Senior Scrum Master with banking experience

Overview

Agile Delivery Leadership

• Lead the successful delivery of multiple Agile initiatives and programs.
• Facilitate Scrum ceremonies including Sprint Planning, Daily Stand-ups, Sprint Reviews, and Retrospectives.
• Drive Agile best practices across teams and continuously improve delivery processes.
• Coach and mentor teams, Product Owners, and stakeholders on Agile principles and frameworks.

Squad Formation & Management

• Establish, structure, and lead cross-functional delivery squads.
• Assess program requirements and create logical squad structures aligned to business objectives.
• Effectively decompose epics and large initiatives into manageable user stories and work packages.
• Ensure optimal allocation of work across squads based on skills, capacity, dependencies, and priorities.
• Monitor squad performance and delivery commitments to ensure predictable outcomes.

Delivery Planning & Execution

• Own and drive delivery roadmaps, sprint plans, release plans, and milestone tracking.
• Ensure clear visibility of progress, dependencies, blockers, and delivery risks.
• Work closely with Product Owners and business stakeholders to prioritize backlogs and align delivery with strategic objectives.
• Maintain focus on delivering business value while balancing quality, scope, timelines, and resources.

Risk & Dependency Management

• Proactively identify delivery risks, bottlenecks, and dependencies before they materialize.
• Develop mitigation strategies and drive timely resolution of issues.
• Escalate critical risks appropriately while providing actionable recommendations.
• Ensure teams remain focused on delivery objectives despite changing business priorities.

Stakeholder Management & Communication

• Build strong relationships with business, technology, and executive stakeholders.
• Communicate delivery status, risks, dependencies, and challenges with clarity and confidence.
• Influence teams and stakeholders to make informed decisions that support successful delivery.
• Facilitate alignment between competing priorities and drive consensus where necessary.

Scope & Change Management

• Assess the impact of changing requirements on delivery timelines, resources, and budgets.
• Provide clear recommendations regarding trade-offs, delivery implications, and implementation approaches.
• Hold firm on governance and delivery commitments while ensuring stakeholders understand the impact of scope changes.
• Support informed decision-making through transparent communication of risks, costs, and delays.

Program Governance

• Establish and maintain delivery metrics, reporting frameworks, and Agile performance indicators.
• Drive accountability across squads and stakeholders.
• Ensure alignment between program objectives, delivery plans, and organizational goals.
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives across teams and programs.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience delivering complex programs and projects using Agile methodologies.
• Proven experience as a Scrum Master leading multiple Agile squads and large-scale delivery programs.
• Strong understanding of Scrum, Kanban, SAFe, Lean Agile, and modern delivery frameworks.
• Demonstrated experience breaking down complex initiatives into actionable user stories and delivery increments.
• Strong knowledge of backlog management, sprint planning, estimation techniques, and release planning.
• Experience managing multiple stakeholders across business and technology functions.

Key Competencies

• Exceptional leadership and influencing skills.
• Strong communication and presentation abilities.
• Ability to challenge constructively and drive difficult conversations.
• High level of accountability and ownership.
• Excellent problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
• Strong risk identification and mitigation capabilities.
• Ability to thrive in fast-paced environments with shifting priorities.
• Resilient, decisive, and delivery-focused.
• Confident in advocating for what is best for the program, even when facing resistance.

• SAFe Agilist (SA)

• PMI-ACP
• PMP (Preferred)

What Success Looks Like

• Consistent delivery of program objectives within agreed timelines.
• High-performing squads operating with clear accountability and ownership.
• Risks identified and mitigated before impacting delivery.
• Transparent stakeholder communication and expectation management.
• Effective handling of changing priorities without compromising delivery quality.
• Continuous improvement in team velocity, predictability, and delivery outcomes.