QA Analyst Risk IT - AVP

Who we are

United by a sense of purpose towards our customers – to be a trusted partner for the long-term – and our universal banking platform in EMEA, SMBC Group has an international growth agenda and award-winning products, meaning we provide exciting opportunities to work on a diverse range of projects and initiatives. We deliver a full suite of corporate finance products and solutions to our customers as well as investment banking and advisory services, and a range of innovative solutions in global capital markets. Read on to find out how you could enhance your skills and gain valuable experience, by joining us to support our clients transition to a sustainable future.

Purpose of Job

SMBC is seeking an experienced QA Analyst (AVP level) to support testing activities for new solutions delivery across the Risk Technology function, covering Market Risk, Liquidity Risk, ESG Risk, and Model Validation platforms. The role will focus on developing new project test strategies, plans, and scripts, executing and managing the QA process for new projects while conforming and contributing to the central QA and testing strategy, ensuring alignment with the bank’s established QA governance frameworks, risk control standards, and delivery processes, and supporting continuous improvement of testing practices.

The QA Analyst will work closely with stakeholders across Market and Liquidity Risk, ESG, Model Validation, Technology, and the Business to ensure consistent, robust, and high‑quality testing delivery across new Risk delivery initiatives and projects. The role plays a key part in validating risk models, calculations, data integrity, and reporting solutions, ensuring they are fit for purpose and meet internal governance and regulatory expectations.

The ideal candidate will combine strong hands‑on QA and testing expertise with solid domain knowledge across at least two of Market Risk, Liquidity Risk, ESG Risk, and Model Validation, experience delivering regulatory‑driven change, and the ability to operate effectively across Risk and Technology teams within a highly governed environment.

"The anticipated salary range for this role is £56,000-£84,000, with the final offer determined based on the candidate’s skills, experience, role scope, location, and relevant market factors. In addition to base salary, the role may be eligible for a discretionary incentive award and a competitive benefits package, including core benefits such as pension provision."​

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare and maintain test strategies, test plans, test scenarios, and test cases, ensuring appropriate coverage and traceability to business, technical, and regulatory requirements.
• Perform hands-on functional, system integration, UAT, regression and end-to-end testing across Risk applications, new solutions, enhancements, and regulatory changes.
• Review business requirements, solution designs, functional designs, and user stories, providing early QA input to identify gaps, dependencies, and delivery risks.
• Validate Risk calculations, business rules, workflows, data flows and reporting outputs, ensuring solutions meet expected business and regulatory requirements.
• Perform SQL-based data validation, reconciliation, and data-flow testing across upstream and downstream Risk systems, including data quality and lineage where applicable.
• Perform hands-on testing of prototypes and early-stage solutions, validating calculation logic, data flows and reporting before full implementation.
• Develop, maintain, and execute automated tests where appropriate, identifying suitable regression scenarios for automation and analysing automated test failures.
• Drive increased automation coverage across regression testing, working with development and QA teams to improve testing efficiency and reduce repetitive manual execution.
• Identify, log and manage defects through to closure, including defect analysis, root-cause investigation, fix validation and retesting with development and vendor teams.
• Maintain complete and audit-ready test artefacts and evidence, including test cases, execution results, regression packs, defects and traceability using Jira, Xray or approved QA tools.
• Coordinate test environments, test data, access, and dependencies required for effective test execution.
• Apply a risk-based testing approach, prioritising testing based on business impact, solution complexity, regulatory requirements and production risk.
• Support release readiness and QA sign-off, providing clear reporting on test progress, defects, risks, dependencies and overall quality status.
• Ensure testing activities align with QA governance, SDLC/STLC standards, internal controls, audit requirements and applicable regulatory expectations, supporting audit or regulatory reviews where required.
• Collaborate with Risk, Business, Technology, Data, Model Validation, Compliance, Regulatory Change, Development and vendor teams to support successful delivery.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of QA practices, automation, regression coverage, reporting and testing tools across the Risk technology landscape.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• Strong hands-on experience in functional, system integration, UAT, regression and end-to-end testing within banking or financial services, ideally across Risk technology.
• Experience testing Risk applications and platforms, with exposure to areas such as Market Risk, Liquidity Risk, Credit Risk, Model Validation, ESG Risk or regulatory change.
• Good understanding of Risk calculations, business rules, data flows, reporting and controls, with the ability to validate complex Risk requirements.
• Strong SQL skills for data analysis, reconciliation, data-quality validation, and end-to-end verification across upstream and downstream systems.
• Hands-on experience with test automation, including developing, maintaining, and executing automated tests using tools or frameworks such as Playwright, Selenium, Cypress, Cucumber, REST Assured, Java or Python.
• Ability to identify suitable test scenarios for regression automation and contribute to improving automation coverage and reducing repetitive manual testing.
• Experience testing APIs, interfaces, batch processes, and integrated data flows across multiple applications.
• Strong understanding of SDLC, STLC, defect management and risk-based testing, with experience working in Agile, Waterfall or hybrid delivery environments.
• Experience using Jira, Xray, Confluence or equivalent tools for test management, traceability, defect management, evidence and reporting.
• Experience preparing and maintaining test strategies, test plans, test cases, regression packs, test evidence and QA sign-off documentation.
• Ability to analyse business, functional and technical requirements and translate them into effective test scenarios and test cases.
• Experience working within governed and regulated environments, with an understanding of audit, regulatory and documentation requirements.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to investigate defects and contribute to root-cause analysis.
• Strong communication and stakeholder-management skills, with the ability to work effectively across Risk, Business, Technology, Data, Development and vendor teams.

