SOALA GBENEDIO
Senior QA
Summary
Seasoned Principal Technical Consultant/Engineer with over a decade of experience in software quality assurance, automation testing, and financial systems. Adept at collaborating with automation test engineers, providing hands-on expertise in Java test automation, Oracle Database, and Unix/Linux environments. Strong analytical skills in assessing data lifecycles and translating complex technical processes for business analysts. Skilled in end-to-end test automation, regression testing, and cloud-based financial systems. Highly proficient in modern software tools, including Kafka messaging, Dynatrace, and CI/CD pipelines. Known for delivering high-quality software solutions, managing stakeholders, and optimizing testing frameworks. Seeking an opportunity to contribute expertise to a forward-thinking organization.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
3
3
Certifications
Work History
Senior QA Engineer
RSA Group
2024.02 - Current
- Mentored junior QA engineers, fostering a culture of continuous learning and professional growth.
- Collaborated closely with developers to identify, reproduce, and resolve software bugs.
- Supported successful product launches by coordinating end-to-end testing efforts from planning through execution phases.
- Improved product quality by meticulously designing and executing test plans for software applications.
- Spearheaded testing for RSA’s centralized webMethods integration layer, enabling seamless connectivity for 15+ systems (claims, underwriting) post-£7.2B Intact acquisition.
- Reduced cross-platform defects by 30% via shift-left testing for SOAP/REST APIs, aligning with £100M+ annual tech investments.
- Automated 50+ regression test cases (Postman/Selenium), slashing cycle time by 40% and ensuring backward compatibility.
- Collaborated with DevOps to embed API tests into Jenkins CI/CD pipelines, achieving 95% coverage for critical endpoints.
- Validated ESG-focused integrations (e.g., green energy underwriting tools), supporting RSA’s net-zero 2050 targets.
Lead QA
Capgemini UK
2022.11 - 2024.01
- Company Overview: The Vanguard Group, Inc
- Is an American registered investment advisor based in Malvern, Pennsylvania, with about $7.7 trillion in global assets under management, as of April 2023
- It is the largest provider of mutual funds and the second-largest provider of exchange-traded funds in the world
- Provided expertise in testing data-centric, highly complex and calculation heavy Azure end-user web applications used by internal and external subject matter experts
- Delivered test plan, strategy, test approach and execution using Xray for Jira creating visibility across teams
- Leveraged strong experience in automation and performance testing tools including Selenium WebDriver, Visual Studio Load Test to enhance testing efficiency and accuracy
- Utilized expertise in Azure DevOps CI/CD Pipelines, C# .Net Framework, AngularJS, PowerShell, Microsoft SQL Server, XML, Agile Scrum, Azure Cloud, Azure Active Directory B2C, Microsoft Identity Platform to streamline testing processes
- Coached and mentored 3 junior testers in automation frameworks and support
- Responsible for end to end defect management, bug reporting and application performance reports
- Created regular test summary report, issue logs and walked it through with all stakeholders, documenting in confluence
- Developed and maintained API tests for all back end services, maintaining end to end testing of all products
- Stakeholder management across Governance Operations and IT
- The Vanguard Group, Inc
- Is an American registered investment advisor based in Malvern, Pennsylvania, with about $7.7 trillion in global assets under management, as of April 2023
- It is the largest provider of mutual funds and the second-largest provider of exchange-traded funds in the world
- Environment: Agile Scrum, Adobe Experience Manager, Selenium, Cucumber, Eclipse IDE, Cypress, Google cloud Frameworks.Net, Framework, Node js, React, Jasmine Framework, ADO.Net, HTML, Windows, Linux, Visual Studio 2005, XML, Ajax, PHP, CFM and SQL Server 2005, VBScript, JavaScript Jenkins, Python, Java, J2EE, Oracle, .NET, Jira, Confluence, Postman, NetCDF, Linux Kafka
Senior QA
LSEG Technology
2022.06 - 2022.11
- Company Overview: London Stock Exchange Group | Sentinel POD Project
- Developed and managed comprehensive test plan, programme level test strategy and approach for sentinel pod software programmes, resulting in a 20% reduction in overall product defects, obtaining programme stakeholder approvals and improved customer satisfaction
- Implemented and optimized automated testing framework in Cypress.js, using POM reducing testing time by 50% and enhancing efficiency across the testing process
- Collaborated with DevOps team to align automated test scripts with CI/CD pipeline and cloud services
- Developed and validated API tests for all back end services, maintaining end to end testing of all products
