QA Analyst - 35 hours per week, home based working. Temporary for 18 months

The Quality Assurance Analyst is responsible for supporting the full software development lifecycle through the planning, design and execution of system testing on projects of varying sizes and complexities to ensure the delivery of high quality business critical applications and reports.

The QA Analyst will work within the IT department and collaboratively with other areas of the business to execute and validate test cases based upon system requirements.

The QA Analyst will also deliver management information and perform ad-hoc analysis to the business as and when required., To define and execute the testing strategy
To establish quality standards and monitor these over time in order to drive improvements
To help assure coding / config quality throughout the systems development lifecycle through robust testing procedures
To help assure coding quality of any complex Management Information / data imports / data cleanses etc. through robust testing procedures
To test any software upgrades using appropriate test scripts and involving the relevant user groups
To test solution proposals in the test environments prior to implementation to ensure that they will work in practice
To work closely with colleagues across the business to understand their requirements and processes through requirements gathering and validation
To work closely with end users, identifying test scenarios and any gaps in user requirements / acceptance criteria
To develop and maintain a catalogue of appropriate test scripts for each system, keeping up to date as required
To carry out both blackbox and whitebox testing to appropriate testing standards which will cover the following: unit, integration, functional, system, stress, performance, usability, acceptance and regression testing
To identify appropriate tools and automate testing wherever necessary
To accurately record and monitor issues and report on progress
To sign off new functionality / reports from an IT perspective
To communicate test findings clearly and accurately to relevant stakeholders (both internal and external)
To take ownership of the test environments for each of the core systems
To ensure the right stakeholders are involved in UAT and lead the UAT sessions accordingly, supporting the end users throughout the process
To identify data accuracy / integrity issues and then identify and implement solutions
To support the Business Systems Manager in championing the use of 'fit for purpose' applications across the organisation, ensuring that IT is being used effectively as a tool to support the business at all times
To undertake tasks to promote new systems / functionality, obtain user buy in, engagement and maximise the use of systems across the business
To support the full project lifecycle which will normally include System and Process design, build, testing, training, system documentation, post go-live support and ongoing system administration
To support the Business Systems Manager to deliver on project deadlines and ensure that any improvements to Applications and Information System processes are kept up to date and properly documented

Experience
At least 3 years' experience in a QA Analysis related role.
Demonstrable experience of working on the full software development lifecycle.
Demonstrable experience of working with test management tools and managing issues through to completion.
Demonstrable experience of testing processes and techniques, including automated testing.
Demonstrable experience of advanced reporting and data analysis utilising SQL databases.
Demonstrable experience of working on large, complex system implementations.
Leading and contributing to large meetings with varying levels of stakeholders.
Skills
Ability to perform blackbox and whitebox testing to appropriate testing standards which will cover the following: unit, integration, functional, system, stress, performance, usability, acceptance and regression testing.
Ability to script and perform automated testing
Strong Database / TSQL Skills - understanding database structures with the ability to write complex SQL queries, working with large datasets and tables, views, functions, stored procedures etc. and implementing necessary data cleanses
Use of Reporting Tools - to query the SQL database and present information in an intuitive meaningful way.
MS Office - Excellent working knowledge of all MS Office packages, with advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Access.
Requirements gathering - Ability to identify areas for improvement. Ability to understand end user requirements, translate into technically feasible solutions and document accordingly in detailed specifications / test scripts.
Testing Skills - Performing in depth testing, both destructive and UAT
Analytical Skills - Excellent analytical skills. Ability to identify data issues and implement measures to enforce data integrity.
System Configuration Skills - Ability to understand system forms / lookups and how they adhere to specification in order to meet end user requirements.
Excellent documentation skills.
Excellent communication and presentation skills.
Excellent organisation and time management skills.
Ability to multi-task.
Ability to prioritise own workload and deliver to tight deadlines.
Excellent influencing and persuasion skills.
Ability to work as part of a team and independently
Knowledge
Excellent understanding of the full software development lifecycle.
Good understanding of SDLC methodologies.
Good understanding of Project Management
Additional
Must be a driver with own method of transport and a clean, valid driving licence, willing to travel to other sites, when required
Willing to undertake any necessary tasks in order to support IT systems / projects

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.