Ridwan-Ahmad Alli
Enfield,United Kingdom
Summary
Accomplished QA and Cybersecurity professional with extensive experience in developing comprehensive test strategies, managing large-scale programs, and ensuring adherence to QA standards and governance. Expertise in security testing, integration testing, performance and load testing, and automation using tools such as Selenium, Cypress, Azure DevOps, Jenkins, and GitLab CI. Proven track record in managing cross-functional teams, mentoring testers, and implementing effective risk management and release management practices. Strong technical skills across cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), diverse application types (web, mobile, enterprise), operating systems (Windows, Linux, macOS), databases (SQL), networking concepts, storage solutions, security principles. Adept at ITIL framework compliance within the financial sector. Career goal: To leverage extensive QA and cybersecurity expertise to drive quality assurance excellence and secure software development in dynamic environments.
Experienced professional with focus on information security, adept at safeguarding organisational digital assets. Skilled in identifying vulnerabilities, implementing protective measures, and ensuring compliance with security protocols. Capable of developing and executing effective security strategies to minimise risks and enhance data integrity.
Diligent professional with background in computer science and cybersecurity, combining analytical thinking and problem-solving skills. Proficient in threat analysis and risk management, with strong communication abilities. Committed to safeguarding organizational data and ensuring robust security measures.
Overview
1
1
Certification
5
5
years of post-secondary education
11
11
years of professional experience
Work history
Cybersecurity Specialist
MTA TV
London
2025.11 - 2026.04
- Lead Security Testing & Risk Reduction: Directed vulnerability assessments and penetration tests on internal networks, web applications, and cloud-based streaming services, identifying critical security flaws and ensuring quality and compliance (OWASP alignment).
- Implemented QA for Security Controls: Led the implementation and ongoing management of advanced security controls (SIEM, EDR), including testing and validation of their effectiveness within live environments.
- Established QA Standards: Developed and enforced security policies and procedures, serving as a governance framework for secure system development and deployment, ensuring audit readiness.
Desktop/System Analyst
Nagode Industries Limited
, Nigeria
2020.01 - 2024.10
- Complex ICT System Assessment: Conducted vulnerability assessments on web applications, identifying and remediating critical security flaws, thereby improving the security posture of the organization's ICT systems.
- Managed Software Development Quality: Led and managed software development projects from requirements definition to successful delivery, ensuring high-quality solutions. This included coordinating with developers and stakeholders to validate functionalities.
- Automation for Testing & QA: Developed Python scripts to automate vulnerability scanning and other system checks, directly contributing to quality assurance processes and efficiency.
- Defect Management: Utilized issue tracking tools (Jira) for bug reporting, tracking, and prioritization within software projects.
IT Regional Manager
Advans Lafayette Microfinance Bank
, Nigeria
2018.01 - 2020.01
- Oversaw Quality & Compliance: Provided strategic leadership for IT operations across multiple regions, ensuring system implementation and maintenance adhered to banking regulatory and compliance standards (analogous to QA governance).
- Team Management & Mentorship: Managed and mentored regional IT staff, developing skills transferable to managing testing teams.
Network Administrator
Accion Microfinance Bank
2015.02 - 2018.01
- Foundation for Test Environment Management: Managed and maintained the organization's network infrastructure, providing fundamental knowledge for setting up, managing, and troubleshooting test environments.
- Technical Troubleshooting & Analysis: Performed root cause analysis for network and system issues, honing analytical skills essential for defect triaging.
Education
MSc - Cyber Security
Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham 2024.10 - 2025.09
BSc - Computer Science
Fountain University
Osogbo, Nigeria 2008.10 - 2012.07
Skills
- Test Strategy & Management: Comprehensive Test Strategies & Frameworks, QA Standards & Governance, STLC/SDLC Methodologies (Agile, Waterfall, Hybrid), Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM), Test Planning & Coordination
- Testing Phases & Expertise:
- Security Testing: Vulnerability Assessment (Nessus, Qualys, OpenVAS, Metasploit, Nmap, Burp Suite), OWASP Guidelines, Threat Modelling
- Integration Testing: API Testing (Postman, REST Assured, SoapUI principles), Data Flow Validation
- Performance & Load Testing: (Familiarity with JMeter, LoadRunner, Gatling concepts; strong analytical skills for performance issue resolution)
- System Integration Testing (SIT), User Acceptance Testing (UAT), Regression Testing, Unit Testing (Oversight), Release Validation, Data Integrity & Database Testing (SQL)
- Automation & Tools:
- Test Automation Initiatives, CI/CD Integrated Testing (DevOps pipelines), Shift-Left/Shift-Right Testing
- Scripting Languages: Python, PowerShell, Bash (for automation, test data generation, and environment setup)
- Familiarity with test automation frameworks (Selenium, Cypress, Playwright concepts)
- CI/CD Tools: Azure DevOps (experience with pipelines), Jenkins, GitLab CI (understanding of principles)
- Quality Assurance & Governance: Defect Tracking, Triaging, Prioritization, & Resolution (Jira), Test Management Tools (Jira), QA Documentation, Audit Readiness, Quality Metrics & KPIs
- Cloud Platforms: AWS, Azure, GCP (and cloud-based testing strategies)
- Web, Mobile, and Enterprise Applications: Experience across diverse application types
- Operating Systems: Windows (Server, 10/11), Linux, macOS
- Databases: Strong SQL skills for backend/data validation
- Networking Concepts, Storage Solutions, Security Principles
- ITIL Framework, Regulatory & Compliance Standards (financial sector, GDPR)
- Encryption technology utilization
- Project Management
- ICT security systems
- Customer service excellence
Certification
- ISTQB Certified Tester (Foundation Level) (If you have this, otherwise state 'Actively pursuing ISTQB Advanced Level certification to formalize existing expertise.')
- CompTIA Security+
- Cisco Certified Networking Associate (CCNA)
- Cyber Security Professional Course (Ethical Hacker and Digital Forensic Analyst)
Languages
English: Highly proficient
References
Available on Request
Project
Automated Vulnerability Scanning Script: Developed a Python script to automate vulnerability scanning, improving efficiency by 20%., Home Lab Setup: Designed and implemented a home lab for vulnerability research and security tool development.
Timeline
Cybersecurity Specialist
MTA TV
2025.11 - 2026.04
MSc - Cyber Security
Nottingham Trent University
2024.10 - 2025.09
Desktop/System Analyst
Nagode Industries Limited
2020.01 - 2024.10
IT Regional Manager
Advans Lafayette Microfinance Bank
2018.01 - 2020.01
Network Administrator
Accion Microfinance Bank
2015.02 - 2018.01
BSc - Computer Science
Fountain University
2008.10 - 2012.07