Agile Coach

Roles and responsibilities

• Bachelor’s degree in Technology, Management, Finance, or a related discipline.
• At least beginner-level certification in 1 or more Agile frameworks (Eg. PSM-I, CSM, KMP, SA, etc.). Intermediate or expert level certifications preferred (CSP, CSC, SPC, CST, SPCT, PSM-II, etc.).
  

Minimum Experience

• In-depth knowledge of team-level Agile frameworks (Scrum, Kanban), plus one or more scaling frameworks (SAFe, LeSS, Nexus, Scrum @Scale, Spotify model, etc.)
• Certified as an Agile Coach and/or Scrum Master.
• Worked in Agile for a minimum of 5 years, in a mix of delivery and coaching roles, some of which was spent in a large, complex organization.
• Been part of two or more Agile transformation programmes.
• At least intermediate-level skills with the following tools: JIRA, Confluence, Miro.
• Able to work in a hands-on role, whilst also contributing at a programme level.
• Adapted to delivering training and coaching remotely.
• Can demonstrate their ability to influence senior stakeholders and contribute to a change of mindset in an organisation.
• Flexible approach and is proactive in identifying additional value they can add.
• Excellent communication skills – written and verbal.
• Ability to engage and build consensus between stakeholders from different specialisations and org functions.

• Deep Knowledge of Agile Frameworks:

  • A comprehensive understanding of various agile methodologies like Scrum, Kanban, Lean, Extreme Programming (XP), and Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe).
  • Knowledge of advanced agile practices like Continuous Delivery, DevOps, and Test Automation.

• Facilitation and Communication Skills:

  • Strong facilitation skills to run meetings, retrospectives, and workshops that are engaging and effective.
  • Excellent communication skills to convey complex ideas clearly and help teams understand the "why" behind agile practices.

• Coaching and Mentorship:

  • Ability to mentor and guide teams, Scrum Masters, Product Owners, and leaders without being prescriptive, helping individuals become self-sufficient.
  • A strong ability to listen, ask powerful questions, and empower others to find their own solutions.

• Conflict Resolution:

  • Strong skills in mediating conflicts within teams and between team members and leadership, ensuring that issues are addressed constructively and don’t hinder the team’s progress.

• Change Management:

  • Ability to drive and manage change within an organization, helping individuals and teams adjust to new ways of working and thinking.
  • Understanding of organizational dynamics and the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels to embrace agile practices.

• Analytical Thinking:

  • Ability to analyze team performance and agile metrics, identify issues, and recommend solutions to optimize workflow and productivity.
  • Skill in identifying bottlenecks and impediments that prevent teams from achieving optimal performance.

Desired candidate profile

• Facilitating Agile Transformation:

  • Guide organizations through the adoption of agile methodologies, whether it’s for a specific team or across the entire enterprise.
  • Assess the organization's maturity in agile practices and recommend steps for improvement.
  • Help executives and senior leaders understand and embrace agile principles, aligning agile initiatives with business goals.

• Coaching Teams:

  • Provide hands-on coaching to development teams, ensuring they understand and implement agile practices effectively (e.g., Scrum ceremonies like daily standups, sprint planning, retrospectives, etc.).
  • Help teams become self-organizing and cross-functional, fostering collaboration, communication, and accountability.
  • Facilitate conflict resolution and encourage healthy team dynamics for continuous improvement.

• Supporting Scrum Masters and Product Owners:

  • Mentoring Scrum Masters on their roles, helping them facilitate ceremonies and remove impediments that affect the team’s progress.
  • Coaching Product Owners on their responsibilities, particularly in backlog management, writing effective user stories, and maintaining a clear vision of the product.

• Improving Agile Practices and Frameworks:

  • Continuously evaluate and refine the implementation of agile practices within teams, recommending adjustments based on retrospectives and feedback.
  • Introduce and train teams in advanced agile practices like Test-Driven Development (TDD), Continuous Integration (CI), Automated Testing, and Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) to improve delivery and quality.
  • Help teams experiment with different agile frameworks (e.g., Scrum, Kanban, Lean) and ensure they are using the right approach based on project needs and context.

• Fostering Agile Mindset and Culture:

  • Promote an agile mindset throughout the organization, ensuring that agile principles such as collaboration, flexibility, transparency, and iterative progress are fully understood and applied.
  • Encourage a culture of continuous learning and improvement, where feedback loops and retrospectives play a central role.
  • Facilitate discussions and workshops to deepen the understanding of agile values and principles.

• Leadership Coaching:

  • Work with senior management and leadership to align their behaviors and decisions with agile values.
  • Assist in breaking down organizational silos, fostering transparency, and empowering teams to make decisions.
  • Advocate for removing organizational obstacles that prevent agile teams from delivering value effectively.

• Measurement and Metrics:

  • Define key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of agile initiatives (e.g., lead time, cycle time, velocity, team happiness, customer satisfaction).
  • Help teams analyze their metrics, identify bottlenecks, and make data-driven decisions for improving their processes.

  • Deep Knowledge of Agile Frameworks:

    • A comprehensive understanding of various agile methodologies like Scrum, Kanban, Lean, Extreme Programming (XP), and Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe).
    • Knowledge of advanced agile practices like Continuous Delivery, DevOps, and Test Automation.

  • Facilitation and Communication Skills:

    • Strong facilitation skills to run meetings, retrospectives, and workshops that are engaging and effective.
    • Excellent communication skills to convey complex ideas clearly and help teams understand the "why" behind agile practices.

  • Coaching and Mentorship:

    • Ability to mentor and guide teams, Scrum Masters, Product Owners, and leaders without being prescriptive, helping individuals become self-sufficient.
    • A strong ability to listen, ask powerful questions, and empower others to find their own solutions.

  • Conflict Resolution:

    • Strong skills in mediating conflicts within teams and between team members and leadership, ensuring that issues are addressed constructively and don’t hinder the team’s progress.

  • Change Management:

    • Ability to drive and manage change within an organization, helping individuals and teams adjust to new ways of working and thinking.
    • Understanding of organizational dynamics and the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels to embrace agile practices.