QA Lead / Release Manager

At Deskpro, we make helpdesk software and we have customers of all shapes and sizes from across the globe, including Vodafone, Microsoft, NHS, and Panasonic. Deskpro is a large product with a large variety of features and modules, from email, chat, and voice, to blog posts, knowledgebase, and guides, and everything in between. There's always something new to build.

We have a Wimbledon office but remote opportunities are available for UK-based candidates who can't commute in.

What you will do as a Release Manager & QA Lead

Your main responsibility will be to assist our team in delivering high-quality products. You will be in charge of carrying out our standard release schedule which takes place every Tuesday. Additionally, you will collaborate with various teams to guarantee that each release is executed seamlessly and free of any defects or regressions.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage the release process, ensuring that all software releases are delivered on time and meet quality standards.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams, including the Product team, development/engineering, and QA, to plan and execute releases.
• Develop and implement release strategies, including testing and deployment plans.
• Define and enforce quality standards, including the establishment of test processes and best practices.
• Perform manual QA tasks and lead and mentor our small team of QA engineers and manual testers, helping to develop robust test plans.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to prioritize and address issues and bugs.
• Monitor and report on release progress, identifying risks and taking appropriate actions to mitigate them.
• This is a high-impact role. You'll help define how our team thinks about quality and QA. You'll be encouraged to think outside the box, propose changes, and try new things.

Requirements

• Proven experience in release management or QA lead roles in a software development environment.
• Strong understanding of software development life cycle and release management processes.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple releases simultaneously.
• Knowledge of testing methodologies, test automation, and continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines. Although you will not be required to personally configure these systems, you should have a strong understanding of common methodologies that are applicable to software development teams.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams. You will sometimes be the "glue" between different teams, the person who makes sure things get done.
• Attention to detail and a commitment to delivering high-quality software products.
• Knowledge of helpdesk or customer support software is a plus.

Benefits

• Competitive Salary + Generous Share Options
• We are a friendly startup-team based in central Wimbledon, 3 minutes walk from the mainline train-station.
• Be truly invested in a growing software company.
• A mixture of autonomy over your role and real responsibilities to the team and business.
• Your choice of equipment (most of us use MBP's).
• Private Healthcare, Pension Scheme, Bike storage, Parking options, Gym Discount.