Scrum Master

Scrum Master (Agile Delivery) - Contract-to-Hire

We are not accepting C2C or 1099 arrangements.


Locations: Charlotte, NC (CIC) and Des Moines, IA
Job Type: Contract-to-Hire
Conversion Opportunity: Yes
Team Level Role

Overview

We are seeking an experienced Scrum Master to support Agile delivery teams in a fast-paced enterprise environment. This role is responsible for guiding Agile teams to deliver business value, fostering continuous improvement, facilitating Agile ceremonies, and driving team accountability. The ideal candidate will be a strong communicator, an influential servant leader, and a proactive problem solver who can help teams improve collaboration, predictability, and delivery outcomes.

This position requires a Scrum Master who can think creatively, facilitate productive team interactions, remove impediments, and coach teams toward Agile maturity while aligning with organizational Agile standards and practices.

Key Responsibilities

Agile Leadership & Facilitation

• Lead and facilitate Agile ceremonies, including Sprint Planning, Daily Standups, Sprint Reviews, Retrospectives, and Backlog Refinement sessions.
• Ensure meetings are productive, outcome-focused, and aligned with delivery commitments.
• Foster team collaboration and promote a culture of continuous improvement.
• Act as a servant leader who supports the team while encouraging ownership and accountability.

Team Coaching & Development

• Coach Agile teams, Product Owners, and Engineering partners on Agile principles, frameworks, and best practices.
• Provide real-time coaching to improve team effectiveness, software delivery practices, quality, workflow, and predictability.
• Develop and maintain monthly coaching plans with measurable team maturity objectives.
• Support teams in adopting and maintaining proven Agile practices and behaviors.

Delivery Management

• Maintain a strong understanding of team objectives, priorities, backlog items, and business value delivery.
• Guide teams in effective work breakdown and sprint planning activities.
• Ensure user stories meet Definition of Ready (DoR) and Definition of Done (DoD) standards.
• Proactively identify and reduce scope creep through effective sprint goal alignment and acceptance criteria validation.
• Protect team focus by managing dependencies, risks, and unplanned work.

Risk & Impediment Management

• Identify, document, and escalate impediments within 24 hours of discovery.
• Maintain an organized impediment backlog in JIRA and drive timely resolution with stakeholders.
• Monitor and manage cross-team dependencies to minimize delivery risks.
• Collaborate with partners and stakeholders to remove blockers and improve delivery flow.

Metrics & Continuous Improvement

• Utilize Agile metrics to evaluate team performance and identify improvement opportunities.
• Create and maintain JIRA dashboards and reporting that visualize:
  • Cycle Time
  • Throughput
  • Work in Progress (WIP)
  • Sprint Rollover
• Conduct regular reviews with Product and Engineering partners to assess team maturity, operational effectiveness, and delivery performance.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives based on data, retrospectives, and coaching insights.

Stakeholder Collaboration

• Meet regularly with Product Owners and Engineering leaders to discuss team performance, delivery challenges, and improvement opportunities.
• Facilitate conflict resolution using Agile facilitation techniques.
• Build productive relationships across teams and business functions.
• Demonstrate professionalism through effective communication, timely responsiveness, and calm problem-solving during escalations.

Required Qualifications

• 4+ years of Scrum Master, Agile Coaching, or Agile delivery experience.
• Experience facilitating Agile ceremonies and supporting Agile software development teams.
• Strong understanding of Scrum, Agile methodologies, and iterative delivery practices.
• Experience identifying and managing delivery risks, impediments, and dependencies.
• Proven ability to coach teams and stakeholders on Agile principles and behaviors.
• Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Experience using JIRA for team management, reporting, dashboards, and workflow tracking.
• Ability to influence without direct authority and drive collaboration across teams.
• Demonstrated ability to think creatively and solve complex team challenges.

Preferred Qualifications

• Scrum Master certification (CSM, PSM, or equivalent).
• Experience working in large enterprise Agile environments.
• Background in training, education, facilitation, or organizational coaching.
• Experience influencing and driving change through leadership and relationship building.
• Familiarity with Agile metrics, team maturity assessments, and coaching frameworks.

Desired Skills

• Scrum Master Leadership
• Agile Coaching
• Team Facilitation
• Stakeholder Management
• JIRA Administration & Reporting
• Risk and Dependency Management
• Conflict Resolution
• Continuous Improvement
• Influencing Without Authority
• Strong Communication Skills

Work Location

• Charlotte, NC (CIC)
• Des Moines, IA

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all employees and contractors are respected and valued. Qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status.

Keywords: Scrum Master, Agile Coach, Agile Delivery, JIRA, Sprint Planning, Agile Transformation, Scrum, Project Delivery, Team Coaching, Continuous Improvement, Charlotte NC, Des Moines IA, Contract-to-Hire.