Software Quality Manager

The Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) is seeking an experienced Software Quality Manager to lead two dedicated teams. These teams provide essential testing and documentation services to multiple WMF engineering teams, fostering a culture where software quality and comprehensive documentation are shared responsibilities.

This pivotal role supports geographically distributed teams, including 5-10 Test Engineers and 3 Technical Writers. They deliver services that significantly enhance software quality, engaging with various WMF teams on high-impact initiatives. Key contributions include technical documentation, robust automated test suites, and thorough manual testing for the software powering Wikipedia and its sister projects.

We are committed to making knowledge universally accessible. This opportunity allows you to contribute positively while empowering current and future global developers to build high-quality, well-documented software that aligns with our mission. Our team's services enable staff and communities to achieve our vision: a world where every human can freely share in the sum of all knowledge.

The Wikimedia Foundation values diversity, recognizing that broad perspectives are crucial for creating a knowledge source benefiting everyone. We champion inclusion, tech diversification, and advocate for diversity across our employees, their experiences, and the communities we serve.

You are responsible for:

• Collaborating with multiple teams and cross-functional stakeholders to align on testing and documentation needs, balancing project goals with technical requirements and team skill sets.
• Driving execution, ensuring Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are met, key performance metrics are tracked, and work is actively unblocked.
• Expanding and refining automated processes, and supporting teams in adopting best practices that improve software quality and technical documentation.
• Promoting a mindset of quality and documentation-first practices across all engineering teams.
• Overseeing the design, implementation, and maintenance of automated test suites, manual testing practices, and technical documentation.
• Ensuring both teams are engaged, productive, and understand the broader context of their project contributions and overall impact.
• Coaching your team, conducting performance reviews, providing career guidance, and building a professional and inclusive work culture.

Skills and Experience:

• Demonstrated engineering experience in a technical management or leadership role.
• Strong hands-on experience developing, designing, and reviewing software applications using languages such as Go, Python, PHP, or other object-oriented programming languages.
• Proven track record of managing a team that provides critical centralized services, such as quality assurance, technical documentation, or technical program management, to various product teams.
• Experience managing the expectations of diverse teams with varying goals, ensuring your service team prioritizes tasks effectively and delivers value across the organization.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English, with the ability to articulate complex technical topics and solutions clearly and concisely.
• An established track record and prior success in working with a multicultural, remote, and distributed high-performing team.

Qualities that are important to us:

• Alignment with our mission and values.
• Experience with open source development methodologies and the open source community.
• Technical background in either manual and automated testing or technical documentation writing.
• Strong ability to identify and implement strategies that improve testing and documentation practices, ensuring they scale with the organization's needs.
• Excellent communication and follow-up skills, ensuring active engagement and team involvement in organizational updates.
• Experience with remote work and the necessary engagement and communication to build a functional and healthy geographically distributed team.
• Experience with large-scale, global developer ecosystems and platforms, including managing associated risks and opportunities.
• Resilience, as we tackle new and interesting problems through public and collaborative methods.
• A collaborative approach to achieving outcomes, with a willingness to adapt course as needed.
• Passion for developing people and platforms, focusing on fostering a strong product-minded culture.

Additionally, we'd love it if you have:

• Knowledge of testing automation tools for E2E and Visual Regression.
• Knowledge of documentation as code tools such as Markdown.
• Experience in transitioning Test Engineers from manual testing towards automation.
• Experience editing Wikipedia or with the Wikipedia, Wikidata, or Wikimedia Commons communities or other collaborative enterprises.
• Familiarity with MediaWiki.

About the Wikimedia Foundation

The Wikimedia Foundation is the nonprofit organization that operates Wikipedia and the other Wikimedia free knowledge projects. Our vision is a world in which every single human can freely share in the sum of all knowledge. We believe everyone has the potential to contribute to our shared knowledge, and should be able to access it freely. We host Wikipedia and Wikimedia projects, build software experiences for reading, contributing, and sharing Wikimedia content, support volunteer communities and partners, and advocate for policies enabling Wikimedia and free knowledge to thrive.

The Wikimedia Foundation is a charitable, not-for-profit organization relying on donations from millions of individuals globally (average donation ~$15), institutional grants, and gifts. We are a United States 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization with offices in San Francisco, California, USA.

As an equal opportunity employer, the Wikimedia Foundation values a diverse workforce and strives for an inclusive and equitable workplace. We encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds and do not discriminate based on race, traits historically associated with race, religion, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy or related medical conditions, parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, or any other legally protected characteristics.

The Wikimedia Foundation is a remote-first organization with staff and contractors in over 40 countries. Salaries are competitive, equitable, and consistent with our values. The anticipated annual pay range for US-based applicants is US$ 129,193 to US$ 202,962, with individualized factors like cost of living determining the final offer. For applicants outside the US, the pay range will be adjusted to the country of hire. We do not consider salary history. Compensation is based on skills, experience, and location.

We are currently able to hire in the following US States: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico*, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming (*US Territory or Federal District).

Countries: Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Germany, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Italy, Kenya*, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Poland, Singapore*, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Non-US employees are hired through a local third-party Employer of Record (EOR) and must have current work authorization in their location. (*citizens/permanent residents only).

This list is periodically reviewed to align with hiring requirements. Applicants can contact their recruiter for specific pay range information during the interview process.

If you require assistance or accommodation to complete any step of the application process due to a disability, please contact us at [email protected] or +1 (415) 839-6885.

More information

• U.S. Benefits & Perks
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