Manager, Quality Engineering & AI Validation

Manager, Quality Engineering & AI ValidationThe Manager of Quality Engineering and AI Validation leads Accordion's centralized Quality Engineering and AI Validation function across software delivery pods. This impactful role will be critical in owning the quality operating model, release-readiness standards, test strategy, AI validation framework, and quality metrics used to support both conventional software and AI-enabled solutions. Above all, this leader will ensure quality is designed into delivery from the start, not inspected in at the end.This position will ideally be based in one of our US offices and is a hybrid role with the flexibility to work remotely 2 days per week (also eligible for remote candidates).What You'll Do:Quality Strategy & GovernanceDefine the firm-wide quality strategy, release gates, and validation standards across development podsEstablish a risk-based quality model for traditional software and AI-enabled workflowsDefine when pod-level validation is sufficient and when independent QA validation is requiredAI Validation LeadershipBuild and operationalize the QA approach for AI-led products, including benchmark datasets, scoring rubrics, regression comparisons, and grounded-output validationEstablish testing expectations for instruction adherence, consistency, business correctness, control compliance, and hallucination riskPartner with Engineering and Product leaders on quality implications of prompt, model, workflow, and tooling changesTeam LeadershipLead and develop quality engineers, AI quality analysts, and domain-oriented QA resourcesImprove the maturity of automation, evaluation routines, test evidence standards, and release disciplineCreate a scalable central model that supports pods without becoming a bottleneckFinance & Risk AlignmentPartner with Finance and practice SMEs to ensure solutions are validated against real business use, materiality, and control expectationsEnsure high-risk workflows receive the right level of domain review before production releaseProduction QualityDefine the framework for production quality monitoring, including escaped defects, output-quality degradation, reviewer overrides, and control failuresCreate visibility into quality trends, readiness, and recurring failure patterns for Engineering and leadershipYou Have:8+ years of QA, software testing, or quality engineering experience, including team leadership – you are a builder of quality systems and operating modelsDeep fluency in both engineering quality and business impactExperience building test strategy, release-readiness processes, and automation programs in modern software environmentsExperience supporting AI-enabled applications, workflow automation, data products, or decision-support systemsStrong understanding of functional, integration, regression, API, and data validation approachesAbility to translate business-critical finance workflows into quality controls and release criteriaComfortability asking tough questions about readiness, risk, and evidenceStrong communication skills and credibility with Engineering, Product, and business stakeholders – you are structured, pragmatic, and highly credibleConsistent focus on trust, traceability, and scalable executionBachelor's degree preferredYou Are:Excited to be part of a growing team, with a focus on driving future growthPassionate about delivering exceptional client serviceKnowledgeable about the relationship between Private Equity sponsors and their portfolio companies, particularly within the office of the CFOWilling to get your hands dirty in the details of a project while simultaneously seeing the whole pictureComfortable managing projects with multiple complex workstreams while also focused on your single workstream (you are managing and doing)A self-starter with a strong work ethicFull of entrepreneurial spirit and comfortable in a fluid, flat organizationAble to effectively communicate complex issues and solutions, and raise issues to senior team members when necessaryA team player, able to work with team members across all levelsSomeone who enjoys mentoring others and doing meaningful workA leader of others; you lead by exampleThe annual salary for this role ranges from: $165,000 to $205,000 + benefits + bonus.Actual compensation packages are determined by evaluating a wide array of factors unique to each candidate, including but not limited to geographic location, skill set, years and depth of experience, education, certifications, cost of labor and internal equity.Accordion is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.Please note that as per Accordion policy, we do not accept unsolicited resumes from third-party recruiters unless such recruiters are engaged to provide candidates for a specified opening and in alignment with our inclusive diversity values. Any employment agency, person or entity that submits an unsolicited resume does so with the understanding that Accordion will have the right to hire that applicant at its discretion without any fee owed to the submitting employment agency, person or entity.