(SFIA 4) Performance Tester

A SFIA 4 Senior Performance Tester leads performance testing activities across complex business systems, applications and integrations. They plan, estimate, design, execute and review performance testing activities to assess system behaviour against agreed workload, scalability, reliability and response-time expectations.

The role works under general direction with considerable autonomy, providing specialist performance testing advice, supporting and guiding others, and contributing expertise to achieve project and team objectives. They analyse non-functional requirements, define performance test approaches, prepare workload models, create and maintain performance test scripts, coordinate test data and environments, execute performance tests, analyse results, manage defects and risks, support CI/CD pipeline integration for automated performance testing, and provide evidence-based recommendations

They communicate complex technical findings clearly to technical, project and business stakeholders, support continuous improvement of performance testing practices, and ensure testing artefacts are maintained in accordance with departmental standards, quality processes and recordkeeping requirements

Key duties and responsibilities

SFIA 4 Senior Performance Tester

1. Develop, implement and maintain performance test approaches and plans aligned to departmental test standards and project objectives.
2. Analyse non-functional requirements and define performance test scope, objectives, workload models, test scenarios, entry and exit criteria.
3. Prepare, create, maintain, execute and review performance test scripts, test data, test schedules and test execution artefacts.
4. Provide estimates for performance testing effort, environments, tools, data, execution windows and reporting activities.
5. Coordinate tasks across performance testers, application teams, environment teams, infrastructure teams, vendors and project stakeholders to ensure timely delivery of quality test outcomes.
6. Configure, execute and monitor performance tests using approved tools and processes, including load, stress, endurance, volume, scalability and reliability testing where required.
7. Ensure performance test environment, monitoring, access, application configuration and test data requirements are identified, documented, agreed and ready prior to execution.
8. Analyse test results, system metrics, logs and monitoring data to identify bottlenecks, risks, trends and opportunities for improvement.
9. Produce clear performance test reports, dashboards, metrics and recommendations for technical, project and business stakeholders.
10. Apply project management principles to plan, schedule, monitor and report performance testing progress, risks, issues and dependencies.
11. Escalate performance risks, issues, assumptions and constraints identified during planning, scripting, execution or analysis and communicate impacts to the Test Manager.
12. Work closely with business, application, architecture, infrastructure and vendor teams to clarify performance requirements, expected usage patterns and operational constraints.
13. Liaise with Business Analysts, System Analysts, Architects, Developers, Environment Managers and Subject Matter Experts to confirm system behaviour, integration points and performance test coverage.
14. Collaborate with stakeholders and subject matter experts to support non-functional assurance, release readiness and implementation decisions.
15. Support the Test Manager in developing performance test estimates, schedules, impact assessments, risk assessments and resource coordination activities.
16. Prepare performance test completion reports, sign-off artefacts and release advice prior to production implementation.
17. Work with various delivery and testing methodologies, including Waterfall, Agile and iterative delivery models.
18. Adhere to the Defect Management strategy to raise, triage, analyse and track performance defects, including coordination of supporting evidence and technical investigation.
19. Contribute to and review performance testing artefacts, including strategies, plans, workload models, risk assessments, test specifications, execution evidence and status reports.
20. Develop, document, monitor and improve performance testing processes, reusable assets, templates, scripts, data practices and reporting methods.
21. Contribute to performance engineering activities including workload modelling, capacity planning, scalability assessments and identification of performance optimisation opportunities.
22. Design, configure and maintain CI/CD pipeline integration for performance testing, including automated test execution, scheduled runs, parameterised workloads, result publishing and integration with approved DevOps toolchains.
23. Collaborate with DevOps, application and environment teams to embed performance test scripts, test data setup, monitoring hooks, thresholds and reporting outputs into release pipelines where appropriate.
24. Assist the Enterprise Testing and Quality Assurance section and other teams with performance testing, non-functional testing and quality assurance activities as required.
25. Provide guidance, coaching and knowledge transfer to team members and departmental staff involved in performance test design, execution, analysis and reporting.
26. Support continuous improvement of performance testing capability, including tools, monitoring, scripting standards, test data management and reporting maturity.
27. Transfer skills and knowledge to departmental staff and ensure appropriate documentation is stored in accordance with the Department’s recordkeeping policy and practices.

The seller must ensure that the Labour Hire worker performing the services during the term of this contract, facilitate an effective transfer of skills and knowledge to the buyer to enable full use of services and deliverables and associated documents

Technical skills

1. Demonstrated experience (6+ years) as Senior IT Test Analyst
2. Exposure to or previous experience in .Net, Seibel, Sales force applications
3. Accessibility testing experience is desirable

Essential criteria

1.Demonstrated experience analysing business requirements, user stories, specifications and design documentation to develop and maintain effective test cases, test scripts and test data.

2.Demonstrated experience executing manual tests, identifying and documenting defects, supporting defect investigation and retesting activities, and ensuring testing outcomes meet quality standards

3.Demonstrated ability to investigate issues, analyse test results, identify root causes and provide practical recommendations to support quality delivery outcomes.

4.Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and work collaboratively with business stakeholders, subject matter experts, developers and project teams to achieve testing outcomes

5.Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities, work under limited direction, adapt to changing requirements and deliver quality outcomes within agreed timeframes

Desirable criteria

1.Degree in Information Technology and ISTQB Foundation Test Analyst or relevant practical experience

2.Understanding of software testing principles, methodologies, and quality assurance practices including awareness of software development lifecycles (SDLC), defect management processes, and agile ways of working

3.Knowledge of test design techniques, test execution processes, and the use of testing tools to support project delivery.

4.Ability to identify, investigate, and report defects, and issues