Team Lead - Sr. SQAE - Core Banking + Fintech Integration

The Sr. SQAE – Team Lead is a senior individual contributor responsible for leading testing activities across core banking systems with integrated fintech and digital platforms. The role combines strong functional testing expertise in core banking with the ability to validate API-driven integrations and distributed system interactions.

The position primarily focuses on validating end-to-end banking workflows, transaction processing, and data integrity across core systems, while also ensuring seamless integration with fintech services, digital channels, and external platforms. It requires close collaboration with Business, Product, Engineering, and external stakeholders to ensure quality delivery aligned with banking standards, regulatory expectations, and release timelines.

The role operates in a structured, high-dependency environment and requires strong domain understanding of banking systems, along with the ability to guide QA engineers and maintain consistent quality practices across the team.

Key Responsibilities

Lead functional testing activities for core banking modules and integrated fintech systems, ensuring complete test coverage and validation

Plan and coordinate testing tasks across team members aligned with sprint and release timelines

Analyze business and functional requirements and guide the team in preparing test scenarios, test cases, and test data

Validate end-to-end banking workflows, including account operations, payments, lending, and transaction processing

Ensure validation of API integrations between core banking systems and fintech platforms or external services

Oversee execution of functional, regression, integration, and exploratory testing across releases

Review test cases, execution results, and defect reports to ensure quality, completeness, and consistency

Drive defect management, including triage participation, impact analysis, and closure validation

Validate system behavior against business rules, regulatory requirements, and expected outcomes

Perform API testing and validate service interactions across internal and external systems

Ensure database validation and data integrity checks across transactions and integrated workflows

Support SIT and UAT cycles, ensuring proper coverage, execution tracking, and issue resolution

Provide structured reporting on testing progress, risks, defects, and quality metrics

Identify risks, blockers, and dependencies, and escalate in a timely and structured manner

Mentor and guide QA engineers on testing practices, domain understanding, and execution quality

Contribute to continuous improvement of QA processes, including identification of automation opportunities

Ensure adherence to QA standards, STLC practices, and organizational compliance requirements

Soft Skills

Strong leadership and team coordination capabilities

Clear and structured communication with business, technical teams, and stakeholders

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills across banking and integration workflows

Ability to manage multiple priorities across parallel releases and systems

High attention to detail in validating transactions, data, and system behavior

Proactive mindset in identifying risks and driving resolution

Collaborative and mentoring-oriented approach within QA teams

Experience

6+ years of experience in Software Quality Assurance / Testing

Strong experience in functional, regression, integration, and system testing

Proven experience leading testing activities or coordinating QA teams for modules or projects

Mandatory:

Hands-on experience in core banking systems

Preferred:

Experience in fintech, digital banking platforms, or API-driven integrations

Strong understanding of core banking workflows such as Accounts (CASA), Payments (SWIFT, RTGS), Customer Management, Lending, and transaction processing

Experience in validating end-to-end transaction flows and integrated system behavior

Hands-on experience in API testing and validating service integrations

Experience in database validation and ensuring data consistency across systems

Experience working in Agile, Scrum, Hybrid, or project-based delivery environments

Experience supporting SIT, UAT, and release validation cycles

Exposure to automation testing frameworks is an added advantage

Experience in high-volume transaction systems and concurrent user scenarios is preferred

Technical Skills

Strong functional testing expertise across banking and integrated systems

Core Banking Domain Knowledge

API Testing (Postman / REST / SOAP)

Integration and service-level validation

Database validation (SQL queries, data verification)

Data integrity and transaction validation across systems

Test planning, test design, and execution governance

Defect lifecycle management and root cause analysis

Understanding of STLC, QA governance, and release validation practices

Agile / Scrum delivery models

Tools: JIRA, TestRail, Zephyr, HP ALM, or equivalent

Automation (good to have): Selenium / Cypress / Playwright

Performance testing exposure (good to have): JMeter

Languages

English: Fluent (Professional Working Proficiency)

Arabic: Speaking or understanding – Good to have

Certifications

ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL) – Preferred

ISTQB Agile Tester or equivalent – Good to have

Banking or fintech-related certifications – Good to have