Scrum Master
Scrum Master - Permanent - Swindon (3 days a week) - up to £70k
We are seeking a pragmatic, outcome-driven Scrum Master to embed effective agile ways of working across our technology delivery teams. This role isn't about enforcing a rigid framework; it’s about creating clarity, flow, and delivery confidence in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities.
You will act as a facilitator and coach, ensuring agile practices support delivery rather than slowing it down. We value lightweight, flexible agility over heavyweight frameworks like SAFe or Nexus.
Key Responsibilities
- Agile Delivery: Facilitate sprint planning, stand-ups, and retrospectives to drive focus. Help teams plan realistically while balancing delivery with ongoing support and unplanned demands.
- Continuous Improvement: Use metrics (cycle time, throughput, health) to identify bottlenecks. Improve estimation and backlog hygiene in partnership with Product and Delivery roles.
- Coaching & Facilitation: Support teams in self-organizing while maintaining discipline. Coach individuals on agile behaviors and facilitate constructive conversations when pressure is high.
- Stakeholder Collaboration: Act as a bridge between delivery teams and leadership, translating business priorities into workable plans and surfacing risks early.
Experience & Skills
- Pragmatic Agile Mindset: Proven experience as a Scrum Master in live production environments, specifically adapting practices to fit organizational reality rather than theory.
- Balanced Delivery: Expert at helping cross-functional teams (Engineering, QA, Product) manage mixed workloads of new features and operational support.
- Facilitation & Influence: Strong ability to challenge constructively, influence without authority, and build trust with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Metrics Driven: Working knowledge of Kanban and Scrum metrics (velocity, cycle time) to improve team flow.
- Non-Dogmatic Approach: Comfortable avoiding "waterfall-lite" ceremonies and rigid governance in favor of outcome-driven agility.
Qualifications
- Experience Over Badges: While a CSM or PSM is valued, we prioritize practical experience in complex, real-world environments over formal certifications.
- Education: Degree or equivalent professional experience in Technology, Engineering, or Delivery Management.