Agile Coach

JOB PURPOSE

AXA is operating its global Managed Public Infrastructure server hosting Platforms on AZURE and on AWS. These platforms serve more than 30 entities worldwide and host more than 7000 virtual machines in many cloud regions.

The role of the Agile Coach in this context focuses on Release Train Engineer to manage the MPI agile release train and support and secure method adherence. The delivery is cross-department and requires an autonomous and proactive approach to facilitating ceremonies and PI-planning and execution. Secure continuous improvement including inspect & adapt.

Lead the preparation needed, provide the agenda & means, facilitate the SAFe ceremonies, and follow up on action plans.

POSITION & MISSIONS

The Release Train Engineer acts as a facilitator and coach related to Agile processes and execution of the product development. He/She focuses on supporting value delivery through the adoption of Agile best practices, a continuous improvement mindset, and operational excellence.

As an Agile Coach, you will:

• Harmonize and communicate methodology and practices within the product teams
• Monitor risks and dependencies with internal and external teams, escalate impediments
• Facilitate Agile Release Train (“ART”) ceremonies such as Program Increment planning, System demo, Inspect & Adapt
• Coach SCRUM masters and product teams in Lean-Agile practices and mindsets
• Assist in estimating features and tracking their execution
• Define and share metrics on product development, ensure continuous improvement through workshops, retrospectives, and action plan deliverables
• Support the Product Manager in leading the users’ communities
• Encourage collaboration between teams to self-improve

As a Product RTE, you will:

• PI Planning:
  • Organize the refinement sessions with the FDM and the tech teams
  • Follow up with FDM & PO on the progress of the refinement activities
  • Manage the program board
  • Organize prioritization exercises
  • Define the agenda of the PI planning, approve the logistics
  • Lead preparation calls with PMO, Product Manager, Program Manager & Scrum Masters
• Inspect & Adapt:
  • Organize a retrospective with the Products teams & users
  • Follow up on actions raised during the retrospective
• PI Execution:
  • Follow blockers, issues, and achievements in daily meetings
  • Organize & facilitate Sprint demos
  • PO sync: follow the execution of the PI plan in weekly calls with Program Manager, Product Manager, and Product Owners
  • Align on a daily basis with Product Manager on issues and information that might impact the scope of the PI
• Continuous Improvement:
  • Identify pain points related to the practices followed by the teams and initiate actions to deliver improvements
  • Scrum Masters alignment: Lead an Agile backlog to cover the action plan on product practices and follow its progress on daily calls with Scrum Masters
  • Sub-Products & External teams alignment: liaise with external teams on dependencies to improve alignment of practices, follow any external activities that might impact our processes
  • Set up workshops and trainings on practices to the Product teams
  • Define KPIs to monitor the correct execution

Attitude

The person will have to manage the complexity of a global organization operating in a decentralized organization. Goals can only be achieved through:

• Comfortable interacting with a variety of stakeholders involved in the projects
• Embracing the new AXA values and new ways of working with courage to promote them against tradition
• Strong change management skills with practical experience of transformation in an international environment
• Strives for excellence with deliverables of high quality and ability to work in sometimes tight planning
• Demonstrates to be a strong team member with a collaborative mindset

Experience

• Master's degree with 8 years of overall experience in project and/or product management in an IT environment
• Experience in product development or delivery of a critical infrastructure system or application
• Mastering Agile practices and experienced in SAFe/SCRUM. Previous experience as Scrum Master in an Agile Release Train or Release Train Engineer ideally
• Proven ability to thrive in a matrixed, multi-cultural, and global environment

Technical Skills:

• Expertise in Agile methodology (SCRUM & SAFe frameworks), hands-on Change management techniques
• Strong knowledge of product management activities, product delivery processes, and development cycle
• Good knowledge and hands-on experience in the Cloud, ideally for both providers AWS and AZURE

Transversal Skills:

• Problem solving, strong analytical skills
• Strong stakeholder management capabilities and capacity to reconcile different views
• Leadership to convince without any hierarchical function and drive different teams to one goal
• Excellent writing and oral communication skills
• Ability to work in a matrix environment
• Considering the multi-cultural environment, fluent English knowledge in speaking and writing is mandatory