Scrum Master (#367)

Key Accountabilities & Specific Activities:

• Lead and encourage team spirit and collaboration, creating a unified and high-performing team.
• Guide teams toward self-organization and provide the necessary tools and practices to maximize value delivery.
• Facilitate the adoption of Agile values and practices to ensure continuous value delivery.
• Create a safe, open environment where issues can be discussed, addressed, and resolved.
• Foster a Kaizen (continuous improvement) mindset within the team, focusing on incremental growth in everyday tasks.

• Identify opportunities for team members’ growth and development through knowledge transfer, feedback sessions, and mentoring (e.g., shadowing).
• Coach Product Owners in backlog creation and maintenance, prioritization by value, and effective communication with stakeholders.
• Support squad members in optimizing their approach to delivering value.
• Lead by example, demonstrating the behaviors and practices that you wish to instill within the team.

• Facilitate workshops and team discussions to ensure clarity on objectives and optimal value delivery.
• Enable decision-making within the team and with stakeholders, ensuring alignment and a shared understanding of priorities.
• Resolve conflicts proactively and constructively, helping to maintain a positive and productive team atmosphere.

• Own the team’s processes, ensuring they are understood and visible (Kanban, Value Stream Mapping, etc.).
• Measure and monitor the efficiency of team processes using actionable KPIs and lead continuous improvement initiatives through Kaizen practices.
• Support the team in identifying and removing impediments, especially when they cannot do so independently.

• Visualize and communicate the team’s status regularly to ensure alignment with stakeholders (e.g., velocity, retrospectives).
• Maintain up-to-date and actionable team KPIs, ensuring transparency about team performance.
• Share both successes and failures openly to foster a culture of learning across the organization.
• Proactively communicate team transformation progress and lessons learned, both internally and externally.
• Stay curious and explore trends and practices from outside the organization to introduce new ideas and improvements.
• Lead and contribute to the Agile and Scrum Master Communities of Practice, sharing knowledge and expertise.
• Encourage team members to actively participate in other relevant communities based on their skills and interests.

• Drive transformation efforts beyond the team, working to break down silos and remove barriers across teams.
• Mentor other Scrum Masters, helping to extend Agile practices across multiple squads.
• Actively participate in external communications about the team’s Agile transformation, sharing lessons learned and best practices at conferences and community events.
• Build and expand your professional network by engaging in Agile Community events, particularly within Japan.

Job Qualifications & Requirements:

• Strong leadership skills with a focus on change management and persuasion.
• Excellent teaching, coaching, and communication skills, with the ability to adapt messaging to diverse audiences, including technical experts, product managers, and department heads.

• Mastery of Agile practices, including coaching techniques, the ability to facilitate workshops, and the ability to manage Agile ceremonies such as retrospectives, daily stand-ups, and sprint demos.
• Strong knowledge of Product Management techniques (e.g., Product Vision, Story Mapping, Product Backlog) and value-based prioritization.
• Expertise in Agile project management tools and techniques (e.g., visual management, Agile KPIs).
• Ability to create and refine User Stories, with knowledge of BDD (Behavior-Driven Development) and TDD (Test-Driven Development) being a plus.
• Expertise in Scrum and Kanban practices and facilitating Agile rituals.
• Proven ability to design and facilitate workshops and Agile games that foster collaboration and decision-making.

• Prior experience mentoring and coaching Scrum Masters across multiple squads.
• Experience speaking at or attending Agile conferences and community events.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and drive change in a large-scale Agile transformation.