QA Team Lead

Join our dynamic team at IC as a QA Team Lead (AI/Automation) and help shape the future of FinTech innovation. This full-time, on-site opportunity based in Limassol offers you the chance to make a real impact in a fast-paced and forward-thinking environment. Apply now and take the next step in your career with us! Who We Are: IC is a global leader in trading with over 15 years of success, a strong international presence, and a team of skilled professionals, remains at the forefront of financial technology innovation. As an agile company that values growth and collaboration, we offer an exciting opportunity to be part of a dynamic industry where innovation meets excellence. Role Overview:  As a QA Team Lead (AI/Automation) at IC , you will own and drive the quality strategy across our web-based trading platforms and internal tooling. You will lead a team of QA engineers, define automation standards, and spearhead the adoption of AI-assisted testing approaches. You will be responsible for building scalable, maintainable automation frameworks, embedding quality into our CI/CD pipelines, and championing a shift-left testing culture across engineering. Key Responsibilities: Automation/AI Framework Ownership & Leadership: - Own the quality strategy with a clear goal of minimising defects escaping into production, using risk-based test coverage, enforced release gates, and root-cause analysis of every escaped defect. - Architect, design, and maintain scalable end-to-end automation frameworks built for high-transaction, complex trading environments, with AI-assisted capabilities (such as test generation, self-healing and failure triage) built in where they add value. - Implement reliable and maintainable test scripts in TypeScript/JavaScript using Playwright, covering the UI, API, and integration layers of our trading platforms. - Ensure seamless integration of automated tests into our CI/CD pipelines, improving the speed and accuracy of web application releases. This includes managing and evolving our GitHub Actions workflows and enforcing test gates on every release. - Lead and mentor a team of QA engineers: conduct code reviews, set automation best practices, and foster a culture of quality ownership. Drive team adoption of AI tools and workflows through hands-on coaching, shared standards and guardrails for responsible use. - Own test planning and execution in QMetry for Jira, ensuring traceability from requirements through to defect resolution and maintaining high execution completion rates. - Define, track and report quality metrics, including escaped defect rate, automation coverage, flaky test rate and release readiness, to engineering and business leadership   Performance, Load & Environment Testing: - Work closely with Cloud and DevOps teams to integrate automated testing into our AWS-based pipelines, and own the configuration and execution of test suites in staging and PreProd environments. - Design, build, and execute load and stress testing suites using k6 and JMeter, validating platform behaviour under peak traffic conditions and defining performance benchmarks for release sign-off. - Analyse performance results, flag regressions and bottlenecks early, and use the findings to inform release decisions and reduce the risk of production incidents. Testing Strategy & Release Quality: - Define the testing strategy and own test plans covering functional, regression, performance, and security testing for our trading platforms and client-facing web properties, prioritising effort by business and release risk. - Set standards for cross-browser and cross-device coverage, including mobile, and ensure the team delivers consistent user experiences across platforms. - Own the API testing approach in Postman, including automated monitors with Slack alerting, and keep coverage comprehensive as the platforms evolve. - Define and enforce formal release sign-off processes, including structured test cycles, defect traceability, and documented approval gates before production deployments, and act as the quality voice in go/no-go decisions. - Plan team capacity across releases, balancing delivery against automation improvements, and step in hands-on where needed.   AI-Augmented QA & Continuous Improvement: - Define and lead the QA AI roadmap, continuously improving automation processes and adopting new tools and methodologies that raise efficiency, accuracy and defect detection before release. - Drive adoption of AI-assisted testing workflows, including automated test case generation, intelligent ticket triage, and LLM-powered test coverage analysis integrated into our SDLC. - Design and implement AI-powered automation agents using tools such as n8n and the Claude and OpenAI APIs to automate repetitive QA tasks such as regression suite triage, Jira ticket processing, and test report summarisation. - Set guidelines for the responsible use of AI in QA, including validating AI-generated tests and outputs and keeping client data out of external AI tools. - Stay current with emerging trends in AI-driven testing and agentic workflows, and propose practical solutions to complex testing challenges.   Qualifications: Technical Expertise: - Extensive hands-on experience with Playwright for end-to-end web automation, with a strong focus on scalability, reliability, and cross-browser and cross-device compatibility. - Expertise in CI/CD tools, particularly GitHub Actions, and in integrating automated web tests into cloud-based deployment pipelines. - Solid background in API testing using Postman with automated monitor collections, and in performance and load testing using k6 (JMeter is a plus), with experience designing realistic load scenarios and interpreting results for release decisions. - Experience with test management platforms, preferably QMetry for Jira, including test plan creation, cycle management, execution tracking, and defect traceability reporting. - Demonstrated experience integrating AI and LLM-based tools (such as Claude and OpenAI) into QA workflows, including building automations with tools such as n8n. - Track record of reducing escaped defects through risk-based testing, release gates, and quality metrics.   Professional Experience:  - Minimum of 7 years of experience in QA, including at least 3 years in a QA team lead role. - Proven experience leading and mentoring QA engineers, including code reviews, setting automation standards, and defining automation strategy in an Agile/Scrum environment with rapid development cycles. - Significant exposure to testing complex, high-availability platforms in regulated or financial services environments, including release processes with formal sign-off and audit requirements. - Experience in financial services, forex/CFD, or other trading or fintech platforms is strongly preferred. Working Schedule: Monday to Friday: 09:00 – 17:00 (Hybrid Model; 3 days from the office, 2 days from home)     Why Join Us? Experience Rewards Beyond Just a Job! Because You Matter. - Competitive Pay – We value you, not just your role. Our compensation reflects the skills and experience you bring to the table. - Career Growth – Your journey is important. We’re here to support your development with ongoing learning and clear paths to advancement. - Work-Life Balance – Time to rest is time to thrive. With 22 days of annual leave, your personal life is respected and prioritized. - Wellness & Healthcare – Health comes first. Enjoy 12 paid sick days and full medical insurance coverage after 6 months, because your well-being is our priority. - Future Security – We’re invested in your tomorrow. Participate in our Group Savings and Life Insurance Plan after 6 months. - Snack Hub – We care about your daily comfort. Our fully stocked kitchen keeps you energized with fresh fruit, snacks, and beverages. - Lunch on Us – Nourishment and connection matter. Enjoy a delicious daily lunch buffet with teammates. - Paid Overtime – Your extra effort doesn’t go unnoticed. We recognize and reward the time you put in. - Learning & Development – We believe in your potential. Dedicated budgets support your upskilling and curiosity. - Referral Bonus – People matter here. Bring in great talent and get rewarded for growing our community. - Team Spirit – Culture is everything. Join a team that celebrates together through events and team-building activities. - MadBenefits - An exclusive employee perk platform offering hundreds of discounts on dining, retail, entertainment, and everyday essentials. - Fitness & Recreation – Stay active and refreshed with access to gym facilities, organized sports, and relaxing spa treatments. - Unwind Fridays – We’re human too. Enjoy a relaxed Friday drink with colleagues to close the week on a high note.   Our culture is built on empathy, respect, and trust, because at the heart of everything we do is you.   Your next big opportunity starts here!  - Apply now at ic.bamboohr.com/careers and let’s build something incredible together! - IC is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of gender, age, nationality, disability, religion, or any other protected characteristic. - Thank you for your interest in joining IC. Due to the high volume of applications, only candidates under consideration will be contacted. All applications are handled with the strictest confidentiality.