Initiative Test Lead

As an Initiative Test Lead, you will ensure that major initiatives and increments meet high-level quality standards by embedding the overarching QA strategy into initiative-specific test plans. This role focuses on high-level coordination, planning, and quality assurance across multiple delivery teams; it is a leadership/orchestration role rather than hands-on testing.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement comprehensive test strategies and specific initiative test plans.

• Define test scope and objectives based on change impact and risk assessment, in alignment with the Initiative Owner.

• Facilitate and coordinate testing prerequisites (test data, automation, environments).

• Assign tasks to relevant teams, set priorities, and monitor daily progress.

• Manage test results and defects via dashboards (Jira/Xray) and review status with stakeholders.

• Report deviations from the QA strategy and escalate risks when necessary.

• Conduct regular status meetings and provide transparent updates to leadership.

• Act as a cross-departmental coordinator, managing relationships with Product Owners, Tribe Leads, and external partners.

• Propose continuous improvements to overall quality processes.

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in IT, Computer Science, or equivalent through experience.

• 5-8 years of experience in QA/Testing roles, including 2-3 years as a Test Lead or QA Lead in complex enterprise environments.

• Proven track record in large-scale testing coordination and risk-based testing.

Technical Skills & Competencies:

• QA Expertise: Strong knowledge of test strategy, planning, and risk assessment.

• Tooling: Proficient with Jira/Xray (or similar) for defect/dashboard management and Confluence for documentation.

• Coordination: Ability to manage multiple teams and stakeholders in a large-scale, dynamic environment.

• Communication: Excellent stakeholder management skills; proactive and able to challenge teams constructively.

• Languages: Fluency in English is mandatory; proficiency in Dutch is highly preferred.

Nice-to-Have Skills:

• Experience in the Telecom industry.

• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and QA metrics.

• Knowledge of automation frameworks (e.g., Playwright).

• ISTQB Advanced Test Manager certification (Foundation level is the minimum requirement).