Victoria Member Spotlight: Dinuka Mallawaarachchi,
General Manager, KJR

With a career spanning enterprise transformation, global program delivery, and software quality engineering, Dinuka Mallawaarachchi has built a reputation for leading with a people-first mindset and a strong focus on trust, governance, and quality outcomes. Beginning in Financial Services as a Certified L&D Consultant, their journey has evolved organically into leading Victoria as General Manager at KJR, a recognised leader in Software Quality Engineering, Testing, and Trusted AI adoption.

Passionate about helping organisations and teams realise their full potential, Dinuka brings a balanced perspective on innovation, risk management, and the growing importance of responsible AI in today’s fast-moving technology landscape.

In this Member Spotlight, they reflect on the experiences that shaped their career, the importance of continuous learning and community, and why “Growth follows Trust” remains the principle guiding their leadership journey.

A Snapshot of My Career in IT

Starting out in Financial Services as a Certified L&D Consultant, my career evolved organically from managing global projects and programs for large enterprises to now leading Victoria as General Manager at KJR - a 28-year-established leader in Software Quality Engineering, Testing, and Trusted AI adoption.

No matter the role, the constant has always been people. Whether delivering complex transformation programs or partnering with clients through KJR, the focus is always on helping diverse teams across organisations and government realise their full potential - both personally and at an enterprise level.

The principle that has consistently guided me throughout my career is simple: Growth follows Trust.

What Inspired My Journey into Technology

Having seen the full spectrum of delivery outcomes - both the successes and the failures - I became increasingly driven to get involved earlier in the lifecycle, where the right safeguards, governance, and quality practices can prevent many of the common causes of delay, risk, and costly rework before they emerge.

At KJR, we sit at the forefront of Software Quality Engineering and Testing, spanning advanced automation through to AI-enabled solutions. Combined with our strong focus on safe, trusted, and responsible AI adoption in an increasingly complex and fast-moving landscape, we take pride in helping organisations protect not only their operations and delivery outcomes, but also the integrity of their brand and customer trust.

A Career Opportunity That Has Been Especially Rewarding

My current role with KJR - although still relatively new - is already proving to be one of the most rewarding of my career, largely because it is genuinely a people-first organisation.

This year, KJR was recognised as one of Australia’s Best Workplaces in Technology, ranking #15 nationally, which speaks volumes about the culture we’ve built together. That people-centric mindset empowers our teams to grow both individually and collectively, deliver exceptional outcomes for our customers, and remain grounded in a shared commitment to quality, trust, and continuous improvement.

The Skills and Trends Shaping the Future of Tech

The growing importance of AI, automation and digital transformation is making Software Quality Engineering, governance, and trusted AI adoption more critical than ever. Beyond technical capability alone, organisations increasingly need leaders and teams who can balance innovation with risk management, customer trust, security, and operational resilience. This is where the real step-change happens.

I also believe the ability to bridge the gap between technology and people is becoming a defining skill. The organisations that will succeed are those that can combine strong technical capability with clear communication, adaptability, and a culture of continuous learning - ensuring technology adoption delivers meaningful outcomes for both customers and employees.

Getting the Most Out of ACS Membership

Use it as an active platform for growth.
The most successful technology professionals are the ones who continuously learn, build strong networks, stay visible in the industry, and contribute back to the profession. ACS provides access to all of those opportunities through events, certifications, mentoring, professional recognition, and industry engagement.