Scrum Master

Value Proposition

At Shoprite, you will contribute to the delivery of integrated solutions across the Shoprite Group for some of the most esteemed retail brands in South Africa, utilizing leading-edge technologies. We take pride in being recognized as the largest private sector employer in South Africa and a prominent employer in Africa. Our focus is on attracting, nurturing, and retaining a dedicated and loyal workforce that embodies the Group's culture and organizational goals.

Role Purpose

This engaging position is within the ShopriteX division, collaborating with remarkable brands such as Sixty60.

The Senior Scrum Master’s role is to guide the digital commerce scrum teams in agile development and the attainment of product objectives. This includes defining and refining backlog items, planning and overseeing multiple feature developments, as well as managing sprints/iterations, sprint reviews, and retrospectives, with the goal of delivering high-value increments that align with the Definition of Done. This position utilizes extensive knowledge of scrum software development project management to direct the adoption and application of scrum methodologies within the broader IT team in the domain, and it supports scrum teams in achieving product releases within established parameters, while overseeing communication and team organization.

This role serves as a Servant Leader that fosters trust-based relationships, encourages empowerment and transparency, promotes commitment, and advocates for collaboration, flexibility, empathy, and ethical conduct among the scrum team, stakeholders, and the customers they serve. Additionally, this position facilitates training, coaching, and optimizing scrum practices for the larger team by ensuring effective scrum methodologies are followed. The projects associated with this role are typically highly complex and may occasionally impact other domains. We are seeking a proactive, self-driven, and enthusiastic scrum master within Digital Technologies responsible for enabling our ShopriteX Digital Commerce division.

Role Description

Scrum Team and Service Delivery

• Ensure that relevant teams are adhering to core Agile principles of collaboration, prioritization, accountability, and visibility per applicable standards.
• Contribute to the product development process alongside the Product Owner and the scrum delivery team to manage the delivery of solutions and product launches.
• Oversee communication pathways within the scrum team to foster a trustworthy and secure team atmosphere.
• Propel the development and upkeep of team standards to enhance team performance.
• Equip the team with necessary prerequisites prior to sprints, enabling them to meet expectations.
• Manage team delivery to guarantee that sprint commitments remain on track, minimizing external disruptions and distractions whenever feasible to ensure peak team effectiveness. This includes providing guidance on human resource implementation plans such as appraisals, recruitment, skills development, and leave, as well as developing the team resource allocation plan to ensure effective service delivery.
• Closely manage key dependencies to ensure successful delivery.
• Identify and address issues, blockers, and risks early to facilitate their resolution, enabling the team to perform optimally.
• Monitor and ensure that delivery aligns with the Definition of Ready and/or Done.
• Enhance delivery velocity and focus on continuous improvement to better meet business requirements.
• Facilitate discussions that lead to collective decision-making, goal-setting, and conflict resolution within the team to ensure optimal functioning.
• Maintain process documentation in line with best practice standards.

Sprint and Backlog Management

• Oversee the planning of prioritized sprint backlogs from both business and technical perspectives.
• Facilitate agile ceremonies including sprint kick-off, daily stand-ups, sprint reviews, and sprint retrospectives to achieve business objectives.
• Drive backlog maintenance and facilitate the resolution of defects/bugs to meet business needs.
• Educate Product Owners on managing the product backlog, actively overseeing it and preparing for the subsequent sprint.
• Monitor and ensure focus on planned items for the sprint, and identify and communicate unplanned work to the Product Owner to manage expectations and delivery.

Stakeholder Management: Feedback and Reporting

• Promote team velocity and sprint progress with relevant stakeholders.
• Address any issues that may impact the team's delivery, removing barriers between stakeholders and the team.
• Implement the product definition while providing feedback on user experience and user interface during the overlapping phase.

Qualifications and Experience

• Degree or Diploma in Information Technology or a related field – (essential).
• Scrum Master foundation certification (e.g., Certified Scrum Master / Agile Certified Practitioner / Professional Scrum Master) or relevant Scrum Master training - (essential).
• A Scrum Master with advanced knowledge and experience in delivering diverse IT solutions through the scrum software development methodology, driving agility within development teams, and managing sprints and backlogs across various environments - (essential).
• Substantial experience managing multiple scrum teams and feature development within a single backlog, along with an understanding of standard software development roles and responsibilities - (essential).

Our Group and its operating companies are dedicated to fostering, embracing, and maintaining a diverse workplace that values the unique talents, perspectives, backgrounds, and abilities that enrich our organization. We strive to create an environment where everyone is valued and feels included.

We are committed to Employment Equity in our internal and external recruitment processes.

Please note that by responding to this application and providing your personal information, you affirm your explicit and informed consent for Shoprite Checkers (Pty) Ltd and all its subsidiaries and affiliated companies to process your personal information for consideration of your application for this position. All personal information you provide will only be used and/or retained for the purposes for which it was collected, after which it will be permanently destroyed. Your information will be retained only if required by law or if you have consented to its retention for an extended period.

If you do not receive a response from us within 14 days, please consider your application unsuccessful. Any personal information collected as part of your application will be securely destroyed in accordance with South African legislation.