QA Manager

MANOHAR VENKATARAMAN

New York, NY *******.*************@*****.*** Linkedin

QUALITY ASSURANCE LEADER

SDLC Expert Consensus Builder End User Champion Process & Tool Innovator

Dynamic and results-oriented QA professional with a comprehensive background in software quality assurance and various SDLC roles such as project, program and product management and UAT Coordinator

Manages big-picture strategy with tactical execution by creating/modifying issue tracking processes to ensure key QA metrics are captured and compared over releases to ensure continuous improvement while also simplifying/automating processes to reduce confusion and errors

Delivers improved efficiency and speed-to-delivery by implementing best practices, increasing transparency, streamlining existing processes and ensuring cross functional teams are aligned

Adapts QA practices to align with business objectives & resources to ensure quality delivery

Navigates complex highly regulated industries including banking, insurance, capital markets, retail, non-profit and life sciences in order to ensure regulatory compliance via QA processes

Bridges cultural differences between on/offshore. English-born, American-educated and well-traveled enables greater cross-border understanding, allowing early identification of potential issues

CERTIFICATIONS

Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)

IBM Agile Explorer

Salesforce Administrator

Certified Software Quality Analyst (CSQA)

IBM Agile Advocate

Sales Cloud Consultant (Salesforce)

KEY TECHNICAL SKILLS

Issue Tracking

Jira, AQC, Rally, Monday, Trello, Bugzilla

Knowledge Repositories

M-Files, Sharepoint, Confluence, Box, Google Drive

Automation Tools (Overview level)

Cucumber, Selenium, Provar, Perfecto (mobile)

DBMS/Query Tools (Overview level)

Toad, SQL Developer, SAP Hana

Scheduling Tools

Autosys, Tidal, Redwood

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Business Intelligence

ChatGPT, Spinach.io, Google Gemini

Microstrategy, Business Objects, Informatica

Financial Software/Protocol

Global Plus, Fircosoft Filter, Reg Reporter, Eastnets, SWIFT

Enterprise Software

Salesforce, SoftCo, Peopsoft, SAP Hana

Communication

Slack, Teams, Skype, Zoom

KEY PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

IBM, New York NY

QA Architect 2017 – 2024

As part of IBM’s strategic consultancy practice, guided clients and internal teams to implement best practices while also delivering to aggressive timelines. Clients include: Brighthouse Financial, American Express, Waste Management, Delaware Life, Abbott Life Sciences and American Red Cross

Saved time and money by consistently shifting left. Implemented best practices and policies throughout the SDLC to both reduce overall defects while also finding them earlier in the process

Created test strategies, plans and scripts from conception to successful execution.

Designed Automation Test Strategies via a variety of tools depending upon client systems, such as Selenium, Cucumber and Provar. The team then created the scripts in a reusable fashion

Established comprehensive testing solutions for COTS/CRM products such as Salesforce to anticipate potential issues stemming from customization and connectivity. This included integration testing with products such as SAP Hana

LLOYDS, New York NY

Senior QA Consultant 2015 – 2017

US Test Lead for Global Ring-Fencing UK Regulatory project involving changing the US bank structure.

Sole lead tester responsible for projects including the SoftCo implementation and SWIFT upgrade.

Updated the existing ALM QC system to implement best practices and standardized usage and metrics.

Responsible for all QA functions for several projects including creating test strategies, plans and scripts, executing the scripts, recording defects and meeting with Business analysts, development and users.

Ensured bank was not in violation of any sanctions or customer policy by executing AML KYC Comfort testing daily with a 24-hour SLA to avoid a breach that would be escalated to the Head of Compliance.

Achievements:

ALM process improvements allowed Management to identify structural issues including measuring Enhancements requested late in the SDLC. Delivery times were improved and metrics standardized.

Projects completed as scheduled avoiding cost overruns for SoftCo, regulatory issues for SWIFT

GOLDMAN SACHS, New York NY

Senior QA Consultant 2014 – 2015

Implemented best QA practices for the Marquee ecosystem and related applications.

Analyzed systems, identified an application and implemented full QA lifecycle including regression test plan. Created functional test plans, automating regression plan for several iterations before scaling.

Performed ad hoc testing as needed for individual applications while creating regression test suites

Gained consensus on strategic QA recommendations and then implement them across applications daily

Achievements:

Created QA Wiki to consolidate dispersed information and provide a single page for future QA staff

Developed a P.O.C Jira framework for collating client feedback to demonstrate Jira’s full functionality

MILLENNIUM CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, New York NY

QA Manager 2011 – 2012

Managed expectations of Equity Development and Trade Production to deliver high priority items such as test plans

Reorganized department to provide primary/backup coverage and training for applications and Asia support. This extended QA coverage to 16 hours/day improving delivery times and reducing downtime

Had data comparison tool coded to perform daily data comparison between QA and Production that revealed data issues that were then preemptively found and fixed.

Achievements:

Replaced inadequate issue tracking system with Jira, implementing best practices. Metrics now became easily available across projects in real time for management which allowed reallocation of resources and reducing delivery timelines.

Tracked trading destination internal server changes via Jira, improving the ability to track high priority issues, obtaining resolutions quickly and significantly reducing delivery times.

Created QA Sharepoint to consolidate information that was either dispersed or nonexistent. Efficiency was increased 25% by reducing training time for new/existing team members.

TOMS Regression test plan execution was reduced 90% via creating a QTP framework following best practices

MOORE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, New York NY

QA Manager 2007 – 2008

Founded QA Department, hiring a mixture of employees, consultants and interns. Created best practices and processes across the IT area including test strategies, test plans, requirements documentation, development standards and change management.

Tested all sized projects covering front/middle/back office including trade entry, pricing, positions updating and daily valuation.

Achievements:

Promoted to Technology Coordinator for the Net Asset Value Profit and Loss (NAV PnL) project to ensure that disparate technologies were integrated, matched up with requirements, tested and released

Started several cross departmental initiatives to change IT focus from reactive to proactive

OTHER RELEVANT EXPERIENCE (chronologically)

Moodys Senior QA Consultant New York, NY

New York Life Jira Configuration Consultant New York, NY

Tethys Technologies QA Manager New York, NY

SecondMarket: QA Manager New York, NY

Bank of America QA Lead Consultant New York, NY

Investment Technology Group (ITG) UAT Acceptance Coordinator New York, NY

JPMorganChase Senior QA Consultant New York, NY

Merrin Financial Quality Assurance Manager New York, NY

EDUCATION

Binghamton University, NY - B.S. Economics, B.A. Mathematics

Oxford / London Universities, England

Received major U.S. college credit for Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry

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