Scrum Master / Team Leader - 26-11018

Job Description

Job DescriptionScrum Master / Team Leader

Duration: 3 Months
Location: Washington, DC
Work Arrangement: 100% Onsite — Day 1

Job Description

We are seeking an experienced Scrum Master / Team Leader to support Agile maturity initiatives within a large-scale Business and Technology Modernization (BTM) program.

The Senior Scrum Master will serve as a servant leader, Agile coach, facilitator, and team advocate, helping Agile teams become self-organizing, accountable, and high-performing.

The ideal candidate will be comfortable working in complex and matrixed organizations, navigating resistance to Agile adoption, resolving team conflicts, building psychological safety, and driving continuous improvement.

The Scrum Master will work closely with Agile Coaches, Product Owners, and program leadership while operating independently with assigned teams during day-to-day execution.

Key ResponsibilitiesTeam Leadership & Self-Organization

• Build and support self-organizing, empowered Agile teams.
• Foster ownership and accountability for Sprint goals, commitments, and delivery outcomes.
• Coach teams toward greater autonomy, collaboration, and effective decision-making.
• Help teams identify and address dysfunctions that impact performance.
• Promote transparency, accountability, and trust within the team.
• Support teams in developing sustainable and predictable delivery practices.

Scrum Facilitation

• Facilitate Scrum ceremonies, including:
  • Daily Scrums
  • Sprint Planning
  • Sprint Reviews
  • Sprint Retrospectives
  • Backlog Refinement
• Ensure Scrum events are productive, focused, and outcome-driven.
• Help teams maintain alignment with Agile principles, organizational standards, and established playbooks.

Impediment Removal & Escalation

• Identify and remove team-level impediments quickly.
• Track impediments and ensure appropriate follow-up through resolution.
• Escalate organizational and systemic blockers to the appropriate leadership.
• Shield Agile teams from unnecessary external disruptions.
• Coordinate with stakeholders to resolve dependencies and delivery obstacles.

Agile Coaching & Maturity

• Coach teams on Agile principles, Scrum practices, and servant leadership.
• Help teams progress toward higher levels of Agile maturity.
• Navigate resistance to Agile practices and support cultural and mindset changes.
• Encourage experimentation and a continuous-learning mindset.
• Work within established Agile playbooks while helping teams continuously improve their practices.

Conflict Resolution & Psychological Safety

• Identify and address team conflicts, dysfunctions, and communication challenges.
• Facilitate constructive conflict resolution.
• Build an environment of psychological safety where team members can openly raise concerns and provide feedback.
• Promote healthy collaboration and accountability.
• Help teams navigate difficult organizational and interpersonal situations.

Continuous Improvement

• Facilitate meaningful retrospectives that result in actionable improvements.
• Track retrospective action items and ensure improvements are implemented.
• Use team feedback, delivery metrics, and observations to identify improvement opportunities.
• Encourage experimentation and learning from both successes and failures.
• Drive measurable improvements in team performance, predictability, and delivery outcomes.

Stakeholder & Cross-Team Collaboration

• Build effective relationships with Product Owners, Agile Coaches, program leadership, and stakeholders.
• Facilitate communication between teams and organizational stakeholders.
• Promote collaboration and alignment across multiple Agile teams.
• Help resolve cross-team dependencies and organizational challenges.
• Support broader Agile maturity and transformation initiatives.

Required Qualifications

• 7+ years of hands-on experience as a Scrum Master, preferably supporting multiple teams in complex, matrixed organizations.
• CSM (Certified ScrumMaster) or PSM II or higher certification required.
• Advanced Agile certifications such as Certified Scrum Professional (CSP) or SAFe Scrum Master are preferred.
• Proven experience building self-organizing and high-performing Agile teams.
• Demonstrated experience navigating resistance to Agile adoption.
• Track record of improving team velocity, predictability, and delivery performance.
• Strong experience addressing team conflicts and organizational dysfunction.
• Experience building psychological safety within Agile teams.
• Strong facilitation, coaching, conflict-resolution, and change-management skills.
• Excellent stakeholder-management and communication skills.
• Experience working within established Agile playbooks, standards, and organizational frameworks.
• Ability to work independently while aligning with organizational Agile leadership and program guidance.
• Government or highly regulated industry experience is preferred.

Core Competencies

• Scrum & Agile Methodologies
• Servant Leadership
• Agile Coaching
• Team Self-Organization
• Conflict Resolution
• Psychological Safety
• Change Management
• Stakeholder Management
• Impediment Management
• Continuous Improvement
• Cross-Team Collaboration
• Agile Maturity
• Team Performance & Predictability
• Organizational Change