- Demonstrated outstanding teamwork and collaboration with a wide range of delivery teams, contributing to the successful delivery of projects
- Compiled and delivered test summary reports, bug reports and test estimates for QA engineering team
- London Stock Exchange Group | Sentinel POD Project
- Environment: Agile Kanban, Cypress, IntelliJ Community, AWS EC2 SNS Lambda, .Net, Sail point, Git Lab, Trello, Postman SAP ADO.Net, HTML, Windows, Linux, Visual Studio 2005, XML, Ajax, PHP, CFM and SQL Server 2005, VBScript, JavaScript Jenkins, Python, Pytest, Java, J2EE, Oracle, .NET, Jira Data dog, Amazon Kinesis Data Analytics NetCDF, Playwright
QA
Capgemini UK
2021.09 - 2022.05
- Company Overview: TransUnion is a global consumer credit reporting agency
- Improved QA processes best practices for TU Dashboard Open Banking project and business processes in the EMEA region
- Delivered comprehensive test plan, strategy and approach for cross-functional, multi-vendor web application
- Successfully managed a team of 4 highly skilled testers and working collaboratively with 4 + cross-functional experts
- Executed test deliverables for 12 major releases involving commercial off-the-shelf, bespoke and multi-vendor technologies
- Designed and implemented test automation framework in BDD using POM selenium Appium cucumber java postman
- Analysed streamlined and improved Jira workflow by implementing QA processes to product development
- Collaborated with development team aligning test effort and enhancing project delivery
- TransUnion is a global consumer credit reporting agency
- Environment: Agile Kanban, Microsoft Azure DevOps Server, Visual Studio 2019, Postman, Frameworks VScode, Nodejs, Angular NetCDF, 6/7, REST Ready API Pro, JMeter, React, ADO.Net, HTML, Windows, Linux, XML, Ajax, PHP, CFM and MySQL, VBScript, JavaScript, Jenkins, Selenium cucumber framework, Java, SQL Management studio, Figma Microsoft Azure Stream Analytics and Power BI, Appium
Test Engineer
Rathbones Group Technology & Change
2020.08 - 2021.09
- Company Overview: An application onboarding Programme, Identity and Access Management
- Designed executed and maintained test deliverables for the organization's IAM systems and processes ensuring the security and integrity of the systems and data by managing user identities, access privileges, and enforcing authentication and authorization mechanisms
- Responsible for developing and deploying Identity & PAM systems into a multi domain / cloud environment
- Gained clear understanding of the architecture business process management IAM Identity and Access management Key Functionalities, components integration and web services
- Created and maintained SDLC Test Approach and Test Summary
- Understanding the mapping of API’s, request and responses payloads in xml, Json formats
- Database mapping using Microsoft SQL management studio 2019 and integration to API calls
- Collaborative working with the DevOps to recommend, set-up & maintain Test Automation Framework in BDD Scenarios
- Worked in Agile scrum environment with Jira and Xray performance testing using JMeter, enhancing the identification of system bottlenecks and ensuring robust application performance under load
- Delivered a Proof of Concept (POC) for card payments, showcasing the effectiveness of automation testing using Playwright
- An application onboarding Programme, Identity and Access Management
- Environment: Agile Kanban, Microsoft Azure DevOps Server, Microsoft Azure Stream Analytics and Power BI, Pytest, Visual Studio 2019, Postman, Frameworks VScode, Nodejs, Angular 6/7, REST ReadyAPI Pro, Jmeter, React, Java ADO.Net, HTML, Windows, Linux, XML, Ajax, PHP, CFM and MySQL, VBScript, JavaScript Jenkins, C#, Service fabric
- Jira X Ray, SAP HR
- Sail point
Senior QA
Deutsche Bank AG
2019.01 - 2020.08
- Company Overview: E-Communications Surveillance Platform
- Developing a comprehensive Test Strategy, Master Test Plan and Project Test Plans for all aspects of testing
- Successfully managing, advising, planning and tracking multiple test related activities for Deutsche bank on this key Programme; addressing all aspects of compliance, whilst providing technical expertise into strategic decision making and working within strict time and budget limits
- Acting as a key liaison figure between technology groups and the senior leaders; assuring that the Programme is developed and implemented according to set standards/governance and has been successfully audited to provide comprehensive quality control throughout the whole life-cycle
- Defining Critical Success Factors and scope for works; tracking progress against agreed baselines, preparing the programme for ‘Stage Gate’ reviews & managing change through agreed change control process; mitigating risk/issues
- Implementing an agile testing methodology & framework (Scrum) for fast-paced delivery
- Additionally, utilising appropriate tools and processes for agile development, testing and RAIDs management
