Scrum Master

Srijan is hiring for a Scrum Master/Senior Scrum Master role with a permanent WFH option.

A notice period of 30 days or less is preferred.
Remote working option available.


Roles and Responsibility:

 Backlog Maintenance

• Create and Manage Backlog
• Backlog grooming: Manage/Update “sprint-backlog” and “project-backlog” regularly after client calls and demos
• Plans forward-looking technology investigations (spikes / POC)
• After each sprint demo work with the dev team to estimate and re-estimate the backlog
• Facilitate prioritization of backlog first time;
• Facilitate prioritization of backlog during planning n+1 sprint with client
• Creating mock-ups/wireframes/Sketch images to illustrate or to detail for getting clarity from the client, and for communicating the task to the dev team
• Use JIRA for all backlog (no use of Google spreadsheets)

Daily Stand-ups

• Drive daily-stand-ups
• Ask what was done yesterday, what is the plan for today
• Ask probing questions in the stand-ups and outside of it
• Identify potential roadblocks or challenges that may come up
• Consult Group Lead and raise your concerns
• Implement advice by GL
• Ensure that the team is working towards completion of the sprint; each stand-up well did, will suggest if the velocity is enough to complete Sprint or no
• (Maintain and) Update the “information radiator board (with stickies)” for all sprints

Sprint Demos

• Run sprint demos
• Calls must be marked on the client and team’s calendar; no ambiguity in when calls happen
• Every member must be present on calls at least 2-mins before the scheduled time on the calendar; be the first to join the call as moderator
• If you are unable to join, ensure that the session is recorded; if it cannot be recorded, ensure the team has captured all feedback during the demo

Business Analysis

• Understand the business of the client and the project
• This will enable you to question business needs that clients communicate
• Validate and record agreements in stories, acceptance criteria
• Create mock-ups/wireframes/Sketch annotations to illustrate or to detail --  for getting clarity from the client; and for communicating the task to the dev team -- put these in stories in JIRA

Project Management

• The Plan -- Do -- Check -- Act (Complete control on the project)
• Create Physical boards “information radiator board (with stickies)
• Plan deliverables (JIRA/Sprint) along with the team
• Organize the Sprint, get re-estimates done,
• Plan Sprint n+1 with the client -- prepared stories for the n+1 sprint to be taken up by dev team; work with QA in
• Learn to read JIRA Burndown Charts to know if the project is on time or is there likely to be a delay
• If there is likely to be a delay, speak to the Agile Coach / Group Lead to decide the nature of communication to be sent to the client
• Release Planning - define release goals

Quality Assurance

• Detail out stories with acceptance criteria
• Ensure all stories have acceptance criteria
• Work with QA in improving quality of acceptance criteria
• Work towards zero-defect sprints
• Defect triage - accept/reject
• Support the Dev+QA team in testing yourself
• Use JIRA for all these activities
• Drive testing strategy
• Deliver stories piecemeal for testing throughout the sprint
• Validate technical architecture by asking relevant questions

Stakeholder Management

• Send out weekly Status emails to internal and external clients -- must be on SM’s calendar
• Red, Amber, Green status
• Budget consumption
• Key activities this week
• Pre-empt and document roadblocks that you/team foresee
• Raise/Flag issues to clients and work aggressively within the team/org to mitigate this
• Coach clients on agile/scrum, our model, align them on our practices, using Jira, etc

Engineering Practices

• Drive towards Unit Testing
• Drive towards Continuous Integration (CI) using Jenkins; leads to a clear release and deployment strategy/plan
• Piecemeal UAT strategy
• Drive Intrinsic quality like Code, stories written, test scenarios written
• Continuously monitor and improve them. Question people on them
• Use Jira rigorously to track stories, defects, and manage it end to end.

People, Process and Tool Coach

• Coach people to improve in their role
• Challenge and question people on the way they are working to make it better
• Run sprint-retros
• During retros listen for “cause” behind the words; by asking probing questions
• Continuously strive to improve yourself
• Handhold team on Scrum way of doing
• Strategize which tool to use for what purposes.

• 8+ years of experience as a Scrum Master
• Must have experience leading a team of around 15-20 team members in an Agile environment.
• Experience working in multi-geo or offshore environment
• JIRA experience
• Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills
• Proven success in delivering projects within budget and specified timeframes, while ensuring customer satisfaction
• Proven problem-solving skills from problem assessment to solution selection
• Ability to identify alternatives and make contingency plans
• Capacity to embrace change and quickly adapt to new situations, changes in direction, and altering priorities
• Proven ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
• Ability to handle multiple projects and assignments
• Ability to demonstrate critical thinking, providing options and recommendations relating to resolving issues, mitigating risks, and resolving escalated items.
• CSM (Certified) or PMP (Certified) Good to have