SCRUM MASTER
A large Financial Institute in Gauteng has a vacancy for a SCRUM MASTER on a contract basis.
The scrum master serves to facilitate scrum to the larger team by ensuring the scrum framework is followed. He or she is committed to the scrum methodology, agile principles, and best practices—but should also remain flexible and open to opportunities for the team to improve their workflow.
PLEASE NOTE: NO CV WILL BE KEPT FOR FUTURE USE. ONLY APPLY IF YOU DO QUALIFY IN FULL.
As the title implies, the scrum master is the master of scrum, who ensures the scrum framework is followed.
Scrum has a clearly defined set of roles and rituals that should be followed, and the scrum master works with each member of the scrum team to guide and coach the team through the scrum framework.
Standups: Facilitate daily standups (or the daily scrum) as needed.
Iteration/sprint planning meetings: Protect the team from over-committing and scope creep.
Aid in estimation and sub task creation.
Sprint reviews: Participate in the meeting and capture feedback.
Retrospectives: Note areas for improvement and action items for future sprints.
Board administration: Work as the administrator of the scrum board.
Ensure that cards are up to date and the scrum tools like Jira are working well.
1 on 1s: Meet individually with team members and stakeholders as needed.
Iron out team disagreements about process and work styles.
Many scrum practitioners oppose 1on1, believing these communications should happen during standups.
However, new teams often prefer to have these regular face-to-face interactions with specific team members.
The scrum master may decide that these individual interactions are crucial for team development and getting to know one another.
Internal Consulting: Scrum masters should consult with team members and internal stakeholders on how best to work with the scrum team.
Reporting: Regular analysis of burndown charts and other portfolio planning tools to understand what gets built and at what cadence.
Blockers: The scrum master aids the team by eliminating external blockers and managing internal roadblocks through process or workflow improvements.
Busy work: If the scrum team isn’t functioning as well as it could be, that’s the scrum master’s problem.
Maybe that means fixing broken computers, moving desks around, or even adjusting the thermostat.
Scrum masters should be comfortable doing just about anything to help their team.
Leadership: Scrum masters must exhibit leadership qualities without being authoritative.
They lead by serving the team and facilitating their self-organization.
Effective communication: Clear and transparent communication is crucial.
Scrum masters ensure all team members and stakeholders understand the project’s status, goals, and obstacles.
Empathy: It is essential to understand and empathize with the team’s challenges. Scrum masters need to support and motivate team members during difficulties.
Problem-solving: Scrum masters often deal with impediments and conflicts. They must be adept at problem-solving and finding solutions to keep the team on track.
Adaptability: Scrum masters should be adaptable and open to change. They need to adjust to the evolving needs of the team and the project.
Facilitation skills: The ability to effectively facilitate meetings and scrum ceremonies is vital. Scrum masters ensure these events run smoothly and focus on the intended outcomes.
Coaching and mentoring: Scrum masters coach and mentor team members in agile and scrum principles, helping them continually improve.
Technical knowledge: While not mandatory, having a technical background can be beneficial, especially when working with development teams. It allows scrum master’s to better understand the technical challenges faced by the team.
Time management: Scrum masters must manage time effectively to keep the team on schedule and meet sprint goals.
Desired Skills:
- Iteration/sprint planning meeting
- Sprint reviews:
- Retrospectives
- Facilitation skills