Agile Coach (For independent contractors)

An Agile Coach works with Product and Engineering structures to ensure they are focused on the effective delivery of working software. Agile Coaches work with a variety of roles across multiple, cross-functional teams to shape high performing teams that deliver high value to the business by guiding teams to think customer first. They are focused on continuous improvement and work at all levels to identify improvements, guide stakeholders and teams, and create a culture of psychological safety.Agile Coaches are deployed into an area focusing on a business objective and work with stakeholders and teams to determine where they can best add the most value. Agile Coaches may work on large scale programmes alongside Technical Programme Managers.Agile Coaches have experience in working in an Engineering, Product or design background enabling the coach to pull on a broad range of experiences that working with Engineering teams demands.

Key Responsibilities

Work with teams to deliver working Software

• Is responsible to work with Product and Engineering structures to ensure they are focused on effective delivery of working software, by ensuring they breakdown the work, they think of the customer first, the value we want to achieve and they think about how this might be delivered in the most effective way

  
  

• Is responsible to work with product and engineering teams to ensure there is a culture of continuous improvement, by working with teams/stakeholders where they regularly review, learn and implement effective change

  
  

• Is responsible to solve problems pertaining to the delivery of working software, removing blockers and reducing dependencies by bringing subject matter experts together to agree suitable outcome

  
  

• Is responsible to influence product teams to focus on the most effective delivery metrics (ideally working software) by working with teams to understand their delivery data, what this is showing them and how they might use the data to provide the most effective measure of success.

  
  

• Is responsible to influence individuals and teams on the continuous delivery of working software, pulling from delivery function principles.

Influencing Behavioral Change

• Is responsible to influence product teams to continually learn and adapt by creating a culture where teams are open to try new approaches to delivery working software

  
  

• Is responsible to influence teams to get early feedback by delivering working software in a single batch

  
  

• Is responsible to evolve a team's culture to one of continuous improvement by highlighting problems and allowing teams to solve them

  
  

• Is responsible to create sustainable pace by improving a team's planning and continuous delivery practices

  
  

• Is responsible to instill a continuous improvement mindset by coaching and teaching teams the tools and techniques to continuously evolve their ways of working

Continuous Improvement

• Is responsible to work at all levels to identify improvement by grasping the current situation, being able to articulate this clearly and define what the direction for improvement is.

  
  

• Is responsible to achieve a target condition by recognizing where you are, where you want to be and the steps to get there.

  
  

• Is responsible to act on a decision, take ownership and demonstrate by doing.

Culture of psychological safety

• Has sufficient knowledge to enable teams to freely present ideas and thoughts by adopting a culture of openness and healthy conflict

  
  

• Has sufficient knowledge to identify and adopt a long term sustainable solution by using techniques like root cause analysis or 5 whys.

Stakeholder Management

• Has sufficient knowledge to identify key stakeholders of a project, plan or decision, by applying an understanding of how the parts of the organization and people are impacted.

  
  

• Has sufficient knowledge to create buy-in with stakeholders by effective communication, providing information and addressing their needs and concerns.

  
  

• Has sufficient knowledge to analyze the impact of the change brought by the project on stakeholders and design a change management approach by applying change management principles and communication strategies.

Influencing

• Is responsible to build commitment and obtain support for initiatives by applying emotional intelligence, persuasive communication, and aligning stakeholder expectations

Negotiating

• Is responsible to work towards win-win outcomes by understanding the needs and motives of others and responding to them during negotiations.

Consulting / Advising

• Is responsible to provide advisory services and solutions to relevant areas within the organization as required, by combining understanding of others challenges and needs with problem solving and effective communication.

Coaching and Mentoring

• Is responsible to use own experience and knowledge to coach or guide stakeholders at all levels, when appropriate; improves the overall performance of stakeholders by sharing experience and approaches to work.

Requirements of special knowledge/skills

• Full understanding of the agile principles

  
  

• Differing agile methodologies (e.g scrum or kanban)

  
  

• Knowledge in the software delivery life cycle including but not limited to continuous delivery and walking skeletons

  
  

• Relevant background in an Engineering or product role