Nigel Bennett, Quality Assurance analyst/software development professional

About

Degree qualified software professional with over 20 years experience in 2 of Australia's biggest business software providers in many areas including software testing, documentation and technical support. Passionate about delivering quality products and services to customers and with an eye for detail and an excellent command of the English language.

Experience

Xero Australia

Jan 2013 – Apr 2019

Melbourne, Australia

Quality Assurance Specialist

Xero is a global leader in the provision of cloud based accounting solutions for small business and accounting. https://www.xero.com I worked in a team providing cloud based tax management software to Australian accountants, tax agents and bookkeepers. • Agile environment • Strong delivery focus with continuous deployment and release cycles varying from daily to fortnightly • Working with multiple distributed teams both in Australia and overseas Responsibilities and Experience: • Delivering quality software to customers within agreed time frames • Working closely with Product Owners and Managers, Business Analysts and developers to achieve team goals • Developing test plans and test cases • Preparing test data for manual and automated tests • Participating in usability sessions with customers for new features/enhancements • Coordinating resources and testing for staging and production environments • Assisting customer support staff with live data queries (SQL), problem solving and requests for database changes/updates • Liaison with the Australian Taxation Office to troubleshoot and solve customer issues • Analysis of requirements • Participation in story development and sizing and all agile ceremonies • Completion/signing off testing for product releases • Supporting regular and ad hoc release cycles • Maintaining electronic story boards (Jira) • Documenting test methods and procedures • Coordination with interstate and overseas teams for product delivery • Recruitment – reviewing resumes and interviewing/selecting candidates • Assisting security reviews • Transition between web service providers

MYOB Australia

Oct 2007 – Oct 2012

Melbourne, Australia

Test Analyst

MYOB Australia provides business software solutions and services for Small to Medium Enterprises (SME’s) and Accounting Professionals https://www.myob.com/au Key Responsibilities: • Delivering quality product releases • Thorough understanding of the products being developed • Writing and executing unit, functional and integration test cases • Reviewing test cases • Test Planning including scope and type of testing, timeframes/estimation • Defect management including logging and prioritising • Administration of defect management system including setting up and maintaining projects and user management • Reviewing and providing feedback on requirements • Close team work with Business Analysts, Developers, Product Management and Technical Communications • Leading test teams across multiple locations and countries Areas of experience: • Development of both desktop and cloud based financial software • Waterfall and Agile development methods • Delivering critical compliance software updates both as a team member and team lead • Continuous delivery • Coordinating and supervising testing across distributed teams including teams overseas • Working with outsourced teams • Travelling to work with distributed teams in Malaysia • Risk assessment • Scrum master • Coordinating product releases with stakeholders such as Product Management, Marketing, Information Technology and Customer Support departments • Database and CRUD testing using Visual Studio, Excel and SQL Server • Integration testing with CRM databases and software update systems • Assisting Technical communications team to produce accurate release documentation for customers

MYOB Australia

Feb 2000 – Nov 2007

Melbourne, Australia

Customer Support Specialist - Business Division

Key Responsibilities: • Providing direct technical support to team members engaged in supporting SME customers on a range of MYOB software products, involving analysing and solving complex technical issues presented by customers. • Providing technical training programs to team members. • Ensuring thorough self-knowledge of supported software and keeping up to date with product developments • Ensuring overall system processes and resources exist to support business products and services. • Ensuring timely and accurate responses to written customer correspondence • Ensuring adequate and technically correct support materials are available to both MYOB support staff and customers • Managing escalations/complaints from customers to ensure mutually satisfying outcomes • Monitoring team member performance in terms of quality of engagement with customers, revenue generation and adherence to policies and procedures. • Identifying team member performance gaps and designing and running programs to address them • Assisting overseas business units with technical queries in support of their customers and with business processes. • Suggesting departmental process improvements and innovations in the provision of support to customers • Liaison and co-operation with other business units to ensure the delivery of market leading solutions • Preparation of marketing materials for web publication • Working with clients and Product Management on software pilot programs • Proofing product release materials to ensure accuracy, professionalism and usability • Analysing product specification documents and providing feedback to Product Design teams • Logging product issues with Quality Assurance and providing advice on fix priorities • Suggesting product enhancements to the Product Development/Management teams • Monitoring changes in legislation to ensure MYOB products are compliant and up to date

MYOB Australia

Feb 1999 – Feb 2000

Melbourne, Australia

Technical Support Representative

Providing phone and email technical support to customers using MYOB accounting and payroll desktop products

GP Graders Pty Ltd

Jun 1994 – Jan 1999

Melbourne, Australia

Accountant/Accounts Clerk

Preparation of monthly and annual financial statements in Sage desktop accounting software Accounts payable function Accounts receivable function Customer queries and spare part shipments Stocktake Preparation and processing of staff payroll Job costing

Wilson Parking Pty Ltd

Jun 1993 – Jun 1994

Melbourne, Australia

Accounts Clerk - Victoria

Payroll preparation Billing of customers for casual and permanent parking Customer Payments Accounts Payable

Shire of Mildura

Oct 1989 – Jun 1990

Irymple, Victoria, Australia

Payroll Manager

Preparation and processing of payroll for 300+ staff on a fortnightly basis Management reporting of payroll Reporting and payment of income taxes, workcover payments, payroll tax and superannuation accruals to authorities

Shire of Mildura

Apr 1987 – Oct 1989

Irymple, Victoria, Australia

Accounts Clerk

All aspects of accounts payable Assisting payroll manager with preparation and processing of payroll Courier duties Assisting rate collection department with processing of rate payments from residents

Education

Deakin University

Mar 1988 – Jun 1992

Bachelor of Business (Accounting), Accounting, Economics, Law

Nigel Bennett

Quality Assurance analyst/software development professional

Skills

Languages