QA Lead

Location: Seattle (Hybrid to start with and onsite contracting/Full time)HERS Advisors is partnered with an amazing travel company based out of Seattle, WA who are looking for a seasoned QA Lead with a strong understanding of the Azure DevOps (ADO)development process, deep expertise in automation testing, and proven experience leading multi-cultural QA teams. The ideal candidate will be passionate about quality, skilled in modern automation tools, and capable of driving testing strategies across diverse, distributed teams.Responsibilities• Lead and mentor a global QA team, fostering collaboration across different cultures and time zones• Define and implement test strategies, plans, and automation frameworks aligned with ADOworkflows• Collaborate with development and product teams to ensure test coverage and qualitystandards• Manage test execution, defect tracking, and reporting using Azure DevOps• Select, implement, and maintain automation tools (e.g., Selenium)• Drive continuous improvement in QA processes, including shift-left testing and CI/CDintegration• Responsible for PM activities including - Plan, coordinate, facilitate and lead project as wellas review meetings with business• Provide updated QA schedules/milestones• Ensure timely delivery of high-quality releases through rigorous testing and validation• Provide technical guidance and hands-on support for automation script development• Monitor and report on QA metrics, risks, and progress to stakeholders• Lead Demos and gather feedback.Required Skills & Experience• 10+ years of QA experience, with at least 2 years in a leadership role• Strong understanding of Azure DevOps and its integration into development lifecycles• Hands-on experience with automation testing tools (e.g., Selenium)• Experience working in multi-cultural, distributed teams• Solid grasp of test planning, execution, and defect management• Familiarity with Agile/Scrum methodologies• Excellent communication, leadership, and organizational skills• Bachelor's degree in computer science, or related fieldQualifications• Extensive QA hands-on experience in various software testing areas, including functional,integration, and automation testing.• Knowledge of cloud-based testing environments (e.g., Azure)• Proficiency with automation tools (e.g., Selenium) and frameworks, along with the ability todevelop test plans and cases.• Exposure to containerized environments (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes)• A strong understanding of different testing methodologies and Agile/Scrum developmentpractices.• Familiarity with project management tools like ADO and an understanding of softwaredevelopment and database issues.