Purpose

The Scrum Master will contribute towards the overall team, project, and success of the company. This agile team member delivers superior delivery results towards responsible projects using contagious leadership skills. This position requires the ability to organize, communicate, cooperate, and ensure project team members follow these same practices. Reporting the project status to leadership, and coordinating daily stand up meetings provides clarity on milestones achieved. Building a high-performing team is one of the many requirements to be successful in this role.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities

• Working with business partners to identify and implement multiple and complex technical systems and/or products of varying sizes.

• Guiding the team and organization on how to use Agile/Scrum practices and values to delight customers.

• Guiding and coaching both the Scrum team and the Development team on how to get the most out of self-organization.

• Guiding the team on self-organizing to fully realize the potential of Agile/Scrum frameworks.

• Shielding the team from interruptions and removes obstacles that may impact the delivery of the product.

• Assessing the Scrum Maturity of the team and organization and coaching the team to higher levels of maturity, at a pace that is sustainable and comfortable for the team and organization.

• Removing impediments or guiding the team to remove impediments by finding the right personnel to address the issue.

• Building a trusting and safe environment where problems can be raised without fear of blame, retribution, or being judged, with an emphasis of healing and problem solving.

• Ensuring smooth delivery of team by tracking and removing obstacles and barriers that may prevent progress.

• Facilitating getting the work done without coercion, assigning, or dictating the work.

• Facilitating discussion, decision making, and conflict resolution.

• Assisting with internal and external communication, improving transparency, and radiating information.

• Supporting and educating the Product Owner, especially with respect to grooming and maintaining the product backlog.

• Providing support to the team using servant leadership style whenever possible, and leading by example.

• Keeping external stakeholders, collaborators, and other interested parties well-informed on team progress and activities.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Experience playing the Scrum Master role for at least two years for a software development team that was diligently applying Scrum principles, practices, and theory.

Good skills and knowledge of servant leadership, facilitation, situational awareness, conflict resolution, continual improvement, empowerment, and increasing transparency.

Knowledge of numerous well documented patterns and techniques for filling in the intentional gaps left in the Scrum approach (example: numerous Burndown techniques, numerous Retrospective formats, handling bugs, etc).

Knowledge of other Agile approaches: XP, Kanban, Crystal, FDD, etc.

Knowledge and/or experience with widely successful Agile techniques: User Stories, ATDD, TDD, Continuous Integration, Continuous Testing, Pairing, Automated Testing, Agile Games.

Applicable knowledge of the technologies used by the team.

Excellent communication and mentoring skills.

People Leadership/Development Duties

• Demonstrated leadership, communication, and problem solving skills required.

• Building a high-performing team of which communication, cooperation, and organization are core responsibilities of all.

• Experienced in the software development process.

• No direct supervisory duties.

• As directed, provide job-related mentorship and training to peers.

Education, Certification and/or Formal Training

• High school diploma or equivalent required. 

• BS/BA in Computer Science, Engineering, or related discipline with IT focus degree preferred.

• First level Scrum Master Certification (CSM, PSM I).

Experience

• Minimum of 3 years’ experience implementing Agile methodologies; or any combination of education and experience, which would provide an equivalent background. Preferred CSM or equivalent. Preferred experience within small sized Agile implementations (e.g. 1-5 teams). 

• Experience in leading Agile SAFe release trains is a plus.

• Experience with Agile ceremonies is required.

Working Environment

This job generally operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers/keyboards/mice, printers, phones, mobile devices, photocopiers, filing cabinets, fax machines, etc. The noise level in the office work environment varies from moderate to loud. When traveling to client sites, the employee may be exposed to various unknown work environments.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. 

• Light work. Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear; sit; stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel; grasp and/or reach with hands and arms; repetitive movements of the wrists, hands and/or fingers. 
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close visual acuity and ability to adjust focus to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing computer monitor(s); extensive reading; and legally operate a motor vehicle. 

Work Schedule

This position may occasionally necessitate working additional hours and weekends outside of the employee’s regular work schedule.

Travel

Local and/or national US travel up to 25%.