Consultant, Agile Leader (Kubernetes)

About the Role If you’re passionate about being part of a dynamic organization that enables a Fortune 100 company with nearly $70 billion in annual sales to drive innovation and adopt new technologies that deliver business results, then Nationwide’s Technology team could be the place for you! At Nationwide®, “on your side” goes beyond just words. Our customers are at the center of everything we do and we’re looking for associates who are passionate about delivering extraordinary care. This role will work a hybrid schedule coming into the Columbus, Ohio office 2 days per week on Mondays & Wednesdays. We are seeking an Agile Leader to support our Kubernetes platform team. This role will report to the Platform Manager and will play a critical role in driving Agile execution, delivery discipline, and team effectiveness across the platform. The ideal candidate brings a strong technical foundation, hands‑on experience working with or leading teams in Kubernetes‑based environments, and deep knowledge of Agile practices. This individual will serve as the primary facilitator of Agile team operations, helping the team plan effectively, manage work transparently, improve sprint outcomes, and continuously strengthen delivery practices. Just as importantly, this role requires hands‑on Kubernetes experience so the individual can credibly engage with engineers, understand platform capabilities and constraints, capture technical requirements effectively, and independently decompose work into actionable stories and tasks when needed. A software development background is a plus, as is prior experience supporting highly technical platform or infrastructure engineering teams. Key Responsibilities Lead all Agile ceremonies for the Kubernetes platform team, including daily standups, backlog refinement, sprint planning, retrospectives, and estimation/card sizing sessions. Partner closely with the Platform Manager, engineers, product partners, and key stakeholders to maintain a healthy and prioritized backlog. Capture technical and operational requirements and lead decomposition of large initiatives into actionable user stories, tasks, and deliverables the team can execute within sprint boundaries, including independently decomposing work when needed. Drive strong Agile discipline and continuous improvement across team workflows, processes, and delivery practices. Identify and remove impediments that affect team productivity, velocity, or delivery outcomes. Coach the team on Agile principles, Lean thinking, iteration planning, and effective team collaboration. Establish and reinforce consistent practices for story readiness, definition of done, sprint commitments, and retrospective follow‑through. Use Agile metrics and delivery insights to help the team improve predictability, throughput, quality, and transparency. Support coordination across dependent teams when platform work spans multiple products, services, or engineering groups. Help create an environment of accountability, focus, and continuous learning across the team. Required Qualifications Strong experience serving in an Agile leadership role such as Scrum Master, Agile Lead, Delivery Lead, or similar. Demonstrated experience supporting technical teams in Agile environments. Strong technical background with the ability to engage credibly with engineers and platform leaders. Hands‑on experience with Kubernetes, including the ability to understand platform architecture and engineering work, capture technical requirements, and independently decompose work into actionable stories and tasks. Deep knowledge of Agile frameworks, principles, and ceremonies. Strong facilitation, communication, and stakeholder management skills. Proven ability to organize, prioritize, and drive execution in complex technical environments. Experience with Agile planning and work management tools such as Jira, Azure DevOps, or similar platforms. Preferred Qualifications Direct people leadership or delivery leadership experience in a Kubernetes or platform engineering environment. Industry‑recognised Agile certifications such as Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), Professional Scrum Master (PSM), SAFe Scrum Master, SAFe Agilist, or equivalent. Software development background or prior experience working in engineering delivery roles. Experience supporting infrastructure, platform, DevOps, SRE, or cloud engineering teams. Familiarity with modern engineering practices such as CI/CD, cloud platforms, infrastructure as code, and platform operations. Success Profile A strong Agile practitioner who can lead with structure, discipline, and adaptability. Comfortable operating in a highly technical Kubernetes environment and partnering credibly with engineering teams through hands‑on platform knowledge. Skilled at translating complex work into manageable sprint‑ready tasks. Effective at facilitating discussions, resolving blockers, and improving team flow. Passionate about helping teams mature their Agile practices and deliver high‑value outcomes. Why This Role Matters This role is essential to helping the Kubernetes platform team operate with greater clarity, consistency, and speed. By bringing strong Agile leadership and technical credibility, this individual will help the team improve execution, strengthen backlog management, and create the conditions for reliable platform delivery. Job Description Summary As an Agile Lead, you will coach a robust, self‑organized Agile Team(s) responsible for building software solutions with the best technology, processes, and tools. You will collaborate to deliver business outcomes, using appropriate software delivery practices to continuously improve software delivery efficiency and quality. You will play a key role in guiding delivery from idea inception to implementation and participating in user communities to learn and implement optimal practices. Reporting Relationships Reports to Technology Manager/Director. Typical Skills and Experiences Education: Undergraduate studies in computer science, management information systems, mathematics or related field is preferred. Agile certification (Certified ScrumMaster – CSM, SAFe ScrumMaster – SSM, Professional ScrumMaster – PSM) and proven experience across multiple teams is a plus. Experience: Typically, Six years of experience in Agile including three years as an Agile Leader or similar role. Strong technical expertise in one or more Agile practices and frameworks, including Scrum, Kanban, and Lean. Plus, a technical background in Software Engineering. Three or more years working with ALM tools and Microsoft Office Suite. Knowledge, Abilities, and Skills: Demonstrated ability to coach and mentor team members and peers. Ability to manage multiple teams and lead cross‑team initiatives. Strong candidates will put the team first, have excellent communication skills, robust problem‑solving ability, conflict resolution skills, and be active in the industry. Insurance and/or financial services industry knowledge a plus. Benefits Medical, dental, vision coverage Life insurance, short and long‑term disability coverage Paid time off (minimum 18 days for full‑time hires, plus 9 paid holidays, 8 hours Lifetime PTO, 8 hours Unity Day PTO) 401(k) with company match and company‑paid pension plan Business casual attire and additional perks Compensation The national salary range for Consultant, Agile Leader: $118,000–$222,000. The expected starting salary range: $118,000–$178,000. Nationwide is an equal‑opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone feels challenged, appreciated, respected and engaged. Nationwide prohibits discrimination and harassment and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable law. #J-18808-Ljbffr OhioX, Inc.