Highlights
This role is responsible for defining, implementing, and governing a robust testing strategy that ensures the reliability, scalability, and compliance of post-trade processing systems across settlements, confirmations, collateral management, regulatory reporting, and risk functions. The ideal candidate will combine deep Fixed Income product knowledge, Back Office workflow expertise, and hands-on Quality Engineering leadership to drive automation, governance, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Numbers & Facts
| Location | Charlotte, NC |
| Industry | Staffing/Employment Agencies |
| Company Size | 500 to 999 employees |
| Year Founded | 1990 |
Description
Director of Quality Engineering
Employment Type: Full-Time
Location: Charlotte, NC (Hybrid)
Role Description
We are seeking a highly experienced Director of Quality Engineering to lead our Fixed Income Middle and Back Office testing function. This role is responsible for defining, implementing, and governing a robust testing strategy that ensures the reliability, scalability, and compliance of post-trade processing systems across settlements, confirmations, collateral management, regulatory reporting, and risk functions.
The ideal candidate will combine deep Fixed Income product knowledge, Back Office workflow expertise, and hands-on Quality Engineering leadership to drive automation, governance, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Role Objectives
Leadership & Strategy
- Define and execute the Quality Engineering strategy for Back Office applications supporting Fixed Income trading.
- Partner with Technology, Operations, Risk, and Compliance teams to align QA initiatives with business priorities and regulatory requirements.
- Build and manage a high-performing Quality Engineering organization across manual, automation, and performance testing disciplines.
Governance & Standards
- Establish QA governance frameworks with clear accountability, traceability, and reporting across all Back Office test cycles.
- Drive adoption of test management tools such as Jira and Xray to ensure complete test coverage and defect traceability.
- Define and enforce Quality Engineering best practices, including test automation frameworks, regression coverage, and shift-left testing methodologies.
Test Execution & Coverage
- Oversee end-to-end testing for settlements, reconciliations, clearing, payments, regulatory reporting (MiFID, TRACE, CFTC), and other post-trade processes.
- Ensure testing coverage includes straight-through processing (STP), exception handling, SWIFT messaging, and integrations with custodians and clearing houses.
- Expand performance, resilience, and failover testing for high-volume transaction processing environments.
Automation & Tooling
- Drive automation strategy to improve regression efficiency, scalability, and accuracy across back-office platforms such as Calypso, Murex Back Office, and proprietary systems.
- Leverage modern test frameworks, CI/CD pipelines, and AI-driven testing capabilities to enable faster and more reliable software validation.
Metrics & Continuous Improvement
- Define and maintain key quality metrics including defect leakage, automation coverage, cycle time, and escape rate.
- Deliver executive-level reporting through dashboards using Power BI, Tableau, or similar technologies.
- Implement continuous improvement practices focused on reducing production defects and improving overall testing efficiency.
Qualifications & Skills
- 12+ years of experience in Quality Assurance and Quality Engineering, including 5+ years in a Director or Head of Quality Engineering role within Capital Markets.
- Strong background supporting Fixed Income products including Swaps, Government Bonds, Corporates, Repos, Derivatives, and OTC products.
- Deep understanding of Back Office workflows including settlements, clearing, custody, and payments.
- Demonstrated success building and scaling Quality Engineering functions in highly regulated environments.
- Proven track record implementing enterprise-scale automation strategies and QA governance frameworks.
Technical Skills
- Deep knowledge of post-trade systems and integrations including Calypso, Murex, Broadridge, Impact, GLOSS, DTCC, and SWIFT.
- Strong expertise with test automation frameworks and tools including Java, Python, Selenium, Cypress, REST and SOAP API testing, JMeter, and LoadRunner.
- Experience with DevOps and CI/CD platforms such as Jenkins, GitLab, and Azure DevOps.
- Strong data validation and reconciliation skills utilizing SQL, Excel, and reconciliation tools.
Leadership & Soft Skills
- Exceptional leadership, mentoring, and communication skills.
- Ability to engage effectively with Front Office, Middle Office, Back Office, Risk, Operations, and Regulatory stakeholders at senior levels.
- Strategic mindset combined with strong hands-on problem-solving and execution capabilities.
Preferred Qualifications
- Advanced degree such as an MBA, MS in Computer Science, Engineering, or Financial Engineering.
- Prior experience within a sell-side investment bank or hedge fund Middle or Back Office environment.
- Knowledge of regulatory frameworks including Dodd-Frank, MiFID II, CFTC, and EMIR.
- Experience leveraging AI and Machine Learning for test automation and predictive QA analytics.
Success Metrics
- Successful production release of new Middle and Back Office platform implementations.
- Reduction in production defects and overall escape rates.
- Increased automation coverage and test execution reliability.
- Improved testing cycle times across major releases and platform enhancements.
About Company
For over two decades, Sharp Decisions has provided superior, award-winning service in strategic business and technology consulting services to government agencies at all levels, as well as domestic and global corporations. With subject matter expertise in Investment Banking, Finance, Healthcare, Media & Telecommunications, and Manufacturing, Sharp Decisions is well equipped to serve your needs.
Established in 1990 with headquarters in New York City, and locations in Princeton, Charlotte, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Europe and Canada, Sharp Decisions has been the technology backbone for a client portfolio that includes an array of well-known companies. As a Certified Woman-Owned Business Enterprise and approved vendor, Sharp Decisions offers a powerful, cost-effective advantage. We actively partner with other MBEs to add value and meet diversity program requirements.
Sharp Decisions is also committed to hiring and training post-9/11, tech-savvy U.S. armed forces veterans through our V.E.T.S.â„¢ (Vocation, Education and Training for Service members) Program, but we cannot do it alone. Companies like EmblemHealth, Freddie Mac and Experian have stepped up to bring aboard our highly qualified and skilled veterans. We need more companies like them to take a stand and bring our veterans aboard. Our clients have told us that our veterans are more effective than their college hires because two weeks on the job for them equates to 2-3 years of experience! Learn more at www.sharpdecisions.com/vetsprogram.