Lead Scrum Master at Absa Group Limited (Absa)

Job Summary

• The Scrum master will be the facilitator for a product development team that uses scrum/agile as the development methodology.
• The scrum master will lead a team that ensures self-organisation and the ability to make changes quickly.
• The role will ensure that agile principles and concept are adhered to ensure effective preparation of the product backlog, sprint backlog and burn down charts.

Job Description

Job Description Summary

• Work in high complexity Salesforce environment as Lead Scrum master to be the facilitator for product development teams that use scrum/agile as the development methodology.
• You will lead the teams to ensure self-organization and the ability to make changes quickly. The role will ensure that agile principles and concept are adhered to ensure effective preparation of the product planning, product backlog, sprint backlog, tracking and reporting. Salesforce knowledge and experience are critical.

Business complexity is determined by:

• Customer Impact
• Number of integration points:
• Teams/business units to talk to
• Systems
• Enabling function
• 3rd party vs. internal
• Complexity of business rules & Processes
• Level of operational readiness
• Introduction of new or changing old Tech (e.g. redo platforms)

Job Description

Delivery

• Lead multiple sprints for Salesforce teams using Agile methodology
• Ensuring SCRUM artefacts are maintained and updated
• Ensuring that sprints are running smoothly and corrective actions taken wherever appropriate.
• Effectively communicate to project manager/delivery manager about the progress
• as well as blockages in the on-going sprints.
• Ensuring all change governance and standards are adhered to
• Ensuring code quality is maintained
• Developing plans to ensure delivery of teams’ work.

Accountability: Transition to Agile

• Understand current development/delivery model and guide teams to adapt agile strategy.
• Apply best practices to implement and/or resolve adoption issues
• Satisfactory resolution of issues raised during transition.
• Support Project/Delivery Manager in planning and transition of releases.
• Providing expert guidance and assistance to colleagues for successful transition.
• Accountability: Leading others and business skills
• Responsibility for supervising, co-ordinating, participating in, and accountable for sprints of teams located at different geographic locations.
• Making effective use of resources during the sprint to ensure that business objectives are met and deliverables achieved to agreed time, cost and quality.
• Familiar with the details of at least one business area and has experience of liasing with peers in that area
• Is respected and consulted by business area peers and seen as a point of contact within the team
• Is able to teach and coach team members to deeper understanding of Agile

Accountability: Delivery Capability

• Ability to maintain a dialogue in difficult situations
• Ability to coach team members and product owners in the adoption of Agile
• Experience in maintaining and supporting multiple sprints
• Knowledge of major functions and features of workflow analysis tools
• Resolves major problems and fluently applies escalation and notification procedures for incidents

Accountability: Management

• Adapts style to contribute and enhance overall team performance and works effectively with people across a wide range of disciplines and levels (both internal and external/3rd party suppliers)
• Experienced at leading or managing a variety of teams and projects.
• Deals comfortably with ambiguity and uncertainty and is effective when working with unstructured teams, situations and environments
• Aware of project costs and resources, help in tracking actual against budget and managing the balance of delivery within time/cost/quality constraints

Accountability: Application Management

• Understands how service support applies to own technical function:
• Has experience of incident & problem management disciplines
• Has experience of maintaining configuration items, raising changes and planning releases
• Has good operational knowledge of the service desk and incident systems
• Has experience in developing and maintaining technical reference documents
• Familiar with technical documentation standards, guidelines and best practices
• Working knowledge of scripting/utility tool component, features and facilities

Accountability: Stakeholder Management

• Can effectively manage and develop relationships with key decision makers and stakeholders to achieve successful outcomes
• Uses stakeholder management strategy effectively and knows how to navigate the organization
• The ability to facilitate and negotiate with multiple parties to bring about agreement and resolution, even when position is not initially shared by others
• Clearly and effectively communicates difficult or complex ideas clearly to stakeholders, peers and subordinates
• Adapts style to contribute and enhance teams performance by working effectively with people across a wide range of disciplines and levels, both internal and external.

Key Requirements

• 5-10 years’ experience as a Scrum Master essential
• Leading multiple teams advantageous
• Grade 12 / or equivalent essential
• Relevant Tertiary qualification
• Scrum Master certification or training essential
• Experience in financial services is an advantage.
• Knowledge of the Software Development Life Cycle
• Knowledge of agile methodology, values and principles
• Knowledge of the different frameworks (i.e. Scrum, Kanban etc.)

Education

• National Certificate: Information Technology

End Date: September 1, 2025