Agile Coach

Job description

The Agile Coach is responsible for enabling and governing the Dynata Program Increment (PI) process and for managing Dynata’s Release Train Engineers (RTEs), who operate the Agile Release Trains. This role serves as a catalyst for organizational change, driving the adoption of SAFe principles and practices across Product, Engineering, and Operations. Rather than directing tasks, the Agile Coach acts as a servant leader and facilitator, guiding RTEs, Scrum Masters, teams, and leadership to improve flow, optimize delivery, and scale business value. The Agile Coach ensures consistent adoption of the Dynata PI process across assigned programs and manages the RTEs who operate the Agile Release Trains. The role is accountable for quarterly synchronization between business and technology, successful execution of PI Planning events, and effective facilitation of cross‑team ceremonies throughout the increment. The Agile Coach ensures delivery predictability, continuous improvement, and alignment to business value. The Agile Coach is directly involved in the following areas: Agile coaching and SAFe framework adoption. Facilitation and governance of PI Planning events. Management and development of RTEs who run the ART operating rhythm. Program‑level continuous improvement through Inspect & Adapt. Compliance with health, safety, and work environment standards. General Responsibilities Govern and enable the Dynata PI process across assigned programs, ensuring consistent adoption of SAFe‑aligned practices and Dynata delivery standards. Lead, coach, and develop Release Train Engineers responsible for operating Agile Release Trains. Serve as a servant leader and transformation catalyst for Product, Engineering, and leadership teams. Ensure quarterly alignment between business and technology through PI Planning readiness and execution. Establish and monitor program‑level performance standards, including predictability, flow, dependency management, and delivery against PI objectives. Provide advisory support to program and executive stakeholders, surfacing risks, trade‑offs, and improvement opportunities. Process Responsibilities PI Planning and Pre‑Planning Define standards, templates, and governance for PI Planning and pre‑PI refinement. Ensure RTEs prepare teams and stakeholders for PI Planning, including capacity planning, backlog readiness, and dependency identification. Validate PI Planning outputs such as objectives, Program Boards, risks, and dependencies. In‑PI Execution Oversee ART execution through RTEs, ensuring cross‑team ceremonies are effective and outcome‑driven. Monitor dependencies, risks, and impediments, ensuring clear escalation paths. Track program‑level metrics and drive corrective actions through RTEs and leadership. Inspect & Adapt Ensure Inspect & Adapt events result in actionable improvements tied to measurable outcomes. Promote a culture of continuous improvement and ensure root‑cause issues are addressed. Synthesize insights across programs to identify systemic issues and recommend organizational improvements. Cross‑Cutting Responsibilities Coach leaders, Product Managers, Scrum Masters, and teams on agile principles and scaled delivery. Ensure adherence to Dynata Product & Engineering processes and agile governance standards. Maintain standards for program‑level artifacts such as Program Boards, PI Objectives, dashboards, and dependency tracking. Support organizational change management and help teams mature in agile practices. Partner with Product, Engineering, and Architecture leadership to improve alignment between business priorities and execution capability. Continuously refine Dynata’s agile operating model based on feedback, performance data, and evolving business needs. As Dynata’s adoption of SAFe matures, the Agile Coach role will evolve from operational involvement toward systemic optimization, portfolio strategy, and business value alignment. Knowledge and Skills Backlog and Planning Tools Jira (including Jira Plans), Azure DevOps, Linear. Familiarity with Dynata’s two‑project Jira model. Visualization and Program Board Tools Miro, Mural, Lucidchart, Aha! Roadmaps. Documentation and Knowledge Management Confluence, Notion, SharePoint, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace. Communication and Collaboration Microsoft Teams, Slack, Zoom, Google Meet. Live Polling and Surveys Mentimeter, Slido, Poll Everywhere. Metrics and Dashboards Tableau, Power BI, Jira Dashboards, EazyBI, Monday. Spreadsheets and Modeling Excel, Google Sheets. Frameworks and Methodologies SAFe 6.0, Scrum, Kanban, Lean. Working knowledge of the Dynata Product & Engineering Process Role Requirements Education Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field. Preferred: Graduate‑level qualification in agile project management, organizational transformation, or a related area. Minimum of two active SAFe or Agile certifications (SAFe RTE preferred). Experience More than five years of experience leading software teams at the program level (typically 5–8 years). Minimum two years coordinating multiple teams simultaneously. Minimum three PI Planning events facilitated or co‑facilitated. Training Experience in leadership without authority, facilitation of large‑scale events (50+ participants), executive coaching, cross‑functional communication, flow and predictability metrics, dependency management, and conflict resolution. Relevant certifications such as SAFe RTE, SPC, SASM, PSM, or ICP‑ACC. At Dynata, we deliver the highest quality first-party data to help businesses around the world gain precise insights, activate the right audiences, and confidently measure impact. With industry-leading respondent accuracy, reliability, and a commitment to continuous improvement, Dynata is the trusted foundation for smarter decision-making. At Dynata, we are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible environment where every employee and customer feels valued, respected, and supported. We strive to build a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. Dynata welcomes and encourages applications from individuals with disabilities and is dedicated to fostering a work culture that supports everyone. Accommodations are available upon request for all aspects of the selection process. Dynata is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, marital status, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other legally protected status under applicable laws. T he base salary range for this position in is $100K-$130K/yr; however, base pay offered may vary depending on location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. A discretionary incentive program may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical and other benefits, dependent on full-time employment status.