Quality Assurance Manager

About our company
SONY BMG Music Entertainment is a global recorded music joint venture with a roster of current artists that includes a broad array of both local artists and international superstars, as well as a vast catalog that comprises some of the most important recordings in history. Sony BMG Music Entertainment is 50% owned by Bertelsmann A.G. and 50% owned by Sony Corporation of America.

Your tasks
Summary: As a key member of the team, the QA Manager will be responsible for the day-to-day operational management of the Quality Assurance department leading all aspects of test for applications and/or game titles, delivery of client satisfaction, and provision of a support role to sales, business development, all phases of production, and deployment. The QA Manager will primarily be dealing with games and/or applications on mobile platforms, but will cover all other platforms as needed. This position is a highly visible role where both verbal and written communications are extremely important. Teamwork and creating relationships with other groups is essential. This person will exhibit outstanding
leadership and mentoring capabilities. This position involves working with test teams that range from large (twenty or more) and/or external QA service providers, to teams made up solely of the solitary tester. Experience with embedded software, SMS, MMS, WAP and Multimedia (MP3, video, expansion memory, etc.) is not required, but highly preferred!

Main Duties and Responsibilities:
- Manage QA team and operations
- Developing and implementing processes and systems required to adequately manage and conduct QA project and teams
- Ability and patience to perform detailed testing
- Setting up and managing the True BREW Testing and J2ME Testing team
- Liaising with games' and/or applications' producers and designers to provide feedback on games at each milestone in the development cycle (First Playable, Second Playable, Alpha, Beta, Release Candidate, Gold Master) and maximize the quality of titles developed. This involves reporting bugs as well as providing subjective feedback on the quality of each game and or application (gameplay/usability, etc.)
- Testing all J2ME and BREW ports delivered before they are submitted to carriers
- Estimate daily workload across projects and functions, determine productivity level, and schedule technical and human resources to achieve service delivery expectations (including hiring requirements, daily attendance and discipline)
- Track and document in database the progress of each project to capture team utilization, ensure appropriate time management and collate any billable hours for finance
- Continual communication of project status to department members and cross-departmental intercommunication
- Constant review of internal processes and implementation of procedures to increase productivity while maintaining quality output
- Overview test environment: ensure test equipment is maintained, kept up to date, meets project requirements, and equipment list is maintained
- A sharp eye for details, capacity to stay on course, as well as the intuition as to when to veer off the planned track, following a hunch to trap a new bug
- Must possess good verbal and written communication skills and be able to work with varied staff members and personalities. Communicates with a high degree of understanding, conciseness and directness
- Takes a proactive, problem-solving/trouble-shooting approach to identifying and solving problems. Does not stop at identifying the problem, but experiments using available information to try to narrow the possibilities and determine a solution
- Swift note-taking skills to transcribe the pertinent variables upon encountering new bugs
- Capacity to follow checklists with precision
- Actively communicates a positive, outgoing approach to quality assurance
- Ability to identify what is required and being prepared to provide it
- Reporting: confirm projects on a weekly basis and maintain rolling forecast of resource requirements
- Test proposals: overall responsibility for the production, quality and accuracy of proposals as well as follow up
- Business development: assist in relating with clients and partners; maintain and update on a regular basis


Our requirements
Knowledge and Skills:
- Extensive knowledge of QA and development processes and procedures including console/PC compatibility, functionality, localization and console manufacturer pre-certification testing, wireless handset compatibility, functionality, localization and mobile network certification testing (J2ME, Symbian, Microsoft, Brew, etc) and launch cycle
- Extensive knowledge of bug lifecycle, and a variety of bug tracking software packages
- Extensive knowledge of mobile, console, and PC gaming and/or application platforms and related hardware
- Extensive knowledge of Windows, Macintosh, Linux operating systems and related hardware
- Extensive knowledge of communications, on-line services and the Internet
- Extensive knowledge of MS Office (Word, Excel, Access, Power Point, Project, and Outlook)
- Ability to manage and conduct international testing and localization
- Understanding of CD duplication and security procedures
- Proven team leadership skills
- Project Management
- Communication Skills (verbal and written)
- Presentation Skills (client demonstrations of department's capabilities)
- Workflow/Process Analysis
- Financial Control and Reporting
- Commercial Awareness
- Experience testing and supporting live massively multiplayer games and or subscription based services
- Understanding of CMM and or ISO9000 practices
- Software project management experience
- Solid understanding of software debugging techniques
- Excellent understanding of console game testing
- Knowledge of UNIX operating systems
- Familiarity with network security and protocols, on PC, console, and mobile platforms
Experience:
- Management level on at least 10 released software products
- Games industry experience preferred but not necessary
- 5+ years proven experience in QA Management
Education:
- Bachelors Degree in Business Administration or Computer Science





Required skills:
- Do you have extensive knowledge of mobile, console, and PC gaming and/or application platforms and related hardware?
- Do you have extensive knowledge of bug lifecycle, and a variety of bug tracking software packages?
- Do you have extensive knowledge of QA and development processes and procedures including console/PC compatibility?

SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER M/F/D/V.

Thank you for your interest in SONY BMG Music Entertainment.


Please click here to apply online.