Pod Leader (Agile Program Manager)
Our scaled Agile Delivery Methodology is transforming our IT teams in cohorts of Pods and Squads. If a Squad is defined as the smallest number of people required to deliver product functionality to market then a Pod is the smallest number of Squads required to deliver a complex product or collection of integrated products to market. Pods exist to create Products and services that deliver on business focused Missions.
What can you expect?
We in Product Delivery Engineering are on a mission: to transform the way our business and IT teams work together to unlock the benefits of rapid delivery of quality, secure software to market by empowered teams. We will do this by rolling out our Agile at Scale Delivery model. You will lead one or more Pods and will be responsible for their delivery of working software through to production.
We will rely on you to:
- Run the software delivery Pod ensuring there are smooth and efficient processes for getting software through from requirements to working in production
- Focus is value creation, growth and serving customers
- Responsible for ensuring your pod is resourced with skill individuals working with our internal resource provider teams
- e2e Delivery of a group of software Products
- Be a leader for between 5-8 squads: around 30 – 100 people
- You will have an Enterprise mind-set able to foster collaboration, break down silos, identify and work to remove blockers
- You will be a recognised Agile Expert intimately familiar with the processes and practices required for successful and sustainable delivery
- Solid understanding of Software Development, Architecture, Test Engineering and Security best practice in an Agile environment
- Responsible for the holistic costs of the pod; its resources, infrastructure and licensing
- Pods support the full lifecycle of a product and we operate on the philosophy that the work comes to the team. You will need to consider tech debt, obsolescence, security and modernisation
- Ensure our Agile at scale governance and ceremonies are in place and effective
- Working with the wider team plan complex product releases
- Our standard metrics are visible and actively being used to drive decision making
- Own the Continuous Improvement backlog for the Pod. This is the key mechanism by which we deliver improvements for the following; time to market, efficiency and quality
- You will provide coaching and support to your pod and be responsible for line management of squad leaders
- In addition to your day-to-day Pod leadership activities you will be assigned 1 or more workstream leadership opportunities that will deliver cross-functional benefits to our organisation
What you need to have:
- Significant organisational Agile transformation experience and be able to demonstrate proven strategies. Our business has a complex technological landscape and a large portfolio of revenue generating applications. We also have significant security processes and legislative requirements to protect our customers and their data
- Previous experience of Agile Programme management eg (RTE role)
- You will be expected to have a broad technical understanding to support your Agile credentials from software architecture through test, DevOps practices, security and operational run
- A metrics driven approach to delivery analysis and drive out systems and processes that help define and report on the metrics we believe to be important
- Excellent stakeholder management skills. As we work to transform IT and Business into a truly Agile organisation you will need to influence and coach senior executives, many of whom will be new to Agile
- Pods and squads are distributed globally and utilise a mix of permanent and partner staff who work largely remotely so experience of working with and motivating distributed teams is vital
- Financially astute you will instil Financial Management Disciplines into your team and be accountable for Engineering Delivery spend reporting and tracking
- You will be collaborative, Inquisitive and interested in technology and best practices
What makes you stand out:
- Experience of a wide range of Technology roles is desirable, ideally with some form of development engineering or Agile Programme management background
- Rounded and holistic understanding of Agile Methodologies such as CSP, SAFe RTE, KMP & ICP-ACC Certifications or their equivalent
