Title: Automation Manager (Hybrid Schedule)

State Role Title: Salary Non-Specified

Hiring Range: 148,000-185,000

Pay Band: UG

Agency: Virginia Retirement System

Location: Virginia Retirement System

Agency Website: www.varetire.org/careers

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

The Automation Manager provides leadership for the agency’s current and future requirements related to enterprise application development efforts. The Automation Manager plans and directs the efforts of the applications development staff in project activities. The position collaborates with management and business partners on the different aspects of the enterprise architecture management and design, process redesign and documentation, and provides development accordingly. Directs and manages the creation, delivery and maintenance of reports, information and recommendations on activity to support agency goals and objectives. This position requires comprehensive experience in leadership, analysis, QC and proactive defect analysis.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Technical Expertise

• Implements and operates test automation, continuous integration, continuous testing and continuous deployment (CI/CD) at scale across a portfolio of Agile initiatives to enable faster time to market.
• Uses Agile cross-functional teams and iterative development methodologies, with extensive experience in delivering solutions across different technical environments.
• Uses Java-based test automation to work with automated frameworks and tools.
• Develops and provides constructive feedback on unit tests, integration tests, and system tests.
• Develops and maintains relationships, balance multiple stakeholder interests, and build coalitions.
• Uses risk-based test strategy preparation based on all stories and non-functional requirements of mission critical systems.
• Adapts to continually changing priorities and evolving delivery schedules.
• Maintains a solid understanding of, and experience in, Behavior Driven Development (BDD), Test Driven Development (TDD), defining enterprise-wide standards for product quality, establishing and managing KPIs for the Quality in our products.
• Leverages dynamic test environments, cloud technologies, test data management strategies and test infrastructure design.
• Leads initiatives to enhance VRS configuration and processes as appropriate.
• Participates with management, other technical staff and business partners to ensure the strategies, structures, processes and systems actively support the agency’s mission, vision, and goals.
• Proactively upgrades, maintains and monitors the application architecture and development procedures to prevent any potential issues.
• Applies a broad range of expertise of technology principles, best practices and procedures to the completion of difficult and complex assignments crossing multiple functional areas.
• Applies comprehensive technical knowledge of software architecture, design, construction and implementation to the oversight of significant assignments.
• Provides guidance, technical leadership, and training to less experienced staff, especially in application architecture, design and construction.
• Develops and documents application development processes and methodologies.

Project Leadership

• Lead Agile cross-functional teams, delivering automation solutions across diverse IT environments, ensuring alignment with evolving business needs. Minimum two years of leadership experience managing people or projects in Agile environments.
• Develop, review, and provide constructive feedback on unit, integration, and system tests to ensure comprehensive test coverage. At least four years of experience in application testing and quality assurance practices.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with IT stakeholders, balancing multiple interests and fostering collaboration across teams, four years of experience managing application lifecycles and stakeholder engagement.
• Apply risk-based test strategies grounded in detailed analysis of user stories and non-functional requirements for critical IT systems. four years of experience implementing requirements and business needs into QA strategies.
• Adapt rapidly to changing priorities and delivery schedules in fast-paced IT project environments. Proven ability to manage evolving priorities gained through four years leading projects or teams.
• Leverage dynamic test environments, cloud infrastructure, test data management, and test environment design to optimize testing efficiency. four years of experience with cloud technologies, test environment setup, and automation infrastructure.
• Collaborate with IT management, technical teams, and business partners to ensure QA strategies support organizational goals. four years of experience managing applications with cross-functional collaboration.
• Proactively upgrade, maintain, and monitor IT application architecture and development procedures to prevent issues. Strong technical knowledge and four years of experience overseeing application maintenance.
• Develop and document IT application development and QA processes and methodologies. four years of experience creating and maintaining QA documentation and process standards.
• Apply broad technical expertise and best practices to oversee complex QA assignments crossing multiple IT domains. four years of comprehensive QA and software architecture experience.
• Provide technical leadership, mentoring, and training focused on application architecture, design, and automation best practices. At least four years leading and mentoring QA teams.
• Implement and operate scalable test automation, continuous integration, continuous testing, and continuous deployment (CI/CD) practices across a portfolio of Agile IT projects to accelerate time-to-market. Requires six years of experience with automation tools, CI/CD pipelines, and Agile methodologies.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Provides oversight, management and supervision of staff.
• Develop and manages team metrics and provide regular updates to leadership.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Statistics, Mathematics, Business Administration or a related discipline.

Minimum of seven (7) years’ experience serving as a Project Lead in Applications Architecture and Development, with responsibilities including:
• Applications design, programming, implementation, and post-production support of complex software systems and services
• Relational database architecture, design, and development, including data warehousing

Demonstrated hands-on experience with:
• Continuous Integration / Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) tools: Jenkins, Selenium Grid
• Testing and code quality tools: Telerik, SonarQube
• Cloud services: AWS, Azure
• Programming frameworks and languages: .NET, .NET Core, Java, SQL Server

Additional Considerations

Preferred Knowledge and Skills: SDLC, ITIL, data architecture and data warehouse.

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

VRS is unable to provide sponsorship for this position now or in the future. Applicants must have authorization to work in the United States without the need for sponsorship now or in the future.

The current hybrid schedule for technology employees is 3 days onsite in Richmond, VA (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) and 2 days remote (Monday and Friday). All employees must be able to work the current hybrid schedule and report to the office as needed on designated remote days.

Contact Information

Name: Human Resources

Email: careers@varetire.org

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.