The Scrum Master is a key facilitator and coach within the Information Technology development teams, ensuring the successful application of Scrum principles and practices. This role is instrumental in fostering collaboration, empowering self-organization, and driving continuous improvement. The Scrum Master works closely with the team, Product Owner, and stakeholders to deliver high-quality software products in an efficient and transparent manner.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assists in defining project scope and schedule while focusing on regular and timely delivery of value.
• Organize and facilitate agile activities and ceremonies including daily stand-up meetings, sprint reviews, retrospectives, sprint and release planning and product backlog refinement sessions.
• Effectively manage user story estimation and forecasting.
• Manages risks and issues; corrects deviations from plans; and performs delivery planning for assigned projects.
• Champion and facilitate the adoption of agile standards, tools, and best practices.
• Assists in supporting the Product Owner in managing customer expectations for project deliverables, managing stakeholder communications, and helping to implement an effective system of project governance.
• Communicate with leaders across the organization to ensure transparency into delivery progress, challenges and risks.
• Utilize team feedback and metrics (e.g., quality, delivery, cadence, etc.) to identify areas of opportunity and work with the team to improve to achieve excellence continuously.
• Contribute to the advancement and improvement of agile practices within the organization.
• Promotes empowerment of the team, ensures that each team member is fully engaged in the project and is making a meaningful contribution, and encourages a sustainable pace with high-levels of quality for the team.
• Partners with IT leaders to plan resource requirements and achieve goals on a timely basis.
• Supports the Information Technology team and other departments on an as-needed basis.
• Willingly takes on additional responsibilities as requested in order to accomplish department and Company objectives.
• Actively participates and contributes to the goals and objectives of the Company by working collaboratively and fostering a positive and inclusive work environment.

Skills and Abilities:

• Prior experience with SCRUM/Agile methodologies on a variety of projects.
• Proven leadership and motivation skills.
• Understanding of software development life cycle models as well as knowledge of Agile principles and practices and the ability to blend them together in the right proportions to fit a project and business environment.
• Effective interpersonal skills including mentoring, coaching, collaborating, and team building.
• Effective analytical, planning, and organizational skills with an ability to manage competing demands.
• Solid understanding of and demonstrated experience in using Agile Project Management tools, such as Jira or equivalent.
• Solid understanding of and demonstrated experience in using Agile Project Management tools, such as Jira or equivalent.
• In-depth knowledge and understanding of business needs with the ability to establish/maintain high level of customer trust and confidence.
• Excellent oral and written communications skills and experience interacting with both business and IT individuals at all levels,
• Ability to lead software development projects and ensure objectives, goals, and commitments are met.

Training or Work Experience

• If Associates Degree, 6 or more years of business analysis and/or leadership experience, at least four must be agile processes, required.
• If Bachelors Degree, 4 or more years of business analysis and/or leadership experience, at least two must be agile processes, required.
• Experience overseeing project teams that include Developers, Business Analysts, QA Personnel, and Product Owners required.

Education:

• Associate's Degree required.
• Bachelor’s Degree preferred.

Working Conditions:

• Travel not likely/required.

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EquiTrust is an Equal Opportunity Employer and participates in the U.S. Federal E-Verify program. Applicants have rights under federal and state employment laws. To learn more, visit https://www.equitrust.com/careers/opportunities/federal-and-state-employment-laws/.