IT Quality Engineering Lead (opens the employer's site in a new tab)

Proton.ai; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) matching

Paid time off

Job summary

Johnstone Supply is seeking a Quality Engineering Lead to establish and lead a centralized QA function for the COS delivery program. You will define the QA strategy, governance, and automation approach, and provide leadership for QA Analysts across multiple lifecycle phases.

You will ensure QA activities are embedded from requirements through go-live, balancing centralized control with ground-testing inputs from BPOs and SMEs, while maintaining release readiness and risk visibility.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, Business, or related field, or equivalent.
• 6–8+ years of progressive Quality Assurance experience across ERP/eCommerce/integrated systems.
• Experience maturing QA practices in growing delivery environments.
• Experience with multi-phase delivery programs and cross-functional stakeholders.
• QA certifications (ISTQB or equivalent) preferred.
• Agile/SAFe certifications are a plus.
• Strong QA methodologies knowledge: risk-based, functional, regression, integration, end-to-end validation.
• Hands-on with test management/defect tracking tools (Azure DevOps preferred).
• Knowledge of test automation concepts and frameworks.
• Experience testing complex ERP/eCommerce workflows across systems.

Responsibilities

• Establish and lead centralized QA function for COS delivery program.
• Define QA strategy, standards, governance, entry/exit criteria, defect management, test planning, automation approach, readiness reporting.
• Provide evidence-based release readiness view to leadership.
• Balance centralized QA with blended testing model; partner with BPOs, SMEs, and superusers.
• Introduce pragmatic test automation focusing on smoke/regression coverage.
• Lead and supervise QA Analysts across the program; set priorities and standards.
• Mentor QA Analysts and foster a quality-driven mindset across the team.

Skills

QA leadership

QA strategy

Agile/SAFe

Azure DevOps

Test automation

Risk-based testing

UAT & go-live support

Defect governance

Mentoring/coaching

Delivery lifecycle

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems/CS or related

Tools

Azure DevOps (ADO)

Job description

Overview

Johnstone Supply, North America's leading wholesale distributor of HVACR equipment, parts, and supplies, has a great opportunity to join our team. Over the last seven decades, Johnstone has grown into a multi-billion-dollar industry leader with over 470 distributor branches and 6 distribution centers throughout North America. We work with some of the largest companies in the world, including Daikin/Goodman, Bosch, Copeland, Honeywell, Johnson Controls, and Fujitsu, to provide contractors with world-class products, technical expertise, and quality service.

Now is the best time to join Johnstone Supply. Relationship-building is the key to our success, and it shows in everything we do. The Power of Johnstone is everyone who works with us. Our customers, our partners, and our people. Johnstone is growing, and so can you.

Responsibilities

As a member of the Enterprise Applications team, the Quality Engineering (QE) Lead is responsible for establishing and leading a centralized Quality Assurance function to ensure consistent, reliable, and business‑aligned testing across the COS delivery program.

• Defines the QA strategy, standards, and governance model, including entry and exit criteria, defect management, test planning, automation approach, and readiness reporting.
• Builds the foundation for how quality is measured, evidenced, and communicated across D365, eCommerce, and integrated systems.
• Ensures testing is embedded within the delivery lifecycle - from requirements and design validation through go‑live and hypercare - while providing Johnstone and business leadership with a clear, evidence‑based view of release readiness and risk.
• Balances centralized QA ownership with a blended testing model, partnering with BPOs, SMEs, and superusers to keep testing grounded in real branch and back‑office operations.
• Introduces pragmatic test automation focused on stable smoke and regression coverage to accelerate releases without creating unnecessary maintenance overhead.
• Provides day‑to‑day functional leadership and supervision for QA Analysts assigned to the program, directing testing activities, priorities, and standards across the delivery lifecycle.
• Mentors and coaches QA Analysts, provides input into performance feedback, supports skill development, and fosters a consistent quality mindset across the team.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, Business, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• 6–8+ years of progressive Quality Assurance experience, including testing of enterprise platforms such as ERP, eCommerce, and integrated business systems.
• Demonstrated experience establishing or maturing QA practices in a growing, transforming, or greenfield delivery environment.
• Experience supporting complex, multi‑phase delivery programs with multiple releases and cross‑functional stakeholders.
• QA or testing certifications (e.g., ISTQB or equivalent) are preferred.
• Agile, SAFe, or delivery framework certifications are a plus.
• Strong understanding of QA methodologies, including risk‑based testing, functional testing, regression testing, integration testing, and end‑to‑end business validation.
• Hands‑on experience using test management and defect tracking tools, preferably Azure DevOps (ADO) or comparable ALM platforms.
• Working knowledge of test automation concepts, frameworks, and tooling, with the ability to identify appropriate candidates for automation versus manual testing.
• Experience testing complex business workflows and integrations across ERP, eCommerce, and related systems.
• Ability to define and maintain test evidence, traceability, and reporting artifacts to support auditability and release readiness.
• Proven ability to integrate testing into the full delivery lifecycle, including requirements and design validation, build verification, UAT, cutover rehearsal, and go‑live support.
• Strong understanding of defect governance, including triage, prioritization, escalation, and trend analysis.
• Experience working within Agile or PI‑based delivery models, coordinating testing activities with evolving scope and schedules.
• Ability to design and enforce entry and exit criteria that balance quality, risk, and delivery timelines.
• Familiarity with business‑driven testing models that align technical validation with operational readiness.

#JSTNP6

Company Values

We’re also interested in hiring a great candidate that holds these values so we can further build a strong company culture:

• Safety:Always prioritizes safety, both at work and at home, while ensuring those who work for you work safely.
• Customer Focused:Take the perspective of those we serve, anticipate their needs, and responding quickly.
• One Team:We win together by collaborating with each other, focusing on the common goal, and leveraging the strengths of the team.
• Own It:Take the initiative, act with a sense of urgency and pride, do things right the first time, and always act with integrity.
• Innovate:Embrace and create change that drives continuous improvement and customer-valued solutions.

Benefit Overview

At Johnstone Supply, we recognize that our employees’ growth, well-being, and success drives the company’s success. We offer a competitive wage, in addition to health and wellness benefits including medical, dental, vision coverage, and options for supplemental care. We provide the resources you need to take charge of your well-being, including:

• Competitive Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Safe Harbor 401(k) – 100% employer match up to 5% of base pay and immediate vesting
• Holiday pay – we recognize and pay our employees for 7.5 holidays per year
• Paid Parental Bonding Time
• Employer subsidized medical, dental, and vision plans
• Employer paid life insurance and short-term disability
• Voluntary long-term disability, accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity insurance
• 24/7 Access to virtual care/telehealth options
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with employer contribution; Flexible spending accounts (FSA)
• Wellbeing program with opportunity to earn reduced medical costs
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for you, and your family
• Tuition reimbursement
• Employee referral bonus program
• Employee service milestone recognition program

We understand that our employees are the cornerstone of our success. Our commitment to continuous improvement & investment in our people is only matched by our commitment to superior customer experience.

EOE & E-Verify Participating Employer.