Quality Analyst

Job Description

The Quality Analyst is a core member of the Feature-Based Squad, responsible for ensuring that all deliverables application code, IaC, and associated infrastructure— meet the PDLC’s quality standards before, during, and after deployment. Within the squad, the QA collaborates closely with the Product Owner (PO), Developers, UX/UI Designer, and Delivery Lead (DL) to embed quality throughout the requirements clarification and development process. 

Core responsibilities: 

1. Quality Strategy and Planning 

Responsibility: Define and refine the squad’s testing strategy to ensure comprehensive coverage and alignment with domain-specific needs. 

Accountability: Deliver a robust quality framework that supports automated, reliable releases and mitigates risks effectively. 

Activities: 

• Test Strategy Definition: Develop a squad-specific testing approach (e.g., unit, integration, E2E, performance) tailored to the domain’s risk profile and Labournet’s quality standards. 
• Risk Identification: Collaborate with the squad during planning to identify quality risks (e.g., legacy interconnections, performance bottlenecks), logged in Azure Boards. 
• Tool Selection: Recommend and integrate testing tools (e.g., Vitest, Playwright, k6) aligned with DevOps Guild standards, ensuring scalability and automation readiness. 

1. Requirements Clarification 

Responsibility: Ensure requirements are testable and aligned with customer needs from the outset. 

Accountability: Deliver clear, actionable, and verifiable acceptance criteria, enabling quality-driven development. 

 Activities: 

• Executable Specifications: Co-author Executable Specifications with PO and Developers during Three Amigos sessions, embedding quality into use cases. 
•  Acceptance Criteria Definition: Refine user stories with measurable outcomes (e.g., “Payroll processes in <5 seconds”), ensuring testability. 
• Stakeholder Input: Validate requirements with PO and UX/UI Designer to incorporate usability and compliance considerations. 
• Scalability & Performance Input: Validate non-functional requirements in collaboration with PO and Developers, aligning with Guild standards and guidelines. 

1. Test Automation Development 

Responsibility: Design and maintain automated test suites to validate features, infrastructure and non-functional requirements. 

Accountability: Deliver reliable, reusable test scripts that accelerate verification and uphold production readiness. 

Activities: 

• Test Suite Creation: Write scripts for unit (Vitest), API (Vitest), E2E (Playwright), and performance (k6) tests, committed to the NX monocrop. 
• IaC Validation: Script tests to verify Terraform deployments (e.g., resource availability, security compliance), integrated into DevOps Pipelines. 
• Spec Alignment: Ensure tests directly reflect executable specifications, providing immediate feedback loops. 

1. Shift-Left Testing 

Responsibility: Embed quality early in the development process to catch defects before code commits. 

Accountability: Minimize downstream defects, enhancing squad velocity and product stability. 

Activities: 

• TDD/BDD Pairing: Pair with Developers during coding to implement Test-Driven Development (TDD) and Behaviour-Driven Development (BDD), validating increments daily. 
• Exploratory Testing: Conduct early manual tests on prototypes or increments to identify edge cases, feeding insights into automation.  
• Feedback Loops: Share defect findings with Developers in real-time, refining code before Verify phase. 

1. Quality Gate Enforcement 

Responsibility: Enforce automated quality gates to ensure deliverables meet production standards. 

Accountability: Prevent substandard releases, maintaining Labournet’s quality reputation and operational reliability. 

Activities: 

•  Gate Configuration: Set up pipeline checks (e.g., 80-100% test coverage, linting, security scans) tailored to risk tiers, monitored in DevOps Pipelines. 
• Regression Testing: Execute and validate regression suites, rejecting releases on failures and coordinating fixes with Developers. 
• Post-Deployment Checks: Perform exploratory testing in production, triggering feature flag reverts if issues arise, followed by squad/Guild review. 

1. Continuous Verification 

Responsibility: Validate integration and performance of app, API, UI, and IaC changes throughout development. 

Accountability: Ensure seamless functionality and scalability, supporting regular on-demand delivery goals. 

Activities: 

• Test Execution: Run automated tests during Verify phase, confirming feature and IaC integration. 
• Feature Toggle Validation: Test toggle functionality and rollback mechanisms pre- and post-release, minimizing deployment risks. 
• Performance Assessment: Use k6 to evaluate scalability against Uni- Metric ($x per Active User), reporting results for FinOps analysis. 

1. Post-Deployment Quality Assurance 

Responsibility: Monitor production performance and user experience to identify and address issues post-release. 

Accountability: Maintain product quality in live environments, enhancing user satisfaction and stability. 

Activities: 

• Production Monitoring: Analyse Azure Monitor data (e.g., errors, latency) to detect regressions or defects. 
• Manual Testing: Conduct targeted usability and exploratory tests on deployed features, validating UX/UI improvements. 
• Defect Logging: Document bugs or enhancements in Azure Boards prioritizing with PO for backlog refinement. 

1. Knowledge Sharing and Improvement 

Responsibility: Enhance squad and organizational quality practices through collaboration and training. 

Accountability: Build a quality-focused culture, reducing dependency on individual expertise. 

Activities: 

• Best Practice Sharing: Share testing insights with squad and DevOps Guild during retrospectives or syncs. 
• Tool Training: Train squad members on quality tools (e.g., Playwright, Vitest), distributing skills and supporting autonomy. 
• Process Refinement: Propose improvements to testing strategies or pipeline configs based on Monitor & Learn insights. 

Qualifications

• Matric 
• Certification in testing would be advantageous 
• Bachelor’s degree in data science, Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field would be preferable.

Additional Information

Why Join Labournet?

At Labournet, you’re joining more than a company - you’re becoming part of a platform built to empower people and drive purpose. With over 28 years of innovation in compliance and people solutions, we invest in our employees so they can grow, make a national impact, and help shape the future of work across South Africa.

What We Offer:

• You’ll obtain a wealth of experience and knowledge at a much faster pace than you would in an internal compliance-focused role due to our national footprint across different industries.
• You’ll have access to structured career paths, accredited training, performance coaching and mentorship to support your professional growth.
• You’ll be part of a team that drives compliance and transformation across South Africa, giving your work real purpose and impact.
• You’ll benefit from hybrid work options and a culture that supports work-life integration, because we believe wellbeing fuels performance.
• You’ll enjoy competitive salaries, holistic benefits and a lucrative sales commission policy.
• You’ll thrive in a collaborative, tech-enabled environment where we value output over hours and encourage innovation at every level.

How We Work?

Gone are the days of rigid office hours and long commutes. Our hybrid working model allows teams to co-create flexible arrangements that support productivity and personal wellbeing.

Who We Are:

Labournet is a proudly South African company offering integrated solutions in Payroll, Labour Law, Health & Safety, Transformation, Training, Technology and Commercial Compliance. We serve over 6,500 businesses nationwide, helping them stay compliant and competitive.