How to hire a test manager

How to hire a test manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step test manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a test manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new test manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a test manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the test manager you need to hire. Certain test manager roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a test manager to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a test manager that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of test manager salaries for various roles:

   Type of Test Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Test Manager		$34-57
   Quality Assurance Analyst	Quality Administrators are responsible for managing the quality processes of an organization. Their duties include creating data collection processes, conducting data cleansing, tracks quality milestones, and develop training programs for internal teams... Show more	$27-44
   Quality Assurance Consultant	A quality assurance consultant specializes in recommending and optimizing quality-control procedures ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. They typically conduct research and analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses of current quality control operations, implement solutions on problem areas, review policies and regulations, and coordinate with other staff to gather necessary data, analyzing them to find new opportunities for improvement... Show more	$32-52

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • QA
   • Project Management
   • Java
   • Test Plan
   • UAT
   • Test Cases
   • Client Facing
   • User Acceptance
   • Test Results
   • End Testing
   • End-To-End Testing
   • Test Strategy
   • SDLC
   • ETL

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead test team in delivery of the NAS windows product within the project schedule.
   • Manage and implement a successful peer-base HIV counseling & testing program for gay/bisexual men.
   • Lead weekly integration testing status meetings with testing team, PMO, CIO, and CFO.
   • Manage execution of manual and automate test cases for functional, performance, load, integration, UAT and infrastructure testing.
   • Create XML billing input files for the expected products in UNIX environment.
   • Verify the requirements in JIRA and assign test cases to the team base on the release.

   More test manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your test manager job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A test manager salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, test managers' average salary in florida is 27% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level test managers earn 40% less than senior-level test managers.
   • Certifications. A test manager with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a test manager's salary.

   Average test manager salary

   $92,297yearly

   $44.37 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level test manager salary

   $71,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 22, 2026

   Average test manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$115,372	$55
   2	Washington	$101,960	$49
   3	Maryland	$99,211	$48
   4	Oregon	$98,135	$47
   5	District of Columbia	$96,688	$46
   6	Virginia	$92,613	$45
   7	New Jersey	$92,081	$44
   8	Pennsylvania	$91,147	$44
   9	New York	$90,237	$43
   10	North Carolina	$90,101	$43
   11	Arizona	$89,880	$43
   12	Ohio	$89,375	$43
   13	Massachusetts	$89,129	$43
   14	Illinois	$88,272	$42
   15	Texas	$86,613	$42
   16	Michigan	$86,356	$42
   17	Georgia	$85,169	$41
   18	Indiana	$84,917	$41
   19	Missouri	$83,826	$40
   20	Arkansas	$80,897	$39

   Average test manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$158,596	$76.25	8
   2	Apple	$145,442	$69.92	60
   3	Cepheid	$142,241	$68.39
   4	Intuitive Surgical	$138,451	$66.56	9
   5	Citi	$133,333	$64.10	3
   6	Amazon	$132,625	$63.76	104
   7	Barclays	$132,014	$63.47
   8	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$130,025	$62.51	48
   9	Microsoft	$129,124	$62.08	5
   10	MUFG EMEA	$128,606	$61.83
   11	J.P. Morgan	$128,257	$61.66
   12	City National Bank	$125,627	$60.40	5
   13	Über	$123,776	$59.51
   14	Biogen	$121,212	$58.27
   15	Morgan Stanley	$120,894	$58.12	2
   16	TEKsystems	$120,620	$57.99	4
   17	Expedia Group	$120,336	$57.85
   18	Corning Incorporated	$120,280	$57.83
   19	Texas Instruments	$119,488	$57.45	2
   20	Nike	$119,396	$57.40

4. Writing a test manager job description

   A test manager job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a test manager job description:

   Test manager job description example

   The Test Manager will be responsible for execution of testing requirements within the Production and Repairs workcells. Responsibilities include hiring/staffing decisions, test equipment needs and maintenance, establishing and executing to budgets for the department/programs, initiating continuous improvement projects, and development of talent. Working knowledge of standard test equipment and its application and use to meet test requirements is a must. Aftermarket support is an important part of the Surveillance Solutions business and a major component of the Test teams' responsibilities. In support of this, the Test Manager will facilitate coordination of all repair activity, from order receipt to final delivery. Must be able to work with a variety of functions to ensure that milestones are understood and met.
   Responsibilities include:
   
   + Lead the scheduling and execution of repairs ensuring timely delivery to customer commitments. Provide guidance to teams on ways to overcome challenges/obstacles
   
   + Coordination with Program Management and Business Development to establish operational plans with measurable contribution to the business
   
   + Identification and execution of improvement projects to improve cost and lead time. Ensure that the philosophy and principles of Lean Continuous Improvement is embraced by entire repairs team
   
   + Preparation of presentation material and metrics to communicate performance to senior leadership and staff
   
   + Regular coordination with functional groups for equipment and resource capacity availability and needs
   
   + Coordination with proposal teams to ensure accurate cost and lead time on quotes
   
   Minimum Education and Experience:
   
   + Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or related field.
   
   + 9 or more years of experience with a technical background in Manufacturing, Engineering, Test, or Logistics in the defense/government environment.
   
   + Previous manangement experience with leading/managing diverse teams and projects to meet customer commitements.
   
   + Experience managing multiple product lines of varying size and scope.
   
   Preferred Skills:
   
   + Experience runninng a successful repairs/depot operation.
   
   + Excellent time management, planning, and organizational skills to drive and motivate teams by setting priorities and systematically meeting deadlines and goals.
   
   + Effective communication skills, both written and verbal.
   
   L3Harris Technologies is proud to be an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. L3Harris is committed to treating all employees and applicants for employment with respect and dignity and maintaining a workplace that is free from unlawful discrimination. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or other related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, characteristic or membership in any other group protected by federal, state or local laws. L3Harris maintains a drug-free workplace and performs pre-employment substance abuse testing and background checks, where permitted by law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find test managers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any test managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level test managers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your test manager job on Zippia to find and attract quality test manager candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting test managers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   While interviews are great, you will only sometimes learn enough from a conversation with a test manager applicant. In those cases, having candidates complete a test project can go a long way in figuring out who's the most likely to succeed in the role. If you aren't a technical person and don't know how to design an appropriate test, you can ask someone else on the team to create it or take a look at these websites to get a few ideas:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new test manager

   Once you have selected a candidate for the test manager position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a test manager?