Scrum Master
*This is a 1-year contract position
*This is an onsite position – Local to Richmond, VA only please
Description:
- The Scrum Master (Agile Project Manager) serves as a servant leader and facilitator for multiple Agile teams, ensuring the effective implementation of Scrum and Kanban methodologies.
- This role is responsible for coaching teams on Agile best practices, facilitating Scrum ceremonies, removing impediments, promoting self-organization, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
- The ideal candidate is a collaborative leader with strong communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills who can effectively bridge technical and non-technical stakeholders while driving successful project delivery.
Responsibilities:
- Serve as a liaison between technical and non-technical stakeholders, ensuring clear communication and collaboration.
- Facilitate Agile ceremonies including daily stand-ups, sprint planning, backlog refinement, sprint reviews, retrospectives, release planning, and demonstrations.
- Coach Agile teams on Scrum principles, Kanban practices, backlog management, user story development, estimation techniques, and delivery practices.
- Monitor and communicate team velocity, sprint progress, release status, and performance metrics.
- Maintain Agile process documentation and team working agreements.
- Ensure adherence to Agile values, principles, and best practices.
- Assist Product Owners with backlog maintenance, prioritization, and user story quality.
- Improve transparency through effective communication and information sharing.
- Support identification, prioritization, and resolution of defects, issues, and risks.
- Identify and remove impediments that impact team productivity and delivery.
- Facilitate conflict resolution and promote collaboration among team members and stakeholders.
- Empower teams to self-organize and continuously improve performance.
- Develop and track team performance metrics to drive operational efficiencies.
- Collaborate with management, developers, Product Owners, and support teams to ensure project success.
Skills/Knowledge/Experience:
- Strong understanding of Agile frameworks, including Scrum and Kanban.
- Knowledge of Agile software development methodologies, principles, and practices.
- Thorough understanding of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).
- Ability to facilitate Agile ceremonies and coach teams effectively.
- Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Ability to understand and communicate technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
- Experience managing multiple priorities, projects, and deadlines.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and conflict-resolution skills.
- Ability to foster collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Experience tracking team performance metrics and reporting project progress.
Preferred Skills/Knowledge/Experience:
- Scrum Master experience supporting Agile software development teams.
- Business Analyst experience in Agile environments.
- Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) experience and certification.
- Experience working with enterprise Agile transformations.
- Familiarity with software development platforms, technologies, and programming languages.
- Experience supporting cross-functional and distributed teams.
- Knowledge of Agile project management tools such as Jira, Azure DevOps, or similar platforms.
Required Skills/Knowledge/Experience:
- Minimum 4 years of experience with Agile project delivery, Scrum facilitation, or related project management responsibilities.
- Minimum 5 years of Certified Scrum Master (CSM) certification and practical Scrum Master experience.
- Minimum 4 years of experience managing multiple priorities, projects, and deadlines.
- Minimum 4 years of experience working in collaborative team environments.
- Minimum 4 years of experience facilitating communication among technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Minimum 4 years of experience coaching teams and promoting Agile best practices.
- Minimum 4 years of experience resolving complex issues and removing project impediments.
- Minimum 4 years of experience facilitating team decision-making and conflict resolution.
- Minimum 4 years of experience demonstrating strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to understand technical issues and effectively communicate solutions.
- Experience in maintaining Agile process documentation and performance metrics.
- Experience facilitating Scrum ceremonies and supporting Agile delivery teams.
Education/Certification:
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Systems, Computer Systems Design, Business, Project Management, or a related field required; equivalent combination of education and 10 years of relevant experience may be considered.
- Certified Scrum Master (CSM) certification required.
- Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) certification preferred.
- Additional Agile, Scrum, Project Management, or Business Analysis certifications are a plus.
Proper email communication will only be done to and from @astyra.com email addresses. Please ensure you are communicating with approved Astyra recruiters by checking this point when receiving offers and messages from us. Please ensure you are communicating within these guidelines and proper channels for the quickest possible interview consideration!
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