Scrum Master/Associate Project Manager

Purpose of the Role : As a Scrum Master/Associate Project Manager, you will play a crucial role in facilitating Agile practices and processes, ensuring the successful delivery of software development projects, including Analytics, Data Engineering, AI, and GenAI solutions. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in Scrum methodologies, Agile project management, and stakeholder management. Key Responsibilities : Agile Delivery & Scrum Facilitation : - Facilitate Scrum ceremonies including Sprint Planning, Daily Stand-ups, Sprint Reviews, Sprint Retrospectives, and Backlog Refinement. - Coach Agile teams on Scrum principles and Agile best practices. - Foster continuous improvement through effective retrospectives and actionable outcomes. - Ensure adherence to Agile processes while promoting team accountability and self-organization. Project Planning & Delivery Management : - Collaborate with Product Owners and technical teams to define sprint goals, release plans, and project milestones. - Monitor project schedules, sprint progress, resource utilization, and delivery timelines. - Track risks, dependencies, blockers, and ensure timely resolution. - Ensure project deliverables are completed on time while maintaining quality standards. Stakeholder & Client Management : - Act as the primary coordination point between clients, business stakeholders, and delivery teams. - Communicate project status, sprint progress, risks, and mitigation plans to stakeholders. - Facilitate discussions to resolve project issues and align stakeholder expectations. - Maintain transparency throughout the project lifecycle. Team Coordination : - Coordinate activities across Data Engineers, Data Scientists, AI Engineers, QA Engineers, Developers, and Business Analysts. - Encourage collaboration and improve communication across cross-functional teams. - Support onboarding of new team members and facilitate knowledge sharing. Process Improvement : - Identify opportunities to improve Agile maturity and delivery efficiency. - Monitor Agile metrics such as Sprint Velocity, Burndown Charts, Lead Time, and Cycle Time. - Drive continuous process improvements to enhance delivery predictability and team productivity. Working Relationships : Reporting To : Project Manager / Delivery Manager Internal Stakeholders : Product Owners, Engineering Teams, QA Teams, Data Science Teams, Business Analysts External Stakeholders : Clients Skills / Competencies Required : Technical Skills : 1. Strong understanding of Agile methodologies including Scrum and Kanban. 2. Experience managing software development projects in Analytics, Data Engineering, AI/ML, or GenAI environments. 3. Good understanding of Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), Agile practices, and release management. 4. Hands-on experience with project management tools such as Jira, Azure DevOps, ClickUp, or similar platforms. 5. Basic understanding of cloud platforms, data engineering, AI/ML concepts, and software development workflows. 6. Ability to understand technical discussions and effectively coordinate with engineering teams. Soft Skills : 1. Excellent leadership, facilitation, and conflict resolution skills. 2. Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to engage technical and business stakeholders. 3. Excellent planning, prioritization, organizational, and time management skills. 4. Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities. 5. Self-driven with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously. 6. High ownership, accountability, and attention to detail. Certifications (Preferred) : - Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) or equivalent certification. - Professional Scrum Master (PSM), PMI-ACP, or SAFe Scrum Master certification will be an added advantage. Academic Qualifications & Experience Required : Educational Qualification : Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related discipline from a recognized institution. Relevant Experience : - 68 years of overall IT industry experience. - Minimum 24 years of experience as a Scrum Master, Associate Project Manager, Agile Project Coordinator, or similar role. - Preferred background in QA Automation, Business Analysis, Software Development, Data Engineering, Analytics, AI/ML, or GenAI projects. - Experience working with distributed Agile teams and client-facing project delivery. Preferred Candidate Profile : - Strong Agile practitioner with excellent project delivery and stakeholder management skills. - Experience working in Analytics, AI, Data Engineering, or Digital Transformation projects. - Ability to coordinate multiple stakeholders while ensuring sprint commitments are achieved. - Comfortable interacting with clients and senior leadership. - Willingness to travel to customer locations based on project requirements. - Experience managing end-to-end project execution from planning through delivery. - Passion for continuous learning and driving Agile best practices across teams.