Senior QA Engineer

Mama Money; South Africa; Hybrid; ZAR 500,000 - 800,000; Full time

Job summary

A fintech startup in South Africa seeks a Senior QA Engineer to champion quality within the development team. The role involves creating test strategies, executing test cases, and collaborating closely with product owners to ensure software meets high standards. Candidates should have extensive experience in QA practices and tools, and a passion for improving user experience. Join a team that prioritizes community impact and innovation.

Qualifications

• 5-8+ years of experience as a QA tester in Agile.
• Experience in developing test strategies and writing test cases.
• Strong multitasking abilities in dynamic environments.

Responsibilities

• Help ensure understanding of requirements during feature introductions.
• Formalize test strategies covering scenarios and key integration points.
• Execute test cases and log bugs with clear reproduction steps.

Skills

QA testing in Agile

Test strategies

Back-end systems testing

SQL skills

Version control (Git)

Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure)

API tools (Swagger, Postman)

Scripting (JavaScript)

Exploratory testing

Tools

DBeaver

SQL Server

MySQLWorkbench

Job description

Who we are:

Mama Money is a growth stage fintech startup working to help migrant workers in South Africa send money home. Since 2015 we have been providing reliable remittances, at a socially fair price, to those that need it most.Mama HQ is in beautiful Cape Town, South Africa.

We are 131 people strong (and counting) from 19 countries across Africa, Asia, the UK, and Europe. Our culture is built around the well-being of our team membersand making a difference in our communities. “Just be lekker!” personifies our approach to work: we trust the wisdom of our talented and diverse team to do what is best for our customers and get the job done responsibly, without pedantic policies.

We’ve been around since 2015 and have earned a few accolades along the way, made some new friends,and expanded our reach. We've had some great times and some tough times, but we continue to focus on helping people rather than maximizing profit.

We’re seeking a Senior QA Engineer to champion a quality-first approach within our agile development team. In this role, you’ll be deeply involved throughout the entire software development life cycle, helping to ensure our products meet the highest standards.

How you will be working at Mama:

When a new feature is introduced by the product owner and architect during refinement, you’ll help ensure the team fully understands the requirements and system architecture. Using a tester’s critical mindset, you’ll question assumptions, uncover edge cases, and identify areas to improve testability, while forming an initial test strategy.

Once planning begins under the tech lead’s guidance, you’ll formalise this strategy into a document covering test scenarios, key integration points (API, app, queues, etc.), test data, and result verification.

As development progresses, you’ll deploy and configure updates in the QA environment, execute test cases, identify and investigate bugs, and log them with clear reproduction steps.

After development, you’ll verify the complete solution and sign off for production. You’ll also drive automation efforts, both for new and existing features, working with the QE Lead, maintaining test suites, and serving as the team’s automation expert.

Skills & tool experience we’re looking for:

• Proven experience as a QA tester within an Agile software development environment (5–8+ years).
• Demonstrable experience in developing test strategies & writing test cases.
• Extensive experience with back-end systems testing with a variety of methods of interacting with components (i.e. REST, SQS, database, and through front end interfaces.)
• Strong SQL skills and familiarity with relational database tools such as DBeaver, SQL Server, or MySQLWorkbench.
• Experience seeding databases with test data is a plus.
• Proficiency with version control systems like Git.
• Experience working with cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP); familiarity with AWS services such as EKS, RDS, SQS, and API Gateway is a plus.
• Hands-on experience using API tools such as Swagger, Bruno and Postman.
• Experience with scripting (writing and updating) using JavaScript.
• Knowledge of configuring mocks for isolated service testing would be a big plus.
• Skilled in exploratory testing with a sharp eye for identifying bugs and user experience issues.
• Strong multitasking abilities with the flexibility to manage and reprioritise multiple workstreams in a dynamic environment.
• Solid troubleshooting skills with the ability to trace and report bugs efficiently and clearly.
• As a Senior, you will be expected to positively influence software quality beyond the boundary of your team.

In your first 90 days at Mama Money you will:

• Onboard all our tools and processes, and familiarise yourself with the various teams and departments at Mama Money.
• Develop a deep understanding of what Mama Money does, and what your team does, from the point of view of our customers.
• Work in your team, advocating quality, writing and performing tests as needed to deliver functionality.
• Have one-on-one’s with your line manager, and develop a training and career growth plan based on your personal goals, as well as the needs of the business.
• Regularly give and receive feedback, and suggest improvements.

Why Mama?

At Mama Money, we’re not just a company—we’re a movement. Everything we do is driven by one purpose: to make life better for our customers and the communities we serve. Our customers are our heartbeat, and they inspire every step we take.

We’re all about making it easy. No red tape, no hassle. Just simple, seamless experiences that put people first, we’re here to make things easier, faster, and better for you.

We believe in giving it a go—and then giving it another go if we have to! We're a team of doers, dreamers, and innovators who aren't afraid to break the mold. We take bold steps, experiment with fresh ideas, and never stop learning.

At Mama Money, we own it—and we mean it. We take responsibility for our actions, our results, and how we show up every day. No passing the buck here. We approach every challenge with grit, passion, and determination.

Here’s the best part: Mama Money is a place that truly cares. We care about the trust our customers place in us. We care about our amazing team who bring their best every day.

When you join Mama Money, you’re joining a community. We’re a passionate, down-to-earth crew that works hard and celebrates wins along the way. We take our work seriously, but we don’t forget to have fun while we do it.

So, if you’re ready to make a real difference, take on exciting challenges, and grow in a place where you’re valued and supported, then Mama Money is the place for you. Let’s make an impact—together.

Mama’s values:

1. Making it easier for our customers

2. Give it a go

3. Just own it