Test Architect

HCLTech is a global technology company, home to more than 220,000 people across 60 countries, delivering industry-leading capabilities centered around digital, engineering, cloud and AI, powered by a broad portfolio of technology services and products. We work with clients across all major verticals, providing industry solutions for Financial Services, Manufacturing, Life Sciences and Healthcare, Technology and Services, Telecom and Media, Retail and CPG, and Public Services.

Test Architect – Migration Quality Strategy & Governance (Google Cloud | Banking)

**Focus Area:** Migration Test Strategy, Quality Governance, Automation, Non‑Functional & Cutover Readiness on Google Cloud

### Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced **Test Architect** to define and drive the end‑to‑end **migration testing strategy and quality governance** for an **Italy-based banking customer** modernizing and migrating workloads to **Google Cloud**. The role ensures a consistent, evidence-driven quality approach across migration waves—covering **functional, regression automation, integration, non-functional validation, performance baselining, cutover rehearsal readiness, and Go/No-Go decisions**.

The Test Architect will establish a scalable **defect governance model on Google Cloud**, ensuring that quality risks are transparent, controlled, and aligned with regulated banking release practices and CAB expectations.

Key Responsibilities

Master Migration Test Strategy

* Define and maintain the **master migration test strategy** across squads and waves, including:

* Test scope, entry/exit criteria, quality gates, and evidence requirements

* Environment and data assumptions

* Roles/responsibilities and governance cadence

* Align strategy with regulated banking constraints (controlled releases, auditability, and change windows).

Application-Specific Test Approach

* Create an **application-specific test approach** for each onboarded workload, covering:

* Critical business journeys and risk-based prioritization

* Integration touchpoints and downstream dependencies

* Data validation and migration-specific checks

* Ensure traceability from requirements to tests to results to sign-off inputs.

Regression Automation Coverage Plan

* Build the **regression automation coverage plan**, including:

* What to automate (risk/ROI driven) and what remains manual

* Tooling approach and standards for maintainable automation

* CI/CD integration points for automated regression execution

* Track automation coverage and ensure it supports wave-by-wave repeatability.

Non-Functional Validation Plan

* Define the **non-functional validation plan** aligned to banking expectations, including:

* Security validation touchpoints (in collaboration with security teams)

* Reliability, resilience, and operational readiness testing

* Scalability, availability, and observability validation criteria

* Ensure NFR testing is planned early and executed with clear acceptance thresholds.

Performance Baseline & Comparison Reporting

* Own the **performance baseline** approach and produce **baseline and comparison reports**, including:

* On-prem vs cloud comparisons (where applicable)

* Transaction response times, throughput, and stability indicators

* Identified risks and tuning recommendations (in partnership with engineering teams)

* Ensure performance outcomes feed into release readiness and cutover decisions.

Cutover Rehearsal & Readiness Sign-Off

* Plan and govern **cutover rehearsal testing**, including:

* Rehearsal test scope, scripts, responsibilities, and evidence capture

* Data reconciliation / validation checkpoints

* Hypercare readiness and rollback validation collaboration

* Provide **cutover rehearsal sign-off** inputs with risk statements and mitigations.

Go/No-Go Quality Assessment

* Drive the **Go/No-Go quality assessment** for each release/cutover, based on:

* Test execution summaries, defect trends, and residual risk

* NFR and performance outcomes vs agreed thresholds

* Readiness of evidence for CAB and operational acceptance

* Present a clear, defensible recommendation with supporting metrics and artifacts.

Defect Governance Model on Google Cloud

* Define and run the **defect governance model** for cloud migration releases, including:

* Severity definitions and banking impact criteria

* Triage workflows, ownership, and SLA expectations

* Defect dashboards and release quality reporting

* Waiver/risk-acceptance process (where applicable) with audit-friendly evidence

* Ensure defect management integrates with enterprise tooling and supports CAB-level reporting.

Deliverables & Outcomes

* **Master migration test strategy** adopted across squads/waves.

* **Application-specific test approaches** and risk-based coverage models.

* **Regression automation coverage plan** integrated into delivery cadence.

* **Non-functional validation plan** executed with measurable thresholds.

* **Performance baseline and comparison reports** enabling objective decisions.

* **Cutover rehearsal sign-off** evidence and readiness pack.

* **Go/No-Go quality assessment** inputs suitable for CAB governance.

* A consistent **defect governance model on Google Cloud** enabling transparent quality control.

Required Skills & Experience

Test Architecture & Leadership

* Proven experience as a **Test Architect / QA Architect** on complex transformation programs.

* Strong capability defining:

* End-to-end test strategies and quality gates

* Risk-based test planning for critical business flows

* Cross-team quality governance and evidence management

Automation & Quality Engineering

* Experience designing **regression automation strategies** and coverage plans.

* Familiarity integrating automation into delivery workflows (e.g., CI/CD-aligned test execution).

* Strong understanding of testability, maintainability, and scalable automation practices.

Non-Functional & Performance Testing Oversight

* Experience defining NFR validation plans (reliability, resilience, observability, etc.).

* Experience owning/steering performance baselining and comparison reporting, including release risk interpretation.

Regulated Delivery & Governance

* Experience working in **banking or regulated IT environments**.

* Familiarity with:

* Change governance and CAB readiness expectations

* Audit-friendly evidence capture and sign-off practices

* Cutover planning, rehearsals, and Go/No-Go governance

Soft Skills

* Strong stakeholder communication—able to translate test outcomes into business risk.

* Structured, evidence-driven decision-making and attention to detail.

* Ability to lead through influence across squads, vendors, and shared services teams.

* Clear documentation skills for governance packs, strategies, and runbooks.

Nice to Have

* Experience on **cloud migration programs** (on-prem to Google Cloud).

* Exposure to test strategy design for **containerized platforms (GKE)** and hybrid environments.

* Prior experience with **European banking customers** and controlled release models.