Senior Specialist Software Tester (Automation\ Security\ Performance\ Manual) at The South African Revenue Service (SARS)

Job Purpose

• To ensure software testing (Automation / Security / Performance) is conducted in relation to the automated script design, build, execution and deploy using appropriate automation technologies; or to the cooperative vulnerability and penetration assessments, or to the scalability and responsiveness under a specified workload, of the specific application/s, within set timeframes and against specified outputs.

Education and Experience

Minimum Qualification & Experience Required

• Bachelor's Degree / Advanced Diploma (NQF 7) in a Computer Science/IT/Information Systems/Engineering AND 8 – 10 years' experience in a software testing environment, of which 3 - 4 years at a junior specialist level in in processes, governance, risks, standards and policies

Alternative

• Senior Certificate (NQF 4) AND 15 years in software testing enviroment, of which 3 - 4 years at a junior specialist level in processes, governance, risks, standards and policies.

Minimum Functional Requirements

• Certified training in Testing Techniques (e.g. ITSEB or ISTQB Technical Testing).
• Must have an in-depth knowledge of HP Quality Centre.
• Must have a working knowledge of the following applications: MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint and MS Project.
• Must have the ability to interact effectively with other teams involved in project and maintenance testing effort.
• Must be capable of producing and performance metrics as well as other necessary reports that meet the demands of individuals within project and maintenance team structures.
• Must have the ability to code in at least 3 scripting languages. Must have experience in using 3 or more performance testing tools and protocols.
• Must have experience in writing SQL and DB2 queries. Must have the knowledge of Network Architecture.

Job Outputs:

Process

• Active identification and management of Automation/Performance/Security testing project risks and the required resolution thereof with different stakeholders with an interest in the success of the project.
• Actively participate in the testing life cycle.
• Define and setup testing strategies and plans to enable current compatibility / backward compatibility testing to prevent software failure due to security vulnerabilities and /or performance between application software and infrastructures issues.
• Introduce best practices and influence the divisions to change and adopt accordingly.
• Coordinate and manage life cycle of defect priorities.
• Review test requirements to be clearly identified, prioritized and satisfied by business solutions.
• Define and setup Testing strategies and plans to enable current compatibility/backward compatibility testing to prevent software failure.
• Analyse and make recommendations about improvements to specialist systems, procedures and associated area's practice.
• Analyse and make recommendations about improvements to specialist systems, procedures, policies and practices.
• Contribute to the optimum utilisation of org. resources, advising on effective planning and development of area of specialisation resource plans.
• Develop a single practice area in alignment with operational activity and procedural frameworks and ensure tactical implementation.
• Draw on own technical or professional expertise, knowledge and experience to identify and recommend tactical solutions to defined problems in practices.
• Integrate business information, compare, analyse and produce reports to identify trends, discrepancies and inconsistencies for decision making purposes.
• Optimise goal achievement through tactical strategy implementation and optimisation of practises, processes and systems across an internal value chain.
• Plan for value-added, continuous practice and system improvements to deliver on objectives to enhance tactical implementation and excellence.
• Proactively identify interconnected problems, determine its impact and use to develop best fit alternatives; best practice implementation solutions.
• Recommend changes to optimise processes, systems, practice areas and associated procedures and execute the implementation of change and innovation.
• Translate top-down policy, apply modification in relation to own practice area and communicate impact to relevant stakeholders.

Governance

• Develop and /or align governance and compliance policies for own practice area to identify and manage risk exposure liability.
• Ensure that completed work adhere to relevant policies, procedures, governance and legislative requirements and report on deviations and discrepancies.

People

• Integrate new knowledge and transfer skills attained through formal and informal learning opportunities in the execution of your job.
• Provide specialist know-how, support, advice and practice thought leadership in area of expertise.
• Overall assignment of tasks, roles and deliverables of assigned resources involved in the specific project for its duration.

Finance

• Implement and monitor financial control, management of costs and corporate governance in area of specialisation

Client

• Develop and ensure implementation of a practice that builds service delivery excellence and encourages others to provide exceptional stakeholder service.
• Participate in the specialist practice community and contribute positively to organisation knowledge management.
• Provide authoritative, specialist expertise and advice to internal and external stakeholders.
• Ongoing collaboration and relationship building with various stakeholders and executives from various operational domains of the organisation to enable project delivery

Behavioural competencies

• Accountability
• Analytical Thinking
• Attention to Detail
• Conceptual Ability
• Expertise in Context
• Organisational Awareness
• Problem Solving and Analysis
• Respect
• Trust
• Reading Comprehension (Fundamental)
• Fairness and Transparency
• Honesty and Integrity
• Trust

Technical competencies

• Automated Unit Testing
• Business Knowledge
• Computer Literacy
• Data Collection and Analysis
• Efficiency improvement
• Functional Policies and Procedures
• IT Knowledge
• Reporting
• Reporting and Interpretation
• System Thinking

Deadline:8th July,2025