What is the role of a scrum master?
Scrum masters help agile teams follow the scrum technique by acting as facilitators. They're the ones in charge of the big picture of each sprint's growth.
Scrum masters delegate tasks to ensure that the team's work is compliant with the agile methodology. The methodology encourages dialogue and addresses difficulties swiftly. The purpose of scrum is to increase productivity and offer value to clients as quickly as possible.
The role of scrum master has been gaining prominence since the 90s.
The average entry-level scrum master job salary is $99,492. The salary touches six figures in some organizations.
Also Read: Scrum Master Salary in 2022
These figures are surely lucrative. If you wish to learn about the top skills and requirements for a scrum master, then you are at the right place!
Read on to understand the scrum master job description and the related FAQs:
- What does a scrum master do?
- What are the top 7 responsibilities of a scrum master?
- What does an entry-level scrum master job description look like?
- What does a mid-level scrum master job description look like?
- What does a senior scrum master job description look like?
- What are the scrum master certification requirements?
What Does a Scrum Master do?
The scrum master is also a servant leader, coach, or facilitator. Despite the use of the word "master," the scrum master has no strategic or substantive choices over the project.
Scrum Master isn't a managerial role either and isn't solely responsible for a project's success.
Instead, the responsibility and accountability are shared by the whole team, with the scrum master's role being limited to overseeing the process and taking the project forward.
What is Scrum?
Hirotaki Takeuchi and Ikujiro Nonaka created the "scrum" methodology for product development. Scrum is a prominent agile software development approach that enables a cross-functional team to self-organize and complete projects swiftly.
The scrum master facilitates the team's daily standup meeting every day and will lead these sessions by asking the following questions:
- What did you do yesterday?
- What will you do today?
- Are there any obstacles in your path?
Scrum Master Roles and Responsibilities
A scrum master's job is to keep the project moving ahead. The top 7 responsibilities of a scrum master include:
- Assisting the team to determine their goals
- Coach team members
- Host daily stand-up meetings
- Assist the product owner with the product backlog
- Remove roadblocks
- Shield the team from distractions
- Teach Scrum practices and principles
Scrum Master Job Description Example
Being a scrum master is all about assisting others in completing tasks. A scrum master does not develop code or test plans. They communicate, coordinate, and facilitate doing whatever is necessary to assist the team in completing the task at hand.
Have a glance at the below given real-time examples to know scrum master duties in 2022. These examples will show you different levels of scrum master responsibilities:
Entry Level Scrum Master Job Description
We seek a program manager/ scrum master to support and assist our scrum teams. The position is responsible for managing and tracking the team’s progress. A perfect fit would have good client interfacing skills, a self-learning attitude, and the ability to take initiative.
As a scrum master, you will be responsible for:
- Creating and managing project management plans for scope, time, risk, and quality management plans
- Working directly with the product manager and delivery team to streamline project planning, weekly operational planning, and KPI reporting, among other things
- Facilitating cross-team communication and informing the product manager and engineering manager of changes
- Conduct sprint planning, daily scrum, retrospectives, demos, and other meetings
- Work closely with product owner in backlog grooming and management
- Monitoring team tasks in project management tool every day
Also Read: How to Draft a Scrum Master Resume?
Mid-Level Scrum Master Job Description
We're looking for an experienced scrum master who can supervise and guide scrum teams. You should have a good knowledge of agile methods and the ability to successfully lead and coach development teams. Excellent communication, project management, and problem-solving skills are required.
As a scrum master you will be:
- Using agile methodology to plan, manage, and deliver solutions
- Training, mentoring, and supporting scrum teams to follow agile methodology
- Determining and managing issues, risks, and action items
- Scheduling and facilitating scrum events, standup meetings, and decision-making processes
- Monitoring progress and helping teams to make improvements
- Planning and organizing demos and product/software testing
- Ensuring the proper use of collaborative processes
- Removing impediments for the scrum team
- Tracking project deliverables and financials
- Preparing and presenting status reports to stakeholders
Senior Level Scrum Master Job Description
We need a Senior Scrum Master to enable the realization of commercial outcomes through the product lifecycle. The perfect fit for this position will perform as a servant leader to support managers and directors of the company.
As an Agile Project Manager, you will:
- Manage the end-to-end delivery of complex commercial solutions
- Establish and control project constraints
- Manage communication with all project stakeholders
- Plan and manage the overall progress, resolving issues and managing risks
- Lead and coach the project team according to the needs of the individual project
- Ensure that the scrum team adheres to Scrum theory, practices, and the 5 scrum values
- Provide clear ownership for resolving all project risks and issues
- Lead improvements to the efficiency and effectiveness of the project deliverables
- Identify areas of improvement and brainstorm solutions
- Provide regular feedback to project team members
- Report progress at regular intervals to the sponsor and use the relevant practices defined by our leadership team
- Develop and maintain effective relationships with all customers, including suppliers and third parties
- Work closely with the identified business manager(s) across the business to ensure they are engaged with the project
- Assist the program manager with the management of the project budget
Forecast and validate the business case/benefits throughout the course of the project
Also Read: How to Prepare for Scrum Master Interview Questions?
Scrum Master Training and Certification
Scrum Alliance offers a widely recognized Certified Scrum Master (CSM) certification to professionals who finish the course and pass the official CSM test.
Other industry courses and certifications can help you learn the principles of the field and demonstrate your competency to future employers.
Scrum.org, for example, provides Professional Scrum Master (PSM) Certification.
The following certificates are also given by the organization:
- Level I PSM(which demonstrates basic scrum proficiency)
- Level II PSM(which demonstrates advanced scrum proficiency)
- Level III PSM(which indicates a distinguished level of scrum proficiency)
Some agile thought leaders also believe scrum masters should complete the Certified Scrum Developer course to fulfill their scrum master roles with expertise.
Key Takeaways
A scrum master facilitates operations by helping teams follow the agile methodology. Hence, you need to be well-organized and responsible to grow as a scrum master in America.
Here are some key points that will help you grow:
- Read and analyze the job description carefully as per your experience level
- Draft the resume after you have read the job description
- Learn the essential skills that you lack as a scrum master
- Build a professional scrum master resume by picking technical words from the job description
- Send your job application with a scrum master resume and cover letter
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