Scrum Master Job Descriptions and Responsibilities In Agile Methodology

Scrum Master Job Descriptions and Responsibilities In Agile Methodology

Scrum master is known as guardian of Scrum Team, someone that resolves impediment and have control over the scrum processes. Those are major responsibilities that come in to mind when thinking of a scrum master.
Scrum master job description is everything from coaching team about agile scrum to delivering successful deliverables. Job description of scrum master is challenging as it’s the single most hectic job if things do not go well or deadlines couldn’t be kept.

In this blog we’ll talk about the major skill set employers are looking for when searching for scrum master. Later we’ll talk about the best skills person must develop to be a successful scrum master.

Other major parts of scrum roles are facilitating the scrum ceremonies. His job is to make sure that project is working smoothly and every team member has tools to get their work done efficiently. Scrum master is a challenging role and needs to understood according to priority set by the product owner. Scrum Master must execute the backlog as wished by product owner, making sure that deliverables are on time with production quality.

Scrum master needs to be involved in team conflicts and must have good communication skills. He must be actively involved in technical matters thus finding out the gaps and ensuring product owner involvement in business decision and description of the functional flow.

In Agile software development methodology, Scrum Master is a particularly challenging position as he cares about the team functionality. Scrum master is responsible for monitoring the scrum processes and scrum meetings. He increases his team efficiency, motivates his team, spins, argues for changes that will ensure quality and timeliness. He ensures observance of DoD (Definition of done).

Top Personal Skills for a Scrum Master

When it comes to being scrum master which means servant leader (managing the work with no authority), there are certain skills which come handy to be successful in the role.

Here are some of the top skills of Scrum Master:

  • 1. Scrum master is responsible to facilitating daily scrum, sprint planning, sprint demo and retrospective meetings.
  • 2. Possesses conflict resolution, does conversation by focusing on scrum values of openness, honesty and respect.
  • 3. Should be a friendly communicative person, because when team is moving fast in Agile, communication is the effective force which holds the team together.
  • 4. Needs to forecast the numbers of deliverables possible in an iteration, which is based on evidence and reliable source.
  • 5. Needs to be expert in estimation and planning. He knows how to create useful, reliable and practical plans for software development projects.
  • 6. Should be a good coach in Agile practices. S/he can coach individuals and interactions over processes and tools.
  • 7.Help team or individual to clarify goals and actions to achieve them.
  • 8. Ability to shield his team from outside distractions and interferences.
  • 9. Ability to ensure the correct use of scrum process.
  • 10. Ability to track and remove impediments.
  • 11. Scrum master is a servant first, who serves his team members before considering about himself

Duties of Scrum Master

  • Facilitate his team for better creativity and tries to improve the efficiency of the development team.
  • Responsible for managing the scrum process with the coordination of scrum team in Agile methodology.
  • Responsible to remove the impediments for the scrum team.
  • Arranged daily stand-up meetings, facilitate meetings, schedule meetings, demo and decision-making processes in order to ensure quick inspection and proper use of adaptation process.
  • Helps product owner to make the product backlogs in good shape and make them ready for the next sprint.
  • Responsible to Conduct retrospective meetings.
  • Organizes and facilitates the sprint planning meeting.
  • Acts as safeguard for his team.

Technical Skills:

  • Knowledge of agile methodology and frameworks like Scrum, Kanban, XP, etc.
  • Good skills to coach team how to follow agile scrum, which really works.
  • Understand the basic fundamentals of iterative and incremental development.
  • Strong knowledge of Scrum theory, rules and practices.
  • Knowledge of other Agile approaches, like: Kanban, Crystal, FDD, XP, etc.
  • Knowledge about other methodologies other than Agile-Scrum, so that he can explain other methodologies to motivate his team.
  • Basic knowledge of software development processes and procedures to understand his team needs.
  • He should have knowledge about Agile techniques like: User Stories, Continuous Integration, ATDD, TDD, Continuous Testing, Pairing, Automated Testing, Agile Games.
  • Ability to take and understand his commitment to deliver the product on time.
  • Know about the value of metrics and incremental delivery.
  • Knowledge about tasks, backlog tracking, burndown metrics, velocity, user stories etc.
  • Familiar with common development practices, Service oriented environments, and Agile practices.

Scrum Master Job Example: (Sample)

Scrum Master is required to work within the Freestyle global matrixed organization. Which will provide demand from freestyle functions (Product Management, Marketing, Sales, Finance, Engineering and Manufacturing). This role works with multiple development partners to build scalable software and to module development lifecycle processes. The module will include Software and Electrical interfaces for process, projects and tools.

