ScrumMaster

Full Job Description

EBSCO Information Services (EIS) provides a complete and optimized research solution comprised of e-journals, e-books, and research databases — all combined with the most powerful discovery service to support the information needs and maximize the research experience of our end-users. Headquartered in Ipswich, MA, EIS employs more than 3,300 people worldwide. We are the leader in our field due to our cutting-edge technology, forward-thinking philosophy, and top-notch workforce. EIS, a division of EBSCO Industries Inc., based in Birmingham, AL, is ranked in the top 200 of the nation’s largest, privately held corporations according to Forbes magazine. EBSCO is a company that will motivate you, inspire you, and allow you to grow. We are looking for the best. If you are too, we encourage you to explore our unique opportunities.

Mission

The mission of the ScrumMaster is to help teams adopt and improve Lean/Agile methods and practices to grow high performing teams. The ScrumMaster is a team member who has a primary responsibility to help the self-organizing, self-managing team achieve its goals of value delivery and continuous improvement. ScrumMasters do so by teaching, implementing, and supporting Lean and SAFe principles and best practices, and eliminating impediments affecting flow. The ScrumMaster is not a management position, but rather a servant leader who works with and for the team. The Lean Lead is empowered to help teams challenge their existing environment and remove impediments. The ScrumMaster is an effective change agent who is both motivating change and making it happen, and works with the Release Train Engineer and other ScrumMasters to support the overall success of the Agile Release Train (ART).

Primary Responsibilities

• Model the behaviors of a Lean-Agile leader and help teams self-organize using Agile principles and practices to meet their delivery objectives

• Reinforce the principles of Lean and SAFe and team practices of Scrum and Kanban

• Facilitate team meetings, including the Daily Standup, Iteration Planning, Team Demo and Iteration Retrospective, as well as the team’s participation in SAFe program level meetings such as PI Planning and Inspect and Adapt workshops

• Develop a deep understanding of the process and the people to ensure that they follow Agile methodologies in a dynamic, healthy and sustainable way to meet their delivery goals

• Identify and remove any impediments/distractions that interfere with the team's ability to deliver against their commitments

• Assist the team in continually improving quality of their deliverables

• Identify opportunities to improve team dynamics, enjoyment, and performance in an environment of collaboration and innovation. You believe in finding and solving the root causes of problems.

• Facilitate internal and external communication between Agile Product Owners, RTEs, Managers and Team Members to improve transparency and radiate information

• Support and educate the PO with respect to Backlog Refinement and Backlog Maintenance

• Assist the team in tracking and communicating team progress and metrics

Role-Based Competencies

• Passion for and understanding of Lean Agile- Appreciates and understands the depths of Lean-Agile practices, principles and values so they may influence individuals, teams and managers of all levels within the organization. Believes in the change we are embarking upon.

• Continuous Development- Engages in learning, education and communities of practice to grow and

maintain knowledge of Lean-Agile practices and team building. Engages with the Product Owner, Team and other subject matter experts to ensure their confidence in understanding feature deliverables and work committed to by the team(s).

• Servant Leadership- Understands their place in the organization’s goals as well as that of their team's. Exhibits the situational awareness to know when to allow the team to learn and evolve and when to step in and help guide that growth and evolution. Serves as a single point of leadership (for the team) and accountability (to stakeholders). Engages in activities to build a "safe container" for the team to work within, grows trust and respect among the team and with stakeholders, and continuously improves team cohesion.

• Continuous Planning & Execution-Keeps the focus of team on continuous flow and time-boxed cadence utilizing Lean-Agile tools and techniques. Facilitates team daily stand ups. Ensures that the team and ART becomes increasingly capable of meeting their established commitments. Ensure visibility and transparency. Captures and manages metrics, monitors/manages team velocity/throughput. Engages with stakeholders to ensure the backlog is consistently seeded with work to deliver.

• Continuous Improvement- Works with the team and ART to identify and execute upon opportunities for continuous improvement. Improves the team’s ability to self-manage and self-organize. Draws the team’s attention to performance breakdowns, facilitates team and ART improvements in the right areas, and helps the team learn emerging practices from outside the team itself.

• Change Agent- Demonstrates the ability to facilitate, coach, and inspire the team to challenge itself. Understands how to address conflict management, and mediation, to help the team become a high-performance team.

Required Qualifications

• 2 years’ experience being directly involved in executing, leading, managing software development projects

Preferred Qualifications

• Scrum Master, Kanban, or SAFe certifications

• Experience with Lean Practices and SAFe

• 4-year college degree in a related field

Cultural Competencies

· Drive

· Positive Attitude

· Good Judgement

· Open Communication

· Collaboration

· Desire to Make an Impact

· Eager to Understand

· Accountable

· Decisive

· Team Player

EBSCO Industries, Inc.is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. EBSCO strictly prohibits and does not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants, or any other covered persons because of race, color, sex (including pregnancy), age, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, religion, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.  This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, training, promotion, discipline, compensation, benefits, and termination of employment.

EBSCO complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as amended by the ADA Amendments Act, and all applicable state or local law.