Wilfred Samuels Email & Phone Number

Christchurch, Nz

Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand

As QA Practice Lead at Millpond, I drive business growth and elevate our Testing Services profile through strategic leadership and building high-impact client relationships. I lead a high-performing team of QA professionals to deliver best-in-class testing services, contributing to broader business development initiatives and operational excellence.Business Growth & Strategy:• Drive growth in Testing Services through comprehensive strategic planning and execution.• Lead thought leadership initiatives, shaping business planning and contributing to pre-sales activities to identify and secure new opportunities.• Support business development efforts by providing QA expertise to craft winning proposals and close new deals.Client Engagement & Satisfaction:• Develop and sustain long-term, high-impact client relationships, increasing client retention through proactive communication and exceptional service delivery.• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure successful project outcomes that align with client expectations and goals.Team Leadership & Development:• Lead the Millpond QA team, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and excellence.• Oversee the development and performance of permanent staff and contract consultants, ensuring ongoing professional growth and high-quality service delivery.Test Consulting & Delivery:• Spearhead test consulting engagements, crafting and executing tailored testing strategies and plans that meet client needs.• Ensure rigorous quality standards across the software development life cycle, delivering measurable value and exceeding client expectations.

Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand

As the Test Capability Manager at Planit Testing, I provided strategic oversight and operational management of testing resources across multiple high-profile client engagements. I focused on enhancing product quality and client satisfaction by implementing innovative testing practices and fostering collaboration across teams.Key Achievements:• Elevated Quality Standards: Developed and enforced comprehensive testing frameworks, resulting in a increase in defect detection and prevention.• Leadership & Mentorship: Managed and mentored a team of Senior Test Analysts, enhancing team productivity through tailored professional development and fostering a collaborative culture.• Streamlined Processes: Implemented efficient test documentation and defect management processes, reducing time to market and improving overall project delivery timelines.• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborated with Project Managers, Developers, and Business Analysts to align testing efforts with project goals, ensuring successful project integration and increasing delivery success rates.• Innovative Tool Adoption: Pioneered the use of Structured Test Management Tools, improving defect tracking and resolution processes, which led to a reduction in unresolved issues and faster resolution times.

Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand

Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand

As a Test Consultant at Alliance, I played a key role in the successful Infor M3 ERP implementation, which aimed to enhance operational efficiency and drive business transformation. I was responsible for designing and executing test cases, collaborating closely with cross-functional teams, and ensuring that M3 met the organisation’s business requirements.Key Responsibilities:• Conduct rigorous testing to identify defects, ensuring that Infor M3 was fully aligned with business needs and ready for deployment.• Collaborate with developers, business analysts, and the program test manager to interpret project requirements and user stories, ensuring seamless communication across teams.• Identify, report, and track software defects, providing comprehensive documentation to facilitate quick resolution.• Participate in test data preparation, ensuring data accuracy and consistency for precise testing outcomes.• Analyse test results, generated detailed reports, and provided actionable insights to drive continuous improvement.• Kept up-to-date with industry trends and best practices related to Infor M3 CloudSuite testing, applying this knowledge to improve testing methodologies.

Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand

As a Test Management Consultant at Foodstuffs South Island, I was instrumental in developing a comprehensive and reusable Testing and Automation Strategy for the transition from SAP ECC to SAP S/4HANA. Leading a project test team, I managed the creation of thousands of test cases and test cycles, ensuring coverage across key business areas such as Article Master, Manufacturing, Retail Operations, Online, Procurement, Supply Chain, Sales and Distribution, Wholesale, Property/Real Estate, and Finance.Key Responsibilities:• Design, lead, and execute the SAP S/4HANA risk-based testing and automation strategy, ensuring a smooth transition from SAP ECC.• Spearhead the entire SAP S/4HANA test lifecycle, overseeing both manual and automated testing using JIRA and Zephyr, while ensuring robust integration testing.• Lead End-to-End Business Process, System, Integration, Regression, User Acceptance, and Automation testing for SAP S/4HANA, driving quality and performance across diverse business domains.• Direct the SAP S/4HANA test design and test data creation phase, aligning testing with business goals and technical requirements.• Champion the Tricentis Tosca Test Automation Approach, implementing efficient automated testing processes to enhance coverage and efficiency.• Collaborate with stakeholders to gather technical requirements and design specifications, ensuring the testing strategy was fit for purpose and aligned with project objectives.• Manage the impact of competing project priorities across various business areas, optimising the test strategy to accommodate shifting demands.• Develop and maintained multiple dashboards, providing real-time visibility to sprint teams on test progress, defect metrics, automation, and overall test coverage.

