Agile Project Manager

Company: Pearson
Location: Saint Paul
Posted on: August 7, 2022

Job Description:

Company Summary:Founded in 2001, Connections Education is a leading provider of high-quality, highly accountable online education solutions for schools, school districts, and students in grades K12. It serves families and schools with a variety of digital learning and online school solutions includingConnections Academy,International Connections Academy, andPearson Connexus. In 2017, Connections Education brings full-time online and blended school to 65,000 students across the U.S. and abroad, and delivers online courses to over 340,000 students. In total, over 400,000 students in the U.S. and 48 countries will receive online learning from Connections Education in 2017. Connections Education is based in Baltimore, Maryland and was named a Top Workplace by the Baltimore Sun for the third consecutive year and a 2013 Best Place to Work by Baltimore magazine. Regularly recognized for its outstanding curriculum and leadership, Connections Education is committed to expanding quality education through technology, and helping students achieve both academic and personal success. Connections Education is part of the global education company, Pearson.Department SummaryWe are a key component of the business of Connections Education. By providing a sophisticated platform and innovative web applications that support the educational activities of thousands of students, educators, parents, and administrators, we are changing how the world learns.Here are just a few of the ways that our products are used:

• Educators create and deliver curriculum and monitor and respond to student progress.
• Students learn, collaborate, and receive individual attention and assistance.
• Parents monitor and participate in their childrens learning activities.
• Administrators support the needs of educators, students, and learning coaches.We need people that support Connections Educations core values of being brave, imaginative, and decent. Always keeping these values in mind is a big responsibility but ultimately a meaningful and important mission. If youre interested in joining this endeavor, read more.Position SummaryWe are seeking a well-organized and successful Agile Project Manager to be a key member of the team to assist in the planning and facilitate the execution of the software/web applications we produce. We will be looking for someone who will be responsible for working with and facilitating multiple Agile teams and provide coaching and mentorship to their Agile Facilitation peers. Due to the nature of this position, the applicant will need the ability to work from home or during off hours as necessary.Responsibilities:
  • Coach the team on Agile methodologies, processes, and best practices as it is implemented and used during the software development life cycle. This includes working in a hands-on manner with the teams, as well as in a consultative fashion.
  • Work to coordinate multiple concurrent software development efforts throughout their full lifecycle, which may include several iterations.
  • Organize and facilitate sprint planning, daily stand-up meetings, product reviews, retrospectives, backlog grooming, and release planning.
  • Track and communicate team velocity and progress to both the customer and the team.
  • Ensure lean Agile concepts and principles are adhered to, be a voice of reason, and make the tough calls in demanding situations.
  • Assist teams with making appropriate commitments through user story selection and task definition.
  • Identify and address dependencies by collaborating and partnering within and beyond ones team for resolution.
  • Promote collaboration between self-organizing, cross-functional software development teams.
  • Embrace servant leadership and embody the qualities and mindsets that are associated with the agile methodology.
  • Identify and analyze risks and implement mitigation strategies with the team and stakeholders.
  • Facilitate discussion, proactively resolve conflicts, and, if needed, escalate appropriately.
  • Identify and remove impediments that interfere with the teams goals or direct them to the appropriate owners for quick resolution.
  • Support ScrumMaster peers by helping them remove impediments for their teams.
  • Communicate effectively across diverse audiences within and outside of the team to improve transparency, and radiate information.
  • Develop and evaluate team metrics and make recommendations to teams and Software Development Leadership for improvements.
  • Provide perspective to the team and keep them focused on critical deliverables and tasks.
  • Enact change and continuous improvement to increase the productivity of the team and quality of deliverables.
  • Ensure the teams deliver tested, working functionality in each iteration.
  • Ensure Agile tracking systems are updated to provide transparency on the Product and Sprint Backlogs.
  • Ensure the implementation of resolutions identified in retrospective meetings. Motivate and model open communication to help surface issues for faster resolution.
  • Create an environment of team spirit and enthusiasm around what is being delivered.
  • Empower the team to self-organize and continuously improve to sustain agility.
  • Follow development process and Agile best practices, and drive their continuous improvement.
