Job Title- Scrum Master

Location- Plano, Tx

 

We are looking to hire a highly competent and experienced Scrum Master who can work with multiple software engineering teams to implement the right mix of agile practices. We want someone who is passionate about Agile and Lean methodologies and pushes for continuous improvement [Kaizen]. You must be comfortable working in a fast paced, iterative, and fun environment, play the role of coach, help influence teams achieve high performance.

 

Roles and  Responsibilities  

•        You have a deep passion around agility; ability to unlock the intrinsic motivation, potential of people; help them understand the agile values, principles, mindset behind the practices; bring-in transparency and visibility; help in planning, executing, and deploying high quality software on time.

•        Strong experience in large, matrix, geographically dispersed and virtual teams; successfully integrating agile approaches across various disciplines and stakeholder groups. 

•        In the past played the role of a Scrum Master and helped Scrum, Kanban, XP teams using Scaled Agile Framework.

•        Strong in influencing and driving internal teams, remote teams, and vendor partner teams to operate in a fast paced and exciting environment, develop and release high quality product in an iterative and continuous fashion.

•        A strong team player, and collaborator. You will work with Scrum, Kanban teams to help them improve in needed areas and teach/coach them to run agile practices autonomously and help create high performing teams.

•        A strong facilitator who can help teams assess their agile maturity and identify continuous growth opportunities.

•        A strong influencer who can get work done as a servant leader.

•        Collaborate with Release Train Engineer and assist with internal and external communication, improving transparency, and radiating information.

•        Collaborate with Product Owner, Product Management and Engineering Leadership to groom and maintain team backlog.

•        Educate teams and conduct Lean/Agile ceremonies like Daily Standup, Sprint / Iteration Planning, Backlog Refinement, Retrospectives, Demos etc.

•        Collaborate very closely within agile PMO, other scrum masters, lean agile coaches, program leaders and stakeholders during SAFe roll-out.

•        Actively participate in community of practices (CoP) involving SM and be a good promoter of technical practices.

•        Actively participate in tech talks, lean coffee brown bag sessions and influence the right stakeholders within teams.

•        Facilitate quarterly health-check across scrum teams and program teams in partnership with agile coaches – build continuous improvement backlogs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

•        Collaborate with Technical Lean Agile Coach to guide and support the teams in the use of microservices and Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD).

•        Knowledge of well documented Lean/Agile patterns and techniques (Burndowns/Ups Retrospectives, Continuous Flow, Cycle Time, Cumulative Flow, Exploratory Testing).

•        Provide guidance on techniques to prioritize and reduce technical debt.

•        Overall play the role of a reflective observer, facilitator, mentor, teacher, coach, enabler, partner, and hands-on expert as needed.

 

Competencies:

•        Servant Leader – Must be able to garner respect from his/her team and be willing to be hands-on.

•        Communicative – Must be able to communicate well with diverse teams and executive level stakeholders from the business in both verbal and written communications.

•        Facilitative – Must be able to coordinate and lead Scrum meeting, team discussion, Scrum of Scrums.

•        Attitude of transparency – Must desire to bring disclosure and transparency to the business and Program Management to grow business trust.

•        Impediment & Conflict resolution – Must be able to facilitate discussion and facilitate alternatives or different approaches.

•        Assertive – Must be able to ensure Agile/Scrum concepts and principles are adhered to, must be able to be a voice of reason and authority, make the tough calls.

•        Continual improvement – Must continually be growing one's craft learning new tools and techniques to manage oneself and a team.

•        Attitude of empowerment – Must be able to lead a self-organization team.

•        Quick learner – Must be able to quickly gain a high-level understanding of Scrum Teams Vision/Scope.

•        Team Player — Must be able to work closely with cross-functional stakeholders in facilitating team and business discussions.

•        Understanding of backlog tracking, burndown/burnup metrics, velocity, cycle time and task definition

 

Qualifications: 

•        Bachelor's or master's degree in Computer Science or equivalent.

•        Minimum 8 to 10 years of program management experience with the last 5+ years focused on agile coaching, agile or scaled agile implementation and running agile practices with an emphasis on continual improvement.

•        Previous experience with medium to large projects in Retail Companies is a plus.

•        Previous cloud experience and large-scale transformation initiatives preferred.

•        ScrumMaster certification (CSM) preferred; other agile certifications (ICP-ACC, CEC, ACP) in one or more practices Scrum, XP, Lean, Kanban, or similar is a plus.

•        SAFe Scrum Master (SSM) and/or SAFe Advanced Scrum Master (SASM) preferred.

•        Ability to play the role of senior scrum master and support more than one scrum team at any given time.

•        SAFe Agilist [SA] or SPC 4.x certification – As SAFe Agilist understand Scaled Agile framework at a very high level that helps to support and collaborate with Agile Coaches in rolling out SAFe.

•        Support Agile Coaches to roll-out Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) successfully understanding the challenges and opportunities that exist today within the program and scrum teams.

•        Support Agile Coaches and Program Managers to identify metrics that helps capture the flow of work within Scrum and program teams.

•        Experience using and configuring JIRA, JIRA Align, Aha! and Kendis or similar tools including reporting.

•        Must possess superior problem-solving skills, be action-oriented and decisive.

•        Deep familiarity and understanding of Agile practices, SCRUM, Test Driven Development, XP, & Kanban

•        Ability to effectively articulate and present complex concepts, ideas and strategies to senior leadership and endusers.

•        Excellent organizational skills and the ability to work under pressure to balance competing priorities in meeting business deadlines.

•        Excellent verbal, written, presentation and interpersonal communications skills.

•        Extensive creativity, drive, high energy level, and the ability to self-manage.

Employee Status : Full Time Employee

Shift : Day Job

Travel : No

Job Posting : Nov 16 2023

About Cognizant

Cognizant (Nasdaq-100: CTSH) is one of the world's leading professional services companies, transforming clients' business, operating and technology models for the digital era. Our unique industry-based, consultative approach helps clients envision, build and run more innovative and efficient businesses. Headquartered in the U.S., Cognizant is ranked 185 on the Fortune 500 and is consistently listed among the most admired companies in the world. Learn how Cognizant helps clients lead with digital at www.cognizant.com or follow us @USJobsCognizant.

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