Dublin City, County Dublin, Ireland

As the Test Manager at Volograms, I played a pivotal role in ensuring the quality of the Volu app and web releases, contributing to the development of a groundbreaking content platform that integrates machine learning, computer vision, 3D reconstruction, computer graphics, and artificial intelligence. This platform enables user-generated 3D content creation for the Metaverse.Key Responsibilities:• Design and Lead Testing Strategy: Develop and implement a comprehensive testing and automation strategy aligned with industry best practices and Scrum methodology.• Comprehensive Test Coverage: Execute a full testing and quality lifecycle plan, encompassing System, Integration, UI, UX, User Acceptance Testing (UAT), and Non-Functional Testing.• Azure DevOps Integration: Manage testing and defect tracking using Azure DevOps, ensuring seamless collaboration and issue resolution.• Test Automation Framework: Develop and execute an automated test framework using Smartbear TestComplete to streamline testing processes and improve efficiency.• Agile Best Practices: Implement Agile testing best practices, ensuring adaptability and collaboration within a dynamic development environment.• Production Gatekeeper: Act as the gatekeeper to the production environment, collaborating with the development team to ensure timely, high-quality releases.• CI/CD Pipeline Setup: Establish Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines incorporating multiple levels of testing, facilitating continuous testing throughout the development lifecycle.• Defect Triaging and RCA: Configure Azure DevOps to promote effective defect triaging and root cause analysis, ensuring rapid issue resolution.• Test Data Management: Design and implement efficient test data management processes, improving test reliability and consistency.

Dublin, Ireland And Cape Town, South Africa

At SamSsso, I developed strategic test plans and managed testing for major digital transformation projects, ensuring functional testing was conducted according to best practices and Agile/Scrum methods. As a Test Consultant, I built and directed high-performing teams, ensuring the success of complex system integration and test cycles. This led to cost savings, improved speed, and quality improvements in digital transformation programs.Main Responsibilities:• Design, lead, and drive risk-based program testing and automation strategies for significant transformation, digital, and change programs on multiple platforms (Web, IOS, Android, Web)• Lead a cross-skilled team of multinational QA professionals locally and remotely across multiple countries• Implement best practices for testing within an Agile/Scrum environment• Provide centralised end-to-end system and non-functional testing services for projects or packaged releases• Foster best practices in testing and bring the latest thinking in QA/testing methodology and tools• Drive efficiency and effectiveness throughout the testing process• Ensure the development of domain-specific knowledge and overall testing tools, environments, and methodologies (e.g., end-to-end testing, non-functional, etc.)• Ensure smooth handoffs for test planning, functional testing, and E2E testing• Mentor and coach testers• Influence stakeholder management

County Dublin, Ireland

At Infinite Software, I was responsible for the quality and test automation of the Infinite Intelligence Platform, leading all testing aspects within the company. I designed the test strategy and managed teams to ensure quality for complex platforms utilising a mixed SOA and microservice-based architecture. Infinite has grown into a world-class technology that understands real-time global events, taking action as it identifies a threat.Main Responsibilities:• Design and develop a test framework for functional automation, performance, and security testing• Create test plans and test scripts and implement them closely with the DevOps team• Create, maintain, and update automation test scripts for mobile, front-end/UI applications, backend services and APIs• Prioritise and plan test automation scripts in collaboration with teams (Backlog)• Test design and development of the core critical functionality to ensure adequate coverage and confidence for release (the regression pack)• Execute test scripts and report on test results to relevant stakeholders and teams• Responsible for defect management • Provide technical testing guidance and assistance to the teams• Actively participate in Release and Pre-Release activities

As a Senior Programme Test Manager, I helped MTN, Africa's largest mobile network operator, enhance its digital environment by migrating its business and 250 million customers to a modern systems architecture. The effort laid the groundwork for MTN's digital transformation.Main Responsibilities:• Design and steer the digital migration and billing transformation testing and automation strategy using a Cucumber Framework• Work with the business to design test cases for the end-to-end customer journey • Lead the quality outcomes and ensure the successful delivery of one of the largest digital • Design and drive the Quality Service Level Agreements using ITIL• Track and respond to all work assignments using Jira• Oversee MTN's Global Test Delivery team, located in Ireland, South Africa, India, and Sri Lanka• Ensure the availability and functionality of the test environments• Oversee interactions and ensure sufficient testing resources at each test level• Ensure the implementation of the test performance management process• Manage the allocated test budget • Provide a strategy for test metrics• Create and maintain multiple dashboards to offer complete visibility and transparency to stakeholders, showing coverage and test metrics related to Test progress, Defect stats, Automation, and Test Coverage