- Ensuring the Senior Leaders receive regular reports on progress against milestones, risks and other issues to ensure decision making is timely and appropriate
- Attaining final sign-off when required from senior management
- Leading specialist team(s) including a 10 person Test Team in an on/offshore model and a programme team of 150
- At all times having a ‘hands on’ approach that ensures clear communication and a positive culture which encourages responsibility and accountability - motivating, training, and explicitly recognising individuals’ strengths and contributions
- Successfully triaged internal and external defects, implementation of various stages of Oracle (EBS) financials data migration; reviewing & agreeing next steps, whilst troubleshooting as required for successful resolution
- E-Communications Surveillance Platform
- Environment: Agile, Kanban, Confluence, Selenium, Cucumber, IntelliJ Community, Postman Salesforce AWS, Nodejs, React, Jasmine Framework, Java ADO.Net, HTML, Windows, Linux, Visual Studio 2005, XML, Ajax, PHP, SQL Server 2005, VBScript, JavaScript Jenkins, Python, SoapUI, Rest, Jira, Amazon Kinesis Data Analytics Oracle EBS
Test Analyst
Capgemini UK
2018.08 - 2019.01
- Company Overview: Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs is a non-ministerial department of the UK Government
- Creation of programme level test strategy and obtaining programme stakeholder approvals
- Test planning and resource management including onshore/offshore movements
- Managing test teams that are globally distributed between UK and India
- Managing globally distributed vendors to ensure timely delivery of good quality software
- End to end management of System, System Integration, Operational Acceptance, Regression, Security, Performance and User Acceptance testing in a complex multi-platform environment
- Ensuring Technology team tests the software via different phases of testing before handing over the software to business for Implementation, Live confidence testing until warranty
- End to end defect process management
- Providing testing sign-off and ensure all senior stakeholders approve the test results
- Ensuring all test artefacts are made available in test tools and also on a central repository for auditing, compliance and future knowledge management purposes
- Extensive stakeholder management in terms of Business, product owners and vendors
- Status reporting and walkthrough in Stakeholder meetings
- Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs is a non-ministerial department of the UK Government
- Environment: Agile, Kanban, Confluence, Selenium, Cucumber, IntelliJ Community, Postman Salesforce AWS Nodejs, React, Jasmine Framework, Java ADO.Net, HTML, Windows, Linux, Visual Studio 2005, XML, Ajax, PHP, SQL Server 2005, VBScript, JavaScript Jenkins, Python, Pytest, SoapUI, Rest, Amazon Kinesis Data Analytics
Programme Test Manager
Soho House & Co
2018.01 - 2018.08
- Created test approach and test plans for the programme and approvals
- Managed Business Analysts and Test teams that were geographically distributed i.e., UK and New York
- Responsible for integration, functional, Regression, Manual Tolerances Testing, Front to Back and UAT
- Accomplished end to end test management via Run Book, Static test data setup, Smoke test, test execution, defect management and reporting
- Centrally managed Quality Centre for end to end test management tool including defect management and reporting
- Effectively managing all other test related aspects of the programme including associated constraints that encompass scope, quality, schedule, funding, budget and resource allocation
- Environment: Agile scrum, Selenium, Cucumber, Eclipse IDE, SoapUI NG Pro Windows VM Postman, Sybase, .Net Framework, ADO.Net, HTML, Windows, Linux, Visual Studio 2005, XML, Ajax, PHP, CFM and SQL Server 2005, VBScript, JavaScript Jenkins, Python, Java, J2EE, Oracle, .NET, Jira, Microsoft Azure Stream Analytics and Power BI
Linux Automation Tester
Cloud IQ Rocket Space
2017.07 - 2018.01
- Company Overview: This was a strategic change programme where the firm was investing heavily to deliver the required infrastructure
- Managed the test programme across Trade processing, margin and collateral, billing and reconciliations
- Managed and co-ordinated testing activities for a team of 12 resources in an onshore-offshore model
- Created test strategy / test approach and obtained agreement on it with IT and Operations stakeholders
- Responsible for end to end Integration, Functional, UAT, Regression and Front to Back testing
- Interfaced as an Operations single point of contact to IT (Development and Environment)
- Created a master test plan and obtained agreement with stakeholders
- Created clear roles and responsibilities for both Operations and IT to avoid conflicts during testing
- Created and managed domain/project in Quality Centre along with relevant project structures and reporting
- Responsible for end to end defect management
- Created Test summary report and walked it through with stakeholders for future references in SharePoint
