Project Manager

Job Title: Project Manager/Tester Duration: 12 Months Location: Riverwoods, IL

Position Overview

We are seeking a highly motivated Test Analyst with strong project management capabilities to join our Payments Testing team. This role supports a global payments network and is responsible for designing and executing test cases against technical specifications while also leading and managing concurrent testing initiatives.

This is a hybrid role combining:

• Hands-on Test Analysis & Test Design (Primary Focus)
• Project Management & Stakeholder Coordination (Secondary but Critical)

The ideal candidate is a strong Test Analyst who can independently lead projects, manage stakeholders, and drive deliverables to completion.

About the Team

Our team supports two major releases annually (April and October), each lasting approximately nine months and overlapping. We perform development testing for merchants, acquirers, and issuers participating in the global payments network.As one release concludes, the next is already underway. This role is designed to help manage overlapping initiatives and reduce single points of failure within the team.

Key Responsibilities

Test Analysis & Design (Primary Responsibility)

• Review and interpret technical specifications and requirement changes
• Translate technical documentation into detailed, structured test cases
• Design manual and automated test scenarios
• Validate expected results against specifications
• Participate in peer reviews of test cases
• Execute and validate test results
• Support migration to a new testing platform

This role requires the ability to think analytically and translate technical requirements into actionable test designs.

Project Management & Stakeholder Coordination

• Lead testing efforts for one major release while supporting another
• Manage multiple concurrent initiatives (2–12 per release cycle)
• Engage initiative owners and business stakeholders
• Facilitate requirement discussions and testing scope definition
• Set deadlines and hold stakeholders accountable
• Track progress and communicate status updates
• Identify and escalate risks or issues proactively

The individual must be able to independently run projects without relying on others to drive timelines.

Communication & Collaboration

• Serve as a liaison between business stakeholders and testing teams
• Maintain clear written documentation
• Lead working sessions and stakeholder meetings
• Communicate changes, risks, and updates effectively
• Support training and enablement of business partners as needed

Strong written and verbal communication skills are essential.

Required Qualifications

• Experience as a Project Manager and Test Analyst / QA Analyst / Test Engineer
• Strong ability to write detailed test cases from technical specifications
• Experience managing or leading projects (formal title not required)
• Ability to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills
• Experience working with technical documentation and requirements

Preferred Qualifications (Nice to Have)

• Experience in payments industry (not required – can be trained)
• Exposure to API testing
• Experience with automation testing tools
• Programming or coding background (language flexible; no specific language required)
• Familiarity with JIRA or custom requirements management tools
• Experience supporting release-based project cycles

Tools & Environment

• Manual and partial automated testing (new platform implementation underway)
• Custom-built requirements management tool (SharePoint-based)
• Some JIRA exposure
• Mix of batch and real-time interface testing
• Evolving automation capabilities