Scrum Master (Chicago)

Title- Scrum Master

Location- Chicago, IL , Onsite

Role Summary

We are seeking a Technical Project Manager (TPM)/ Scrum Master with proven experience managing projects in complex, fast-moving environments. The ideal candidate brings strong expertise in Agile (Scrum/Kanban), excels in cross-functional coordination, and ensures predictable, high-quality delivery outcomes.

Jira is a must-have, with deep hands-on experience managing backlogs, boards, workflows, and reporting.

Key Responsibilities

• Project & Delivery Leadership
• Manage end-to-end delivery across the full software development lifecycle (SDLC)—requirements, planning, execution, deployment, stabilization.
• Own project plans, scope, schedules, risks, and delivery commitments.
• Lead Agile ceremonies: sprint planning, standups, backlog refinement, reviews, retrospectives.
• Ensure strong Kanban flow, WIP governance, and continuous flow efficiency.
• Agile / Kanban Execution
• Use Jira extensively to manage team boards, workflows, velocity, cycle time, burndowns, and dashboards.
• Drive backlog grooming and prioritization with Product Owners.
• Improve team throughput and delivery predictability through measurable improvements.
• Identify bottlenecks and implement Agile best practices to optimize flow.
• Stakeholder Communication & Leadership
• Act as the primary point of contact for updates, risks, dependencies, and delivery status.
• Facilitate alignment across Engineering, Product, QA, Infrastructure/DevOps, and customer teams.
• Provide clear, transparent communication tailored to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Risk, Issue, and Change Management
• Proactively identify risks, dependencies, and blockers; drive mitigation and escalation when needed.
• Manage change requests through structured change control and clear communication.
• Maintain RAID logs and ensure timely resolution of critical issues.
• Deployment & Release Management
• Plan and coordinate releases across environments, partnering with DevOps/IT teams.
• Own go-live readiness, cutover plans, and post-deployment stabilization.
• Ensure appropriate validation, rollback plans, and deployment governance.
• Metrics & Reporting
• Build and maintain Jira dashboards and reporting views using:
• Velocity & sprint health
• Burndown charts
• Cycle time / lead time
• Throughput and flow metrics
• Defect trends
• Provide weekly executive summaries highlighting progress, blockers, and next steps.

Core Competencies

• Jira project governance and reporting (must-have)
• Scrum/Kanban execution excellence
• Stakeholder and communication leadership
• Risk, dependency, and change management
• Technical understanding of software architectures and deployments
• Strong ownership and accountability mindset