client Focus Solutions Delivery, and IT Business Partnering teams to understand requirements and ensure comprehensive test coverage.
• Coordinate testing activities across multiple projects and application support, ensuring risk management and issue resolution.
• Act as the primary point of contact for test-related matters, communicating status, risks, and mitigation plans to senior management and stakeholders.

Quality & Compliance:

• Ensure testing practices comply with industry standards and regulatory requirements (such as GxP) and internal policies.
• Oversee the maintenance of test documentation, including test plans, test cases, and defect logs.
• Manage audit preparation and remediation activities related to testing processes and outcomes.

Innovation & Continuous Learning:

• Stay current with emerging technologies and best practices in software testing and quality assurance.
• Identify opportunities for automation and process enhancements to improve testing efficiency and coverage.
• Promote knowledge sharing and professional development within the testing team.

Skills & Experience:

• A minimum of 7-10 years in software testing or quality assurance, with at least 3-5 years in a leadership or managerial role.
• Proven experience in managing testing activities in regulated environments (e.g., GxP, FDA-regulated industries) is highly desirable.
• Strong understanding of software development life cycle (SDLC) methodologies, including Agile and Waterfall.
• Experience with test automation tools, frameworks, and modern testing practices.
• Familiarity with regulatory requirements and quality standards in a regulated industry.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a cross-functional environment.
• Experience with risk-based testing and test management tools.
• Proven ability to drive change and foster innovation in testing practices.

Qualifications /Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field. Advanced degree preferred.
• Certification in quality assurance, testing (e.g., ISTQB), or related areas.

Team:

• 3 to 5 direct reports
• ~15 indirect reports

Travel Requirements:

Position may involve travel up to 10% of the time, mostly within Europe but overseas travel is expected. Most trips will include overnight travel.

Our transformation will change your career. For good. You’ll be pushed to think bigger and aim for excellence. Your ideas will be heard, and you’ll be supported to bring them to life. There’ll be challenges. But, stretch yourself and embrace the opportunities, and you could make your biggest impact yet.

This is stepping outside of your comfort zone.

This is work that’ll move you.

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