Job Title: QA Lead (Automation & Manual)

Role Summary

We are seeking a highly motivated and strategic QA Lead with extensive experience driving quality assurance excellence within fast-paced, international startup environments. In this role, you will define and own the end-to-end testing strategy, overseeing both manual execution and the continuous expansion of our automated testing suites.

As a hands-on leader, you will act as a creative problem solver who connects engineering, product, and business goals. You will establish QA best practices, govern the test case repository, and mentor team members while collaborating closely with developers and product managers to ensure the high-quality delivery of our global platform.

Key Information:

• Role Level: Leadership / Management (Hands-on).
• Work Model: 100% Remote.
• Core Stack: Playwright, Postman, Jira, Qase, SQL.
• Industry Context: Travel Tech Industry experience is highly preferred.

Core Responsibilities (Leadership & Strategy)

1. QA Strategy & Governance

• End-to-End Ownership: Design, implement, and govern comprehensive test plans, automation frameworks, and QA protocols for desktop, mobile responsive, and console platforms.
• Automation Roadmap: Lead the architectural expansion of the automated testing suite (unit, regression, and load/performance testing) utilizing Playwright.
• Process Optimization: Define and enforce QA best practices, defect management workflows in Jira/Confluence, and test case repository structures in Qase.
• Metrics & Reporting: Track, analyze, and keep executive management abreast of QA progress, release readiness, and product quality metrics.

2. Hands-on Technical Leadership & Troubleshooting

• Advanced Debugging: Serve as the escalation point for complex issues; inspect source code repositories, research log files, and query databases (SQL) to identify the root cause of high-priority bugs.
• API & Data Validation: Oversee and validate complex API requests/responses (using Postman) and data formats (JSON/XML), specifically focusing on third-party billing and customer travel transactions.
• Technical Documentation: Drive the creation and maintenance of critical QA documentation, including supplier API technical details and internal operational runbooks.

3. Cross-Functional Collaboration & Agility

• Product & Dev Synergy: Partner actively with Product and Engineering Leads during requirements definition to ensure testability and clear acceptance criteria.
• Resource Coordination: Prioritize multiple parallel deliverables, managing daily "Ready for QA" pipelines and optimizing team velocity in a fast-paced environment.
• Startup Flexibility: Lead by example with an entrepreneurial mindset, demonstrating the agility to redirect focus based on evolving company priorities and immediate product needs.

Required Quality Assurance & Technical Skills

• Professional Experience: 7+ years of proven experience in Quality Assurance, with at least 2+ years leading QA teams or driving QA strategy.
• Automation Mastery: 3+ years of direct experience architecting, reviewing, and scaling automated testing frameworks, with strong preference for Playwright.
• Manual & API Testing: Deep expertise in manual testing protocols (desktop/mobile) and robust API testing using Postman or similar tools.
• Technical Depth: Solid understanding of database structures (SQL preferred), log file analysis, browser developer tools, and data schemas (JSON / XML).
• Communication: Exceptional verbal and written English communication skills, with a direct, professional voice capable of managing stakeholders across international time zones.