Scrum Master / Risk Analyst

About the Role

This position covers two roles on one team. The Scrum Master side runs the team's sprints and Agile ceremonies, keeps work moving, and clears roadblocks. The Risk Analyst side tracks risks to cost, schedule, and performance, maintains the risk register, and reports risk status to program leadership and the customer. Most of the week is spent with the delivery team, with the remainder dedicated to collecting risk data, updating the register, and writing risk sections for weekly and monthly reports.

Responsibilities

Scrum Master

• Run daily standups, sprint planning, backlog refinement, sprint reviews, and retrospectives.
• Coach the team on Scrum and SAFe practices.
• Identify and clear roadblocks; escalate those the team cannot resolve independently.
• Support Planning Interval planning, including prep work, dependencies, and team commitments.
• Work with other teams on shared or dependent work.
• Track team metrics such as velocity, burndown, and commitment fulfillment to drive improvements.
• Maintain team focus and manageable workloads during busy periods.
• Keep the backlog, board, and tools up to date.

Risk Analyst

• Review risk data to identify risks to cost, schedule, and performance across the program.
• Collect and validate risk data with the program team.
• Maintain the risk register, including risk details, likelihood, impact, ownership, and mitigation plans.
• Write and brief risk status for program leadership and the customer in written, visual, and in-person formats.
• Monitor mitigation actions until closure and report residual risk.
• Assist in managing issues and escalations when risks materialize.
• Draft risk sections for weekly and monthly reports and other deliverables.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree.
• Five (5) years of relevant work experience.
• Experience as a Scrum Master for a delivery team.
• Working knowledge of SAFe Lean-Agile principles and practices.
• Experience reviewing risk data and identifying risks to cost, schedule, and performance.
• Experience writing and briefing status reports for leadership.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a VA Tier 1 / Public Trust background investigation.

Desired Qualifications

• Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), SAFe Scrum Master (SSM), or Professional Scrum Master (PSM).
• PMI-RMP, PMP, or similar certification.
• Experience supporting VA, VHA, DoD, or other federal health programs.
• Experience on an electronic health record rollout or improvement effort.
• Experience with Jira or Azure DevOps, plus Microsoft 365 and SharePoint.
• Experience with government contract deliverables and reporting.

Skills

• Facilitates meetings and drives progress without direct authority.
• Comfortable working with data and quantitative analysis.
• Communicates clearly for technical, clinical, and executive audiences.
• Follows through until roadblocks and risks are resolved.
• Balances immediate team needs with long-term program goals.

About the Company

Aptive partners with federal agencies to achieve their missions through improved performance, streamlined operations, and enhanced service delivery. Based in Alexandria, Virginia, Aptive supports more than a dozen agencies, including Veterans Affairs, Transportation, Defense, Homeland Security, and the National Science Foundation. The company specializes in applying technology, creativity, and human-centered services to optimize mission delivery and improve experiences for millions of people who rely on government services daily.

Founded in 2012, Aptive employs 300+ professionals nationwide.