Manager, QA

Churchill Downs Incorporated

2d•Onsite

About The Position

At Exacta Systems, we’re not just shaping the future of gaming—we’re redefining it. As a leader in historical horse racing (HHR) technology, we create cutting-edge gaming solutions that power thrilling player experiences nationwide. Now part of the Churchill Downs family, we’re backed by a storied legacy of excellence in racing and gaming. This new chapter brings exciting opportunities for growth, stability, innovation, and impact. If you're looking for a career where technology meets tradition and where your ideas drive the future, let’s explore the possibilities together! JOB SUMMARYExacta Systems is an industry leader providing innovative solutions within the Historical Horse Racing (HHR) gaming industry. As we continue scaling our engineering and product capabilities from our Austin headquarters, we are seeking an experienced Manager of Software Quality Assurance to strengthen and operationalize our QA function. This is a hands-on leadership role responsible for driving day-to-day quality execution while elevating process maturity across our Austin-based engineering teams. The Manager of Software QA will lead the operational execution of the Software QA function in partnership with the Director of Software QA, ensuring alignment with enterprise standards while driving quality excellence within the Austin engineering organization. This individual will implement scalable QA processes, strengthen automation practices, develop team capability, and embed quality into the product lifecycle from design through release. The ideal candidate brings both technical depth and proven team leadership experience, with a demonstrated ability to improve QA effectiveness in fast-paced, regulated environments.

Requirements

7-10+ years of progressive experience in Software Quality Assurance.
3-5+ years of direct people leadership experience managing QA teams.
Demonstrated experience improving QA processes within growing engineering organizations.
Strong experience with automated testing frameworks (Cypress, Playwright, Selenium, etc.).
Experience working within CI/CD environments.
Strong analytical, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field (or equivalent experience).
Strong knowledge of software development life cycle methodologies (e.g., Agile, Scrum, Waterfall) and QA best practices.
Must be able to pass background check and obtain/maintain Gaming/Racing license.

Nice To Haves

Preferred experience operating in regulated industries (gaming, fintech, healthcare, etc.) strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead the day-to-day execution of the Software QA function for Austin-based engineering teams.
Partner with the Director of Software QA to align local practices with enterprise standards and long-term quality strategy.
Evaluate current QA processes and implement scalable operational improvements.
Establish release validation standards and ensure proper test coverage prior to deployment.
Provide visibility into defect trends, quality metrics, and risk exposure to Engineering leadership.
Directly manage, mentor, and develop team (both junior and experienced level) of QA Analysts and Engineers.
Establish clear expectations for performance, accountability, and output quality.
Identify skill gaps and implement structured development plans.
Foster a culture of ownership, urgency, and continuous improvement.
Support succession planning and strengthen bench depth within the QA function.
Oversee the design, execution, and maintenance of manual and automated testing strategies.
Enhance automated testing frameworks and improve regression efficiency.
Ensure QA alignment with agile development cycles and CI/CD processes.
Collaborate with Engineering to embed quality earlier in the development lifecycle.
Ensure software releases meet reliability, scalability, and regulatory standards.
Identify quality risks early and implement mitigation strategies.
Ensure testing protocols support regulatory compliance within the gaming industry.
Maintain standards required to obtain and retain applicable Gaming/Racing licenses.
Experience serving QA as a point of contact during internal and external regulatory compliance audits, with robust traceability and documentation practices that meet stringent industry standards.