Lead QA Automation EngineerLocation: Hybrid (UK based, 2 days per week in the office)Salary: 70,000Reporting to: Head of TechnologyDirect reports: 1 Senior Automation EngineerThe OpportunityA high-traffic digital platform is modernising its technology and delivery approach, with a strong focus on automation, faster releases, and engineering excellence.Quality is central to this journey. The business is investing in an automation-first QA function to ensure releases are stable, scalable, and user-focused.They are now looking for a Lead QA Automation Engineer to own quality strategy, tooling, and delivery across multiple product streams.The RoleThis is a senior, hands-on role combining QA leadership with technical delivery. The Lead QA Automation Engineer will work closely with Engineering, Product, and Delivery to embed quality throughout the product lifecycle, while remaining actively involved in automation and exploratory testing.Key ResponsibilitiesQA Strategy and LeadershipDefine and deliver an automation-first QA strategyChampion quality across planning, sprints, and releasesEstablish and track QA metrics and release confidencePartner with Engineering, Product, and Delivery leadershipAutomation and TestingBuild and maintain Playwright automation using TypeScriptCarry out exploratory and manual testing on complex featuresSupport issue triage and root cause analysisBalance leadership with hands-on contributionFramework OwnershipOwn and improve QA tooling, frameworks, and C