Scrum Master required

Based in Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA (California) USA, a leading company is looking for a Scrum Master with the following skills & experience.

Skills:

  • Demonstrable experience of Scrum Management
  • Agile Experience
  • Planning Experience
  • Stakeholder Management, Negotiation & Communication Skills
  • JIRA/Confluence experience
  • Ideally Mortgage Experience

Experience:

  • 5yrs + Scrum Master experience in any well-known software environment.
  • Having 2 years’ minimum experience in Accounting, Taxation and Payroll / HR.

Scrum Master – Job Advertisement by CocaCola

Position Overview:

The Senior Scrum Manager will lead the Freestyle team and development partners with a well-defined Freestyle customized software development life cycle process. This would include processing definition, Agile Scrum based Software development, Hybrid Agile based module development along with cross functional communication, software technical project management, requirements traceability, source code control, test case management and defect tracking. This position also defines the metrics to be used to track process improvement in SAFe (Scaled Agile for enterprise) and also performs but not limited to the role of Release Train Engineer. This position leads the other Scrum masters of multiple Agile teams and provides clear resource loading of software team and capacity planning of the software. This position also represents the team at Release level to report status of multiple Agile feature teams to leadership.

Sr. Scrum Master lead will be required to work within the Freestyle global matrixed organization which will provide demand from Freestyle functions (Product Management, Marketing, Sales, Finance, Engineering and Manufacturing). This role will work with multiple development partners to build scalable software and module development lifecycle processes. The Module will include Software and Electrical interfaces for process, projects and tools.

SCOPE:

  • Lead SDLC Methodology Center
  • Collaborate with partners to transition the operating model to SAFe
  • Implement processes, practices, and tools allow for multiple paths of delivery. I.e., create simplified, consistent, reusable, efficient and flexible methodologies
  • Recommend improvements and drive alignment across the Freestyle Engineering & Innovation organization
  • Serve as a Coach and Mentor within the organization
  • Guide the SAFe initiatives through coaching and mentoring
  • Coach and mentor the organization to facilitate adoption and maturity
  • Lead and influence others including those more senior on best practices
  • Manage partnerships with external vendors
  • Inspire others to adopt the new processes and improvements based on program retrospectives
  • Detailed knowledge of development of test cases and knowledge for dispensing technologies like calibration, cartridge management etc.

Detailed Requirements / Preferences:

  • SAFe and Agile technical project management of multiple software releases
  • Work with 3rd party software parties to integrate with Corporate systems
  • Work across multiple technical teams to develop Freestyle solutions
  • Organize and execute software team training, mentoring, SAFe and Agile Sprint Ceremonies.
  • Worked with TFS to use support multiple code stream.
  • Support Continuous builds and integration environment using C and/or C++.
  • Build end to end process to link Software and hardware from requirements to manufacturing.
  • Knowledge of fountain dispensing technologies and fluids calibration process.
  • Certified SAFe Practitioner to enable and train the team on SAFe and Agile best practices including Create and manage work item tracking in TFS, tracking features, PBI, tasks and also raising and escalating impediments as needed.
  • Requires excellent oral and written communication skills

Technical Skills:

  • Lead multiple Agile teams on SAFe methodologies with knowledge of embedded SDLC process
  • Knowledge of dispenser fluidics and calibration system
  • Value Proposition: Knowledge of procedures used to demonstrate the ROI of the solution
  • Managing Supplier Relationships: Knowledge of and the ability to balance relationships with
  • suppliers utilizing the appropriate level of oversight, probing and persistence in order to achieve win/win

  • Agreements and relationships.
  • Basic Project Management: Knowledge of project management principles and the ability to apply the principles, tools and techniques to develop/plan, manage or execute projects or work plans to ensure successful completion (e.g., on time, within budget).

LEADERSHIP BEHAVIORS

Drive Innovation:

Generate new or unique solutions and embrace new ideas that help sustain our business (encompassing everything from continuous improvement to new product and package innovation).
Collaborate with system, Customers and other stakeholders:
Develop and leverage relationships with stakeholders to appropriately stretch and impact the System (Company and Bottler).

Act Like An Owner:

Deliver results, creating value for our brands, our System, our customers and key stakeholders.
Inspire Others:
Inspire people to deliver our mission and 2020 Vision, demonstrate the passion for the business and give people a reason to believe anything is possible.
Develop Self And Others:
Develop self and support others’ development to achieve full potential.