- Created resources plan for leveraging existing resources on different projects
- Stakeholder management across both Operations and IT
- This was a strategic change programme where the firm was investing heavily to deliver the required infrastructure
- Environment: Agile Scrum, Selenium, Cucumber, Eclipse IDE, Google cloud Frameworks.Net Framework, Node js, React, Jasmine Framework, ADO.Net, HTML, Windows, Linux, Visual Studio 2005, XML, Ajax, PHP, CFM and SQL Server 2005, VBScript, JavaScript Jenkins, Python, Pytest, Java, J2EE, Oracle, .NET, Jira, Google Cloud Dataflow
Education
LLB - Legal Methods
GPA: Merit 1st Class lower
Skills
Test Management and Quality Assurance
International Testing Standards Practitioner
Agile Practitioner
Business and IT / Digital Transformation
Onshore – Offshore model
Risk Management and Mitigation
International Experience
Regulatory and Compliance
Process Implementation / Automation
Team Training
Mentoring and Management
Testing Centre of Excellence creation
Test Strategy
Test plan
Test execution
Ecommerce
Finance
Investment Banks
Public Sector
Complex Programme Management
Project Management
Test Strategies
Test Approach
Test plans
Test scripts
Test reports
Global Level Stakeholder Management
Third Party Vendor Management
API’s
Messaging Systems
Kafka Messaging
Restful APIs
User Acceptance
Business Assurance
System Testing
Integration Testing
Risk based Testing
Regression Testing
Non-Functional Testing
Performance Testing
Stress Testing
Volume Testing
Management of high value testing programmes
Fast learner
Passion for quality
Interface between business & technical world
Achievements And Awards
- Provided comprehensive Enterprise data management testing and delivery as QA Sentinel team for the London Stock Exchange Group LSEG facilitating delivery of a large scale migration of multiple data streams to AWS EC2 Cloud Services for EMEA APAC and Americas.
- Successfully delivered Project portfolio management of applications to the highest standards of quality assurance strategic infrastructure verification & application functional verification for LSEG.
- Improved and successfully delivered Project Portfolio Management applications.
- Delivered Industry level standards of quality assurance for investment banks; Deutsch Bank AG, LSEG on their strategic programmes that required in-depth testing across Trade processing (Front Office), Margin and Collateral (Middle Office), Finance, Risk, Billing and Reconciliations (Back Office) and other downstream entities.
- Increased accruing vast knowledge of testing and specialist, project/programme management skills through-out career to date, with successful work delivered across multiple sectors for Global, blue-chip corporations.
Recent Experience
- Lead QA, Capgemini UK, The Vanguard Group Investment Company, London, UK, 11/01/22, Present, Provided expertise in testing data-centric, highly complex and calculation heavy Azure end-user web applications used by internal and external subject matter experts., Delivered test plan, strategy, test approach and execution using Xray for Jira creating visibility across teams., Leveraged strong experience in automation and performance testing tools including Selenium WebDriver, Visual Studio Load Test to enhance testing efficiency and accuracy.
- Senior QA, Capgemini UK, London Stock Exchange Group | Sentinel POD Project, London, UK, 06/01/22, 11/01/22, Developed and managed comprehensive test plan, programme level test strategy and approach for sentinel pod software programmes, resulting in a 20% reduction in overall product defects., Implemented and optimized automated testing framework in Cypress.js, using POM reducing testing time by 50% and enhancing efficiency across the testing process.
- QA, Capgemini UK, TransUnion | Open Banking Dashboards, Leeds, UK, 09/01/21, 05/01/22, Improved QA processes best practices for TU Dashboard Open Banking project and business processes in the EMEA region., Delivered comprehensive test plan, strategy and approach for cross-functional, multi-vendor web application.
- Test Engineer, Rathbones Group Technology & Change, London, London, UK, 08/01/20, 09/01/21, Designed executed and maintained test deliverables for the organization's IAM systems and processes., Responsible for developing and deploying Identity & PAM systems into a multi domain / cloud environment.
- Senior QA, Deutsche Bank AG, Canary Wharf, London, UK, 01/01/19, 08/01/20, Developing a comprehensive Test Strategy, Master Test Plan and Project Test Plans for all aspects of testing., Successfully managing, advising, planning and tracking multiple test related activities for Deutsche bank on this key Programme.
Prior Career
- Test Analyst, Capgemini UK, HM Revenue & Customs | CDIO Development Test & Operations, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, 08/01/18, 01/01/19, Creation of programme level test strategy and obtaining programme stakeholder approvals., Managing test teams that are globally distributed between UK and India.
