Mid/Senior QA Analyst

Title: Mid/Senior QA Analyst

Location: Maidenhead, United Kingdom

Position Type: Full-time

Experience Level: 5+ years

About the Role:

We are seeking an experienced and detail-oriented QA Analyst (Mid to Senior Level) with deep expertise in payroll systems.

You’ll be responsible for designing, executing, and maintaining both manual and automated test suites, with a special emphasis on complex payroll calculations, National Insurance (NI), tax compliance, and desktop software validation.

Requirements

Key Responsibilities

Design and execute detailed manual test cases for payroll-related features using TestRail or similar tools.

Develop and maintain automated test scripts using Selenium with Java or Python for regression and functional testing.

Validate payroll calculation logic, including:

• NI contributions (primary and secondary)
  
• Tax codes and thresholds
  
• Student loan deductions
  
• Statutory payments (e.g., SMP, SPP, SSP)
  

Simulate and create payroll datasets that cover varied worker scenarios (e.g. full-time, part-time, irregular pay).

Use HMRC API endpoints (e.g., RTI submissions, NVR checks, FPS/EPS generation) to validate system integration.

Conduct end-to-end testing of desktop-based applications, with a focus on cross-platform compatibility, performance, and UI consistency.

Log, triage, and track defects using JIRA, GitHub, or similar issue management systems.

Collaborate in Agile sprints and ceremonies with developers, analysts, and product owners.

Maintain and configure Dockerised test environments, including CI/CD pipelines with GitHub Actions.

Apply robust QA processes throughout the software development lifecycle (SDLC), ensuring compliance with regulatory and HMRC standards.

Essential Skills & Experience

Strong payroll testing background with deep understanding of UK payroll cycles, PAYE, and statutory obligations.

Proven hands-on experience in:

• NI category letters and contribution calculations
  
• PAYE tax band logic, personal allowances, and thresholds
  
• Apprenticeship levy and employment allowance interactions
  

Working knowledge of desktop payroll applications.

Solid experience writing test cases and automating test scripts using Selenium with Java or Python.

Familiarity with HMRC’s technical documentation and API schemas.

Proficient with version control (GIT) and CI/CD tooling (GitHub Actions, Jenkins).

Experience using Docker and managing isolated testing environments.

Strong understanding of manual and automated testing practices within Agile and Waterfall models.

Desirable Skills:

• Familiarity with RTI submissions (FPS, EPS), NVR responses, and error message validations from HMRC.
  
• Experience creating or maintaining an automated testing framework.
  
• Confidence in writing test data scenarios that include irregular earnings, leavers/joiners, pension contributions, and holiday pay.
  
• Cross-platform testing experience: Windows, Linux, macOS.
  
• Working with virtualisation environments (e.g., Hyper-V, VirtualBox).
  
• ISEB/ISTQB certification or other industry-recognised QA qualifications.
  
• Awareness of bilingual testing needs, such as English/Welsh UI compliance (desirable but not essential).