Personal Attributes

• Strong analytical mindset with a risk‑ and control‑focused approach, applying judgement consistent with regulatory and governance standards
• High attention to detail and strong commitment to accuracy, quality, and risk integrity
• Proactive and self‑driven, with a strong sense of ownership and accountability for testing outcomes
• Confident in constructively challenging requirements, assumptions, and results from a Risk and Model Validation perspective
• Effective problem‑solver with the ability to analyse complex risk data, calculations, and model outputs
• Clear and structured communicator, able to engage effectively with Risk, Model Validation, Technology, and Compliance stakeholders
• Collaborative team player who works well across Risk and Technology functions in a highly governed environment
• An individual who can work collaboratively with multiple support teams on emerging issues
• An individual with a positive, approachable personality who can build strong rapport with colleagues, foster a supportive team environment, and interact kindly and respectfully with everyone

Preferred Skills

• Broader experience across Risk domains, such as Market Risk, Liquidity Risk, Credit Risk, Model Risk or ESG Risk.
• Knowledge of Risk methodologies and calculations, including sensitivities, limits, stress testing, VaR, liquidity metrics or capital-related measures.
• Understanding of relevant regulatory frameworks and prudential requirements, such as PRA, EBA and Basel/BCBS principles.
• Experience supporting regulatory change initiatives and working within highly governed or audit-focused environments.
• Experience with data quality, data lineage, ETL and data warehouse testing across complex Risk data flows.
• Familiarity with CI/CD and source-control tools, such as Jenkins, Bamboo, Git or GitLab.
• Experience working with third-party/vendor Risk platforms and coordinating testing across multiple technology teams.
• ISTQB certification or another recognised software testing qualification.

Education and Certifications

Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Engineering, Finance, Mathematics, or a related discipline

Professional testing certifications such as ISTQB Foundation, ISTQB Technical Test Analyst, or ISTQB Advanced Test Analyst preferred

What we offer

For all the expertise and experience you bring to help us make a difference, it’s only sustainable if we support you to build your career and be your best self so we offer competitive company benefits, centred around promoting positive well-bring and work-life balance. We also believe in fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment, where all team members perspectives and contributions are valued. Initiatives in place which promote a diverse and inclusive culture and healthy work life balance include hybrid working, Sport & Social Clubs and Diversity and Inclusion networks.

As an employee of SMBC you have access to a host of both useful and exciting benefit offerings. See below some of the benefits on offer to you:

• Hybrid and flexible working
• Competitive paid leave days
• Benefits to support your physical wellbeing, including private medical insurance and life and invalidity insurance
• Various policies to support your mental wellbeing, including a robust behavioural health network with counselling and coaching services
• Access a wide range of learning and development opportunities and career progression opportunities
• Ambitious remuneration package

So, if you like a challenge and want to continuously grow and develop in a role where you will be supported along the way by a dynamic and diverse team, apply today!!