South Africa

I played a pivotal role in establishing the Shoprite SAP Test Center of Excellence, comprising over 80 skilled testing professionals. My responsibilities also encompassed the strategic management of testing for the SAP ECC6 Retail implementation, spanning over 1,000 stores and eight distribution centres in 10 countries.Main Responsibilities:• Accountable for testing the following SAP functional modules: SAP SD, SAP BW, SAP HR, SAP FI, SAP Payroll, SAP GRC, SAP Real Estate, SAP POSDM• Head up and manage the quality outputs and how the SAP Test Center of Excellence interfaces with transformational programs such as Money Markets, FinTech, InsurTech, End-to-End Supply Chains and Service Providers• Implement the Agile testing approach • Design the significant activities, milestones, and timelines for each implementation stage of the SAP TCoE Strategy• Set goals for each stage in the key areas, including test automation, test processes, test environment and governance• Assess skill availability and determine the need for resource reassignment, training, additional hiring and augmentation• Establish core teams of Subject Matter Experts in performance testing, automation, governance, asset management and other essential parts of the testing process• Maintain the testing infrastructure and test management platforms• Promote the SAP TCoE through internal communications and discussions to ensure that the entire organisation is on board with the TCoE concept• Define strategic KPIs and integrate the TCoE into the overall IT governance structure• Ensure the TCoE KPIs align with the critical IT objectives – cost efficiency, software quality level, time-to-market, flexibility, and agility• Ensure continuous evaluation and improvement of test processes, tools, and standards• Manage testers, handling performance contracts, reviews, and general management• Participate in the recruitment process for new automation and manual testers

Ireland, United Kingdom

While at Phoenix, I oversaw the test strategy and execution of several mergers and acquisitions. These transactions made Phoenix the largest long-term savings and retirement business in the UK, serving around 12 million customers in pensions, savings, and investments.Main Responsibilities:• Manage client engagement relationships whilst providing overall test leadership to various project teams• Provide consultation to the Test Leads and Project Managers on all testing-related matters• Provide consultation to the project teams on test approaches, plans and methodology• Ensure test entry/exit criteria are identified, agreed upon, fulfilled, and within project and test targets• Communicate with clients to determine testing requirements and expectations• Manage and implement test strategies for various projects in collaboration with the customer and proactively monitor overall testing maturity across engagements• Manage the dependencies and the interfaces between projects• Provide reporting on test progress, including test status, defects, risks and metrics of the project/ programme at regular intervals to all relevant stakeholders and take actions as necessary• Define and Implement the strategic plans for automation testing• Identify, prioritise and drive test improvements and best practices for better quality, coverage and efficiency• Take on supervisory responsibility and provide input on team performance

Uk And Ireland

As a Test Lead, I oversaw the testing phase from Legagy to Oracle Fusion. This transition primarily emphasised enhancing enterprise performance, human capital, and customer relationship management. The overarching goal was to align and streamline Aviva's IT systems throughout the organisation, ultimately fostering greater collaboration among various departments.Main Responsibilities:• Design the test strategy to ensure the delivered solution is fit for purpose• Develop the test approach to include Systems, Integration and User Acceptance Testing• Create test estimates and resource plans• Improve and enhance existing test processes• Test software enhancements needed for the upgrade • Test applications with integration to contract engine backends across multiple environments• Provide training to new test analysts • Worked in a waterfall testing methodology

New York, New Jersey, Minneapolis

During my time at Prudential, I conducted testing of various Policy Administration applications, employing ISTQB testing techniques as well as leveraging ITIL and CMMI Frameworks. This approach led to an enhanced test coverage and a notable improvement in the overall effectiveness of our testing processes at Prudential.Main Responsibilities:• Create Test Schedules• Create Master and Detail Test Plans• Design Test Scenarios and Test Cases for System, Integration, UAT, BPT and Non-Functional using testing techniques• Create Traceability Matrix for Test Coverage using HP QC (Currently ALM)• Execute test cases and logging defects• Manage defects through the Testing lifecycle• Create Daily and Weekly Test Update Reports• Create Test Completion Reports

Letterkenny, Ireland

Johannesburg Area, South Africa

In my role as a software developer at ABSA, I was a key member of a team responsible for designing and implementing Security Management applications within the Customer Relationship Management System. Our efforts resulted in the effective safeguarding of the bank's customer data and information.Main Responsibilities:• Design and implement Customer Relationship Management and Security Management applications• Maintain and support existing software programs• Identify areas for modification in existing programs and subsequently develop these modifications• Writing and implementing efficient code• Peer review of code• Writing and implementing code for Y2K• Train and mentor new software developers at the ABSA Software Development Academy

Bcom(Hons) Information Systems, Cum Laude

Masters Of Commerce, Information Technology

Modules: 1. Analytics and Machine Learning 2. Big Data Management 3. Big Data Technologies 4. Management And Communication 5. Supply Chain.

Diploma Cobol Programming & Design