Software Quality Engineering Lead

Expleo; Cape Town; Hybrid; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in engineering and quality services is seeking a Software Quality Engineering Lead in Cape Town. In this role, you will lead test strategies and mentor engineers, driving quality practices and software development lifecycle improvements. Ideal candidates will have a strong background in quality engineering within agile settings and be proficient in various automation tools.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading software quality engineering efforts in agile environments.
• Strong expertise in test automation tools.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead the end-to-end test strategy and quality assurance processes.
• Drive adoption of shift-left testing practices.
• Mentor and coach Quality Engineers.

Skills

Communication

Leadership

Stakeholder Engagement

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science

ISEB / ISTQB Certification

Quality Engineering Certification

Tools

Playwright

REST Assured

Jira/XRay

Job description

Overview

Expleo is a trusted partner for end-to-end, integrated engineering, quality services and management consulting for digital transformation. We are a talent incubator. The time you spend at Expleo will turbo-charge your career, allowing you to work on complex technical challenges, enjoy opportunities to expand your skills and take part in inspiring, multi-disciplinary collaborations with your colleagues. Whether working on autonomous vehicles, green planes, the factories of tomorrow or cutting-edge banking technology, you will have the opportunity to become a bolder version of yourself. Let’s change the game together.

We are seeking an experienced Software Quality Engineering Lead to join our dynamic team in Cape Town (Hybrid – minimum 3 days onsite at Pinelands office).

In this pivotal role, you will lead test strategy development, quality planning, and oversee quality assurance efforts across multiple agile teams. You’ll play a key part in embedding quality practices throughout the software development lifecycle, driving shift-left principles, and mentoring Quality Engineers to enhance technical capabilities and delivery outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead the end-to-end test strategy and quality assurance processes for agile delivery teams.

• Provide quality oversight and guidance to ensure robust testing, risk mitigation, and high-quality releases.

• Drive adoption of shift-left testing practices to embed quality early in the development cycle.

• Mentor and coach Quality Engineers, fostering skill growth in test automation, tools usage, and quality engineering practices.

• Collaborate closely with developers, product owners, and business stakeholders to align quality objectives with business goals.

• Oversee and guide the use of test management and automation tools to ensure efficient and scalable testing.

• Identify areas for continuous improvement in testing processes and contribute to implementing solutions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or other related field, or equivalent work experience
• ISEB / ISTQB Certification
• Additional course or certification in Quality Engineering

Experience

• Proven experience leading software quality engineering efforts in agile environments.

• Strong technical expertise in test automation tools and frameworks, particularly:

  • Playwright (for UI automation)

  • REST Assured (for API testing)

  • Jira/XRay (for test management and tracking)

• Demonstrated ability to drive shift-left testing and embed quality from the start of the SDLC.

• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to influence at multiple levels.

• Strong leadership and mentoring skills to guide and uplift a team of Quality Engineers.