Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To lead, coordinate and deliver the Unit Acceptance Testing and Quality Assurance Testing on multiple common enterprise application projects and services. Provide systems testing analysis and expertise in addressing a full range of client quality assurance requirements. To provide systems and user acceptance testing expertise on projects which have strategic significance for achieving Enterprise Applications and Corporate Applications objectives.

Duties / Responsibilities :

Job requires:
1) Providing project leadership on development teams engaged in the analysis, design, development, testing and implementation of large, complex Ministry applications.
2) Coordinating and conducting the analysis of business requirements in order to develop a testing strategy for each application to ensure they meet the stated business requirements.
3) Leading the development of all testing plans and approaches including oversight over all user acceptance and quality assurance reviews conducted by the Tester and by Implementation Managers.
4) Overseeing the development and maintenance of all documentation related to testing including system testing use cases, automated scripts and user acceptance scripts.
5) Leading the user reviews of all new and enhanced systems including ensuring the promotion of all system components complies with business requirements and is responsible for ensuring all known risks and defects are clearly articulated and reported to the Manager.
6) Maintaining the integrity and effectiveness of testing tools, environments and databases.
7) Keeping senior management informed of the progress of strategically significant projects.
8) This position provides a significant level of assistance to clients including deciding and arranging for a variety of services to meet the client's needs, intervening and initiating action or cessation of services on behalf of the client. This position provides authoritative direction and guidance to the Manager on all matters related to user acceptance and system testing.

Staffing and Licensing :

N/A

Knowledge :

1) This position requires knowledge of team leadership techniques and practices in order to:
- Coordinate and supervise the testing activities of a team of programmers, testers, Implementation managers and users.
- Coordinate the development of all systems documentation.
- Coordinate and direct the development of complete system and systems testing specifications.

2) This position requires knowledge of standard project management methodologies and tools in order to:
- Develop and maintain several interrelated project plans, schedules, and staffing requirements.
- Monitor team member activities against previously agreed to deliverables and dates and report on status of self and team members.
- Prepare development and system testing plans.
- Coordinate issue management and resolution throughout the business requirement definition and development process
- Present, review, and rationalize project plans and testing solutions to senior management.
- Provide high level planning information to the senior management business planning process.
- Organize, plan, and manage several large projects (testing component of strategic significance to the Ministry.

3) This position requires knowledge of standard methods and techniques for systems and user acceptance testing in order to:
- Identify and evaluate the feasibility of various testing technologies, assessing the impact of options on service delivery, resources, costs, and the production and testing environments.
- Review client business and information requirements;
- Investigate and recommend solutions to meet testing requirements.
- Assess systems testing, user acceptance and quality assurance requirements;
- Develop testing use cases and automated scripts.
- Lead the review of options for testing solutions.

4) This position requires knowledge of various mid-range, and personal computer systems technologies including operating systems, networks, and applications development and testing software in order to:
- Develop recommendations and identify opportunities for maximizing technology to improve the efficiency of the clients' business or testing practices.
- Gather information on programs, services and business objectives and design systems or testing specifications to meet these objectives.
- Recommend testing solutions that meet client needs and promote overall Ministry IT strategies and objectives.
- Provide advice to branch and program staff on appropriate use and efficient application of information technology related to testing.
- Provide advice and expertise in the acquisition of hardware, software and other technology including conducting searches for products to meet specific business needs and related to testing.

5) This position requires knowledge of a variety of industry standard concepts, languages, and testing tools and protocols in order to:
- Provide leadership, guidance, and technical expertise to other members of the project team;
- Oversee the development complete testing documentation including detailed test cases including expected and actual results, automated test scripts and comprehensive audit materials;
- Oversee all system testing and user acceptance testing activities;
- Provide practical, technical input to innovative applications design and development;
- Recommend and arrange technical training for testing staff;
- Provide recommendations to clients as to the acceptance or rejection of system components.
- Establish and maintain tools, techniques, standards, documentation and performance criteria required for developing and/or testing corporate and local applications and ensuring quality.

6) This position requires knowledge of standard testing and query tools and protocols in order to:
- Examine test databases to ensure that the integrity of the production databases will be maintained after implementation of the application.
- Maintain the integrity and effectiveness of regression test databases;
- Monitor for problems to ensure ongoing availability of systems.

7) This position requires knowledge of standard debugging and testing techniques and practices in order to:
- Identify and debug problems encountered with software usage.
- Provide hardware, communications, applications, and network support including providing on site expertise to end-users.
- Resolve complex technical problems.
- Participate in, prepare, and facilitate JAD sessions.

8) This position requires knowledge of the clients' business in order to:
- Collect information on business requirements, analyze testing needs and participate in developing recommendations on appropriate testing solutions;
- Provide input to business and systems analysts as required for problem resolution.
- Assist clients in identifying Information Technology priorities;
- Liaise between Ministry clients and vendors to ensure the development of quality systems.

Skills :

This position requires considerable analysis to determine the nature of issues or problems including conducting considerable research for and interpretation of information and evidence. This position responds to issues or problems by drawing inferences from research and revaluation of issues or problems. This position uses existing alternatives as a starting point for developing different alternatives or solutions for review by senior management. This position requires writing and speaking skills to convey, fully grasp and explain detailed information which may involve specialized information technology terminology and to present, discuss, and explain highly complex information and arguments in a field of expertise where precise language is critical. This position requires interpersonal skills necessary to encourage compliance, promote acceptance and secure cooperation for a course of action, recommendation or proposal. This position also requires the skills to reconcile conflicts, mediate disputes, and negotiate formal agreements with external vendors, service providers, staff and/or clients.

Freedom of Action :

This position works within ministry and government policies, guidelines and directives for the use and development of information technology and within established practices and procedures for computer systems design, development and management. Work is performed with wide latitude in making decisions in the application of methods, procedures, and practices. Results are reviewed for contributions to stated objectives. Situations requiring major modifications or development of new methods and approaches are referred to the supervisor or manager.