- Programme Test Manager, Soho House & Co, London, London, UK, 01/01/18, 08/01/18, Created test approach and test plans for the programme and approvals., Managed Business Analysts and Test teams that were geographically distributed i.e., UK and New York.
- Linux Automation Tester, Cloud IQ Rocket Space, London, London, UK, 07/01/17, 01/01/18, Managed the test programme across Trade processing, margin and collateral, billing and reconciliations., Created test strategy / test approach and obtained agreement on it with IT and Operations stakeholders.
It Technical Skills
SELENIUM, CUCUMBER, SOAPUI, JENKINS, JBOSS, RESTAPI, POSTMAN, SAP ENTERPRISE / CRM, CYPRESS, IBM Rational, IBM ClearQuest & ClearCase, Manual Tester, BLAZEMETER, JMETER, ZEPHYR, Microsoft Test Manager (MTM), Visual Studio Team Services (VSTS), HP Quality Centre, MS Office, MS Project, MS Visio, Gemini, PEGASI simulator, Share Point, JIRA (Atlassian), Confluence SCRUM framework, Citrix, PUMA emulator, HP Application Lifecycle Management (ALM), Test data management, Katalon Studio, SourceTree, GitLab Source lab, Figma, UNIX (Solaris, HP-UX, Linux, Red hat), ICOMS, Windows 2000/XP/2003/NT, Mainframes, AWS EC2, SNS, GITHUB, SHAREPOINT, MICROSOFTTEAMS, SPRINGBOOT, WIREMOCK, DOCKER, KUBERNETES, JAVA, .NET, VBSCRIPT, J2EE, C, C++, JAVASCRIPT, GROOVY, PYTHON3, NODE.JS, TYPESCRIPT, REACT, CGI/Perl Scripts, Expect, C/C++, C#, HTML, XML, Oracle EBS, SQL Server, Oracle E Business Suite, SAP, Adobe Experience Manager, HTTP, FTP, TCP/IP, SSL, SOAP, ETL, BDD Selenium Cucumber Framework, Cypress NPM (End2End), HP WinRunner, HP LoadRunner, HP QTP, TestQuest, TOSCA, Katalon Studio, Postman, X ray, Bitbucket, Github, Gitlab
Qualifications Professional Development
- ISTQB Advanced Test Manager certified
- ISTQB/ ISEB Foundation
- Agile Project Management DDC320
Passport Holder
British Passport Holder
Personal Information
Driving License: UK Driving License
Key Skills And Expertise
- Test Management and Quality Assurance (8 years)
- International Testing Standards Practitioner (ISTQB)
- Agile Practitioner (4+ years)
- Business and IT / Digital Transformation (6+ years)
- Onshore – Offshore model (8+ years)
- Risk Management and Mitigation (10+ years)
- International Experience (6+ years)
- Regulatory and Compliance (4+ years)
- Process Implementation / Automation (6+ years)
- Team Training, Mentoring and Management
- Testing Centre of Excellence creation (8+ years)
- Front to Back - Test Strategy, plan and execution
- Ecommerce, Finance, Investment Banks, Public Sector (4+ years)
- Complex Programme / Project Management (4+ years)
- Test Strategies / Test Approach – (Test) plans, scripts, reports
- Global Level Stakeholder & Third Party Vendor Management
- API’s & Messaging Systems - Kafka Messaging Restful APIs
- User Acceptance / Business Assurance (8+ years)
- System, Integration, Risk based, Regression (8+ years)
- Non-Functional (Performance, Stress, Volume & others)
- Management of high value testing programmes (8+ years)
- Fast learner with immense passion for quality
- Interface between business & technical world
Certification
● ISTQB Advanced Test Manager certified
Timeline
Senior QA Engineer - RSA Group
2024.02 - Current
Lead QA - Capgemini UK
2022.11 - 2024.01
Senior QA - LSEG Technology
2022.06 - 2022.11
QA - Capgemini UK
2021.09 - 2022.05
Test Engineer - Rathbones Group Technology & Change
2020.08 - 2021.09
Senior QA - Deutsche Bank AG
2019.01 - 2020.08
Test Analyst - Capgemini UK
2018.08 - 2019.01
Programme Test Manager - Soho House & Co
2018.01 - 2018.08
Linux Automation Tester - Cloud IQ Rocket Space
2017.07 - 2018.01
● ISTQB Advanced Test Manager certified
2015-03
Birkbeck College, University of London - LLB, Legal Methods