Senior Scrum Master (contract)

Description

Summary: In this contingent resource assignment, you may:

• Consult on complex initiatives with broad impact and large-scale planning for Scrum or Agile.
• Review and analyze complex multi-faceted, larger scale, or longer-term Scrum Master challenges that require in-depth evaluation of multiple factors, including intangibles or unprecedented factors.
• Contribute to the resolution of complex and multi-faceted situations requiring solid understanding of the function, policies, procedures, and compliance requirements that meet deliverables.
• Strategically collaborate and consult with client personnel.

Required Qualifications

• Scrum or Agile experience, or equivalent demonstrated through one or a combination of the following: work or consulting experience, training, military experience, education.

Key Responsibilities

• Scrum & Agile Delivery Leadership:
• Serve as the Scrum Master for one or more Agile delivery teams, coaching teams to adopt and continuously improve Agile and Scrum practices.
• Facilitate core Scrum ceremonies including sprint planning, backlog refinement, daily stand ups, sprint reviews, and retrospectives.
• Ensure teams understand and adhere to Scrum values, Agile principles, and the definition of done.
• Protect the team from external distractions and remove impediments that impact delivery and team effectiveness.
• Project Management & Delivery Oversight:
• Apply project management expertise to support planning, sequencing, and coordination of work across sprints, releases, and milestones.
• Identify, track, and manage delivery risks, issues, and dependencies across teams and stakeholders.
• Support release planning and cross team coordination in complex delivery environments.
• Provide transparent status reporting on progress, risks, and outcomes to leadership and stakeholders.
• Product Owner & Stakeholder Partnership:
• Partner closely with Product Owners to ensure backlog readiness, prioritization, and alignment to business value.
• Help translate business objectives into actionable, well defined user stories and acceptance criteria.
• Facilitate communication between delivery teams, product owners, engineering leaders, and business stakeholders.
• Escalate risks and impediments appropriately while promoting timely resolution.
• Metrics, Continuous Improvement & Coaching:
• Use empirical data and Agile metrics (e.g., velocity, predictability, flow, throughput) to assess team maturity and identify improvement opportunities.
• Coach teams on continuous improvement practices and facilitate retrospectives that drive measurable outcomes.
• Guide teams in interpreting metrics responsibly, focusing on value delivery rather than vanity metrics.
• Promote learning, collaboration, and knowledge sharing within and across Agile teams.
• Scaling, Governance & Enterprise Alignment:
• Support teams operating within scaled Agile or multi team environments, managing cross team dependencies and alignment.
• Ensure Agile delivery aligns with enterprise governance, risk, and compliance expectations.
• Maintain required Agile artifacts and ensure teams are properly registered and represented in enterprise Agile tooling and reporting systems.

Key Requirements

• Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S.
• This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.
• Experience working in Agile delivery environments.
• Hands on experience as a practicing Scrum Master.
• Prior experience in project management, program management, or delivery management roles.
• Experience supporting technology or data driven teams in complex, matrixed organizations.
• A strong understanding of Scrum, Agile principles, and servant leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to manage scope, schedule, risks, and dependencies while working in an Agile model.
• Experience facilitating cross functional collaboration and resolving delivery impediments.
• Proficiency using Agile delivery metrics to drive transparency and improvement.
• Strong facilitation, coaching, and conflict resolution skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with delivery teams, product owners, and senior stakeholders.
• Proven ability to influence without authority and lead through collaboration.

Nice To Have

• Certified Scrum Master (CSM), Professional Scrum Master (PSM), or equivalent Agile certification.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) or similar project management certification.
• Experience working in scaled Agile frameworks or large enterprise Agile transformations.
• Experience supporting regulatory driven or highly governed environments.