Senior QA Lead

Senior QA Lead (Program-Level)

Location: Onsite – Brooklyn, OH | Albany, NY | Buffalo, NY

Employment Type: Contract

Contract Duration: 03/09/2026 – 09/04/2026

Pay Rate: $58.00/hour

We are seeking a Senior QA Lead to provide program-level quality leadership for a large-scale transformational initiative. This role is responsible for coordinating all planning, execution, and reporting activities associated with testing, while embedding quality safeguards throughout the software development lifecycle. The ideal candidate brings strong program leadership experience, expertise in conversion and quality reporting, and the ability to operate across Development, QA Shared Services, and Lines of Business.

This individual will serve as a strategic quality partner, ensuring comprehensive test coverage and proactive risk management.

• Lead QA efforts for large, enterprise transformation programs.
• Provide program-level leadership and oversee multiple QA leads and testing teams.
• Drive quality oversight across all phases of the SDLC, including:
  • Requirements review
  • Test planning and script preparation
  • Test execution and recap reporting
• Manage program and conversion-level reporting, including quality metrics and executive updates.
• Calculate and maintain requirements traceability and test coverage metrics.
• Lead defect triage sessions and coordinate remediation efforts.
• Identify gaps in user interface, workflow, and functionality; proactively highlight risks tied to technical debt or schedule impacts.
• Estimate QA resource needs and manage testing forecasts.
• Coordinate testing needs with Shared Services and oversee PLC tollgate deliverables.
• Partner closely with Technology Leads, Project Managers, Business Analysts, and Lines of Business stakeholders.
• Participate in grooming sessions, status meetings, and program-level governance discussions.
• Drive risk-based testing strategies aligned to business impact and release priorities.
• Identify opportunities for process optimization and increased automation efficiency.

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent professional experience required.

• 3+ years of progressive experience in Quality Assurance with demonstrated leadership responsibility.
• Program-level or large enterprise project QA leadership experience.
• Strong understanding of test automation coverage and ability to guide exploratory testing efforts.
• Proven experience managing:
  • Testing traceability
  • Test coverage reporting
  • Defect triage
  • Application and program health metrics
• Experience prioritizing testing based on risk, impact, and business importance.
• Ability to quickly understand application domains and customer experience considerations.

• Program-Level QA Leadership
• Program & Conversion Reporting
• Testing Traceability & Coverage Management
• Defect Triage Leadership
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Risk-Based Testing Strategy
• Process Optimization & Continuous Improvement
• Strong Analytical & Communication Skills
• Self-Motivated and Solution-Oriented

• Experience identifying and advancing automation opportunities.
• Experience working within structured governance or PLC frameworks.
• Background in large-scale enterprise transformation initiatives.