  • Identify and champion process or other departmental improvements coordinating with ScrumMaster peers and/or other department members for implementation.
  • Partner with other Scrum Masters to increase the effectiveness of the application of Agile Methods in Software Development and implement best practices.
  • Assist with the onboarding of new ScrumMasters and enhance Agile Facilitation Department best practices by creating valuable documentation, conducting workshops, and partnering to maintain a knowledge base of Agile Facilitation practices.
  • Mentor ScrumMaster peers coaching them on different Agile techniques to be used for continuous team improvement.
  • Coach additional software development Scrum teams when needed to help improve the teams overall effectiveness.
  • Assist with educating external departments on Agile principles, techniques, and the value of the methodology.
  • Partner with Agile Facilitation Leadership to guide Software Development towards Agile maturity in accordance with the Agile Facilitation Department goals.
  • Accomplishes department and organization missions by completing related tasks as needed.
  • Other duties as assigned.Requirements
    • Bachelor's Degree or 3 to 5 years job-related experience in software development utilizing an Agile framework.
    • 3+ plus years of experience as a Scrum Master with a real world understanding of Agile and its application, supporting tools, and processes.
    • Holds a current Agile certification, PMI-ACP, Certified Scrum Practitioner (CSP), Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) or equivalent.
    • Maintains active membership in Agile organizations to enhance skills and learn new techniques.
    • Experience with Agile techniques including, but not limited to, User Stories, ATDD, TDD, Continuous Integration, Continuous Testing, Pairing, Automated Testing, Agile Games.
    • Experience with Agile project management tools.
    • A strong ability to thrive in a fast-paced technology environment.
    • Experience in creating Agile training and workshop material.
    • Able to effectively manage conflict leveraging different techniques for resolution.
    • Understand all elements of the software development life cycle, including planning, development, requirements management, Configuration Management, quality assurance, and release management.
    • Strong servant leadership abilities with effective relationship and team building skills.
    • Proven ability to communicate effectively (verbally and in writing) and interface with leadership and external departments to manage expectations and deadlines.
    • Strong presentation and facilitation skills.
    • Must be organized, confident, analytical, self-motivated, and self-directing with a proven ability to identify priorities and propose solutions to achieve desired results with minimal supervision.
    • Proven experience coaching and mentoring teams and individuals to help them adopt Agile practices with continuous improvement.
    • Must have excellent situational awareness, the ability to remain calm under pressure and be cognizant of how you are perceived.
    • Prior experience with Agile transformations is a big plus!The anticipated starting salary range for Colorado-based individuals expressing interest in this position is $100,000-$100,000. This position is eligible to participate in an annual incentive program. Benefits available to eligible employees can be seen at: https://pearsonbenefitsus.com/Learning is the most powerful force for change in the world. More than 20,000 Pearson employees deliver our products and services in nearly 200 countries, all working towards a common purpose to help everyone achieve their potential through learning. We do that by providing high quality, digital content and learning experiences, as well as assessments and qualifications that help people build their skills and grow with the world around them. We are the worlds leading learning company. Learn more at pearsonplc.com.Pearson believes that wherever learning flourishes, so do people. We are committed to being an anti-racistcompany in everything we do. We value the power of an inclusive culture and a strong sense of belonging. We promote a culture where differences are embraced, opportunities are accessible, consideration and respect are the norm, and all individuals are supported in reaching their full potential. Through our talent, we believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion make us a more innovative and vibrant place to work. People are at the center, and we are committed to a sustainable environment and workplace where talent can learn, grow, and thrive. To learn more about Pearsons commitment to a diverse and inclusive workforce, please click here: http://www.pearson.com/careers/diversity-and-inclusion.htmlPearson is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer and a member of E-Verify. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. All employment is decided based on qualifications, merit, and business need.All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or any other group protected by law.Job: PROJECT/PROGRAMME MANAGEMENTOrganization: Virtual LearningSchedule: FULL_TIMEReq ID: 5589

Keywords: Pearson, St. Paul , Agile Project Manager, Executive , Saint Paul, Minnesota