Senior Manual Test Lead / QA Manager (Unemployment Insurance & NASWA SIDES)

Job Title: Senior Manual Test Lead / QA Manager (Unemployment Insurance & NASWA SIDES)
Job Type: Contract (C2C)
Location: Austin, TX (Remote Work in Texas)
Duration: Long Term
Rate: Open / Best Market C2C Rate
Client: State of Texas

Job Description:

We are seeking a highly seasoned Senior Manual Test Lead / QA Manager with a minimum of 15+ years of experience to oversee, design, and execute comprehensive testing strategies for a critical state government system.
The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in Unemployment Insurance (UI) systems and a proven track record of managing NASWA SIDES (State Information Data Exchange System) integrations. This role requires exceptional leadership skills alongside hands-on technical depth in SQL verification and XML/JSON data payload validation.

Required Core Skills (Strictly Evaluated):

Experience Level: Minimum 15+ years of overall IT/QA testing experience with progressive leadership roles.
Domain Expertise: Deep, direct experience with Unemployment Insurance (UI) systems and unemployment claims processing.
Integration Standards: Proven experience verifying NASWA SIDES integrations, government data exchanges, and UI SIDES.
Government Experience: Prior experience working with ANY State or Federal government agencies is mandatory (State of Texas experience is highly preferred).
Data Validation: Strong proficiency with SQL validation (DB2 or MS SQL Server) and checking XML/JSON data structures against rigid technical specifications.

Key Responsibilities:

Test Leadership: Manage, perform, monitor, and report on all QA activities. Review, update, and author test strategies, test suites, and manual test scripts.
Release & Quality Gatekeeping: Oversee User Acceptance Testing (UAT), regression, performance, accessibility, interface, and data conversion testing phases.
Integration Testing: Perform end-to-end integration testing to verify secure data exchanges between internal state agency systems and external third-party brokers.
API Validation: Utilize manual API tools like Postman or SoapUI to validate web service requests, responses, and integration payloads.
Database & Data Verification: Write complex queries in DB2 and MS SQL Server to verify data integrity, processing flow, and electronic record accuracy.
Defect Management: Identify, document, and track software defects within ALM Octane, providing clear replication steps for development teams.
Coordination: Act as the primary QA bridge, coordinating schedules and test activities with Business Analysts, Developers, and state stakeholders.

Technical Environment :

Domains: Unemployment Insurance (UI) Claims, NASWA SIDES, Government Data Exchange
Test Management & Tools: Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) Octane, Manual Testing Disciplines, UAT
API Testing Tools: Postman, SoapUI
Databases: DB2, MS SQL Server
Data Formats: XML, JSON
DevOps / Build Ecosystem (Familiarity): Jenkins, CVS, Maven, Ant
Automation Awareness (Strategy Alignment): JUnit, Selenium, Microfocus UFT

How to Apply:

If you meet the 15+ years requirement and have specific domain experience in Unemployment Insurance / SIDES, please submit your application including:
Your updated resume in Word/PDF format.
Your current location (Confirming capability to work remotely from Texas).
Your expected hourly C2C rate.
A brief summary of your prior State/Federal agency experience.