Johannesburg: Test Automation Lead (12 Months Contract) Hybrid

Role:Test Automation Lead Duration: 12 Months Contract Location: Johannesburg-(Hybrid) Job Purpose The Test Automation Lead is responsible for defining, implementing, and governing the automation testing strategy across programmes and delivery teams. This role ensures high-quality, scalable, and efficient testing practices by driving automation adoption, establishing frameworks, and leading test teams within an agile, DevOps-enabled environment. The role plays a key part in ensuring quality engineering excellence , reduced time-to-market, and improved customer experience across digital and core banking platforms. Key Responsibilities Automation Strategy & Leadership Define and implement the test automation strategy aligned to business and IT objectives Establish automation frameworks, standards, and best practices across delivery teams Drive shift-left testing and continuous testing practices within Agile/DevOps pipelines Provide thought leadership on modern testing approaches (AI-driven testing, performance engineering, etc.) Delivery & Execution Lead the design, development, and maintenance of automated test scripts Ensure coverage across: Functional testing API testing Regression testing Integration testing Oversee execution of automated test suites in CI/CD pipelines Monitor and report on quality metrics, defect leakage, and automation ROI Team Leadership & Capability Building Lead and mentor Test Automation Engineers and QA teams Provide technical guidance and coaching on tools, frameworks, and best practices Drive capability development and upskilling initiatives Foster a culture of quality ownership within cross-functional squads Stakeholder Engagement Collaborate with: Product Owners Developers Architects DevOps teams Engage senior stakeholders on: Testing strategy Risk mitigation Quality assurance governance Governance & Compliance Ensure adherence to QA standards and governance frameworks Support audit readiness and regulatory compliance Implement risk-based testing approaches Minimum Requirements Qualifications Bachelors Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or related field Relevant certifications (advantageous): ISTQB (Advanced Level preferred) Agile / Scrum certifications Experience 810 years in software testing 35 years in Test Automation leadership role Proven experience in: Large-scale enterprise environments Financial services (highly advantageous) Agile and DevOps environments Technical Skills ✅ Automation Tools & Frameworks Selenium / Cypress / Playwright RestAssured / Postman / API automation tools TestNG / JUnit / Cucumber (BDD frameworks) ✅ Programming / Scripting Java / Python / JavaScript ✅ DevOps & CI/CD Jenkins / Azure DevOps / GitLab CI Version control (Git) Integration of tests into pipelines ✅ Other Technologies API and microservices testing Performance tools (e.g., JMeter, LoadRunner advantageous) Cloud platforms (AWS/Azure advantageous) Key Competencies Strong leadership and people management Strategic thinking and problem-solving Excellent stakeholder engagement Attention to quality and detail Ability to influence delivery teams without direct authority Strong communication (technical & business)