Quality Manager, Overwatch | Irvine, CA

Quality Manager, Overwatch | Irvine, CA

At Blizzard Entertainment, we pour our hearts and souls into everything we create. Best known for iconic video game universes, including Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo, and StarCraft, we've been creating genre-defining games for millions of players around the world for more than 30 years. We're on a quest : bring our dreams to life and craft the most epic entertainment experiencesever. Hard work, iteration, and polish go into the Blizzard "secret recipe," but the most important ingredients come from talented people who share our vision.

The concept of "Blizzard polish," that is, the infinite care and loving detail put into every aspect of our games, is something we take seriously and pride ourselves on delivering to our players. It's a responsibility shared across the company and its undisputed heart and soul is Blizzard QA. Blizzard QA is a close-knit team; we care about iteration, problem-solving, and succeeding as a group. We genuinely love what we do for a living and expect the same from everyone who joins us!

The Quality Manager oversees Quality Assurance (QA) operations and testing for a product, ensuring software quality and process improvement. This role involves managing the end-to-end test team, aligning with departmental and organizational strategies. The Quality Manager establishes standards for cross-functional teams, manages product test schedules and resources, and drives a strategic vision for quality assurance. Responsibilities include addressing project-impacting issues, managing team members' performance for excellence, and promoting software development best practices. This role plays a crucial role in delivering epic gaming experiences for customers and key internal partners.

This role is anticipated to be a hybrid work position, with some work on-site and some work-from-home. The home studio for this role is Irvine, CA.

Manage the end-to-end management of the test team for a product or section of a product, ensuring alignment with department and organizational strategies across globally distributed teams.

Establish standards for cross-functional teams, encompassing strategy, test execution, and reporting, while ensuring the quality of all deliverables, workflows, and relationships.

Manage product test schedules, team needs, dependencies, and resources, collaborating with key quality stakeholders to incorporate advanced testing methods into the testing strategy.

Provide resources and assistance and oversee adherence to the master test plans for products. Collaborate with senior leadership on shifting work or resources to promote test quality, software development best practices, and enhanced customer experience.

Conduct regular business reviews, provide quality-related services to production leadership, and manage the master test plan for the product.

Create, monitor, and control metrics impacting product and team quality, analyzing product quality and usability, associated system limitations, and reporting on risk.

Develop training materials for the project team and lead workshops for test leadership requirements.

Lead and support projects and initiatives with regional teams, cross-functional partners, and QA teams. Ensure project tracking tools and documentation meet team standards and are up to date.

Provide leadership, support and guidance to the assigned team, ensuring their performance is managed effectively and fostering a productive, positive, collaborative work culture.

Champion efforts that build synergy, trust, collaboration, and inclusivity within the organization. Own and manage relationships with key partners, resources, colleagues, and leaders ensuring transparency around critical decisions and trade-offs.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum 8 years of experience in Quality Assurance.

Minimum 3 years directing the work of individual contributors and multiple levels of management and teams.

Experience with game engines, content and asset editors, and shared technologies.

High School diploma or equivalent required. Bachelor's Degree in a related field preferred.

Thorough understanding of Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), specifically QA processes in agile and waterfall development environments.

Be an expert in one or more software testing methodologies.

Practical knowledge of relational databases such as Oracle, MySQL, & SQLServer. Working experience with Jira process.

Proven ability to analyze, interpret, and act on data sets and complex workflows.

Excellent written and verbal communication, planning, organization, and time management skills. Ability to tailor presented information for the appropriate audience.

Scripting or software tool creation experience. White box testing experience.

Certifications : PMP, Scrum Master and / or Product Owner, ISTQB.

Coding Knowledge : XML / HTML, JavaScript, Python, Java, C / C++ / C#, SQL.

Experience working with outsourced teams.

High level of gaming knowledge and / or skill.

Passion for Blizzard's line of products and services.