Quality Assurance Manager
The Quality Assurance Manager manages the conduct of various quality assurance tests and analyses to ensure that the product meets or exceeds specified quality standards and end-user requirements. He/She determines quality assurance testing objectives and reviews test plans to ensure alignment of quality testing governance framework and standards. He ensures that system tests are completed, documented and all problems are resolved before release to users. He anticipates internal and/or external business challenges and/or regulatory issues, and recommends process, product or service improvements. He may lead projects or project steps within a broader project or have accountability for ongoing activities or objectives. He works in a team setting and is proficient in programming languages required by the organisation. He is familiar with international quality standards and processes, as well as applicable test automation tools. The Quality Assurance Manager champions high service standards in ensuring products are issue-free and is methodical in performing quality assurance testing, anticipating problems and resolving issues that occur. He is able to apply knowledge from multiple disciplines to develop innovative improvement solutions, and communicates his improvement recommendations effectively.
What Does a Quality Assurance Manager Do?
Key Responsibilities & Tasks
Develop plans to execute quality testing
- Evaluate user requirements, product specifications and intended outcomes
- Determine quality testing objectives, assumptions and hypotheses based on features to be tested and design specifications
- Determine timelines, test environment, tools and approaches required, work allocation and responsibilities in quality testing
- Review test plans and make refinements to ensure robustness of testing
- Review test scenarios for compliance with established testing procedures and guidelines
Perform quality testing
- Oversee the conduct of quality assurance tests to validate fulfilment of product design requirements and specifications
- Evaluate findings from quality assurance testing to validate achievement of quality standards and product functionalities based on design requirements and specifications
- Manage investigation into quality issues for resolution
- Recommend solutions to address quality issues
- Validate resolution of quality issues
- Develop reports documenting quality testing outcomes for the relevant development teams
- Manage the automation of quality assurance testing for suitable types of tests
- Review final products to ensure adherence to quality standards
Optimise quality processes
- Evaluate the efficiency of existing quality assurance processes
- Review recommendations to optimise quality assurance testing processes
- Assess new quality assurance testing processes for implementation
Manage people and organisation
- Manage the budget expenditure and allocation across teams and projects
- Monitor and track the team’s achievements and key performance indicators
- Propose new operational plans, including targeted budgets, work allocations and staff forecasts
- Acquire, allocate and optimise the use of resources
- Develop learning roadmaps to support the professional development of the team
- Manage the performance and development process, including providing coaching and development opportunities to maximise the potential of each individual
Do You Have the Skills for This Role?
A Quality Assurance Manager needs 4 core competencies. Here's what's required and at what level.
Must-Have Skills (Advanced)
Decision Making
AdvancedThinking Critically
Supporting Skills
Global Perspective
IntermediateStaying Relevant
Customer Orientation
IntermediateInteracting with Others
Self Management
IntermediateStaying Relevant
SkillsFuture Skill Levels
3 levelsBasic
Recognise and understand fundamental concepts. Apply skills in routine situations with guidance.
Intermediate
Apply skills in varied situations independently. Analyse problems and adapt approaches as needed.
Advanced
Lead and innovate in complex situations. Evaluate strategies, guide teams, and drive improvements.
Technical Skills & Competencies (TSC) Levels
6 levelsFollow
Carry out routine tasks under close supervision. Follow established procedures and guidelines.
Assist
Perform tasks with some independence. Assist in non-routine situations and apply established techniques.
Apply
Apply skills and knowledge independently in varied situations. Analyse problems and adapt approaches.
Analyse
Analyse complex situations and develop solutions. Guide and mentor junior colleagues.
Strategise
Set strategic direction and drive innovation. Evaluate trade-offs and make high-impact decisions.
Transform
Lead industry transformation. Establish standards, shape policy, and provide expert advisory.
Technical Skills & Competencies
A Quality Assurance Manager requires 24 technical skills at specific proficiency levels.
Learning and Development
Level 5People Development
Drive employee developmental programmes in alignment to business needs
Quality Standards
Level 5Governance and Compliance
Establish and control quality expectations in line with organisation directions and selected benchmarks
Applications Development
Level 4Development and Implementation
Plan the application development process, program applications and secure features, applying suitable debugging techniques to resolve complex errors
Budgeting
Level 4Business Finance
Manage budgeting and forecasting for annual financial and business planning within the business unit
Business Agility
Level 4Business and Project Management
Lead the implementation of operational initiatives to enhance business agility
Business Needs Analysis
Level 4Business and Project Management
Investigate existing business processes, evaluate requirements and define the scope for recommended solutions and programmes
Business Performance Management
Level 4General Management
Manage organisation performance systems across departments
Manpower Planning
Level 4Business and Project Management
Conduct project level manpower forecasts to bridge gaps between manpower demand and supply, and facilitate development of recruitment strategies
Networking
Level 4Business Development
Develop business plans for new opportunities
Partnership Management
Level 4Stakeholder and Contract Management
Propose strategic initiatives with other organisations based on identification of mutual benefits, and analyse their impact
People and Performance Management
Level 4People Development
Develop performance management programmes
Performance Management
Level 4Operations and User Support
Establish metrics and mechanisms to assess network, software or system performance, and determine Infocomm Technology (ICT) infrastructure components and parameters to be enhanced
Problem Management
Level 4Operations and User Support
Introduce processes, guidelines and technologies to facilitate the management of problems throughout their lifecycle
Process Improvement and Optimisation
Level 4Business and Project Management
Analyse and develop, review of plans for process improvement and optimisation
Project Management
Level 4Business and Project Management
Plan and drive medium scale projects or programmes, including allocating resources to different parts, and engaging stakeholders on the project's progress and outcomes
Quality Assurance
Level 4Development and Implementation
Implement quality performance guidelines and review the effectiveness of Quality Assurance (QA) processes
Quality Engineering
Level 4Development and Implementation
Investigate process drivers of quality, and recommend quality management infrastructure, techniques and tools to facilitate quality optimisation
Software Design
Level 4Design and Architecture
Create a software design blueprint based on a broad design concept, and business and user requirements
Software Testing
Level 4Development and Implementation
Define the testing objectives and criteria for success and oversee the testing and follow up processes for software products
Stakeholder Management
Level 4Stakeholder and Contract Management
Develop a stakeholder engagement plan and negotiate with stakeholders to arrive at mutually-beneficial arrangements
Strategy Implementation
Level 4Strategy Planning and Implementation
Evaluate strategies for critical business functions to ensure plans are realistic and reflect health of business
Strategy Planning
Level 4Business and Project Management
Develop resource allocation plans and implement strategies and policies
Test Planning
Level 4Development and Implementation
Define testing objectives, and design a master test plan including a series of systematic test procedures to achieve them
Configuration Tracking
Level 3Development and Implementation
Develop and update a configuration management plan, determining systems and techniques to track changes and revisions
European Skills Framework
ESCOSkills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.
Essential
Optional
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