Scrum Master

About us

At Aflac Northern Ireland the intention is for our teams to continually adapt and reinvent their skills and capabilities over time as technologies change and evolve. As we evolve the company we are looking to progress our Agile capabilities and have an opportunity for those that want to develop their career.

This role would suit someone who is currently a Project Manager or playing a leading role on a software engineering team. We know that there are transferable skills that support this transition, and we want to support you with the right skills and training if this is an area that interests you. So even if you do not have a lot of hands‑on agile experience, but have relevant experience with technology projects, this could be the opportunity for you!

We will provide full training and support from our agile organisation and give you time to learn the role. For us to teach you, you’ll need to be open and willing to learn so we’ll be on the lookout for someone who can demonstrate the following:

• First and foremost, a desire to learn and adapt.
• A desire to drive continuous improvement.
• Someone who can teach, coach, and facilitate.
• An understanding of servant leadership.
• Effective communication skills.
• An ability to demonstrate courage and empathy.
• Curiosity to experiment.

Although the role is titled “Scrum Master,” we don't limit ourselves with rigid framework adherence. The role will be focused on:

• Coaching the team members in self‑management and cross‑functionality.
• Helping the Product Team focus on creating high‑value increments that meet the Definition of Done.
• Causing the removal of impediments to the Team’s progress.
• Managing the flow of work using Kanban metrics, principles and practices.
• Using data and systems thinking to foster continuous improvement both within and beyond the Team.
• Facilitating stakeholder collaboration as needed.

Below is an overview of the skills and experience we are looking for, but remember, don’t rule yourself out if you don’t have everything on the list – it’s your intellect and your attitude we are really after.

• 5+ years working in software development, with 3+ years in a lead role.
• A proven track record of fostering continuous improvement within team.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skill.
• Ability to coach and train others effectively in Agile technique.
• Strong influencing, conflict resolution, decision making and negotiation skills.
• Ability to learn and quickly adapt to a dynamic environment.
• Bachelor’s degree – preferably in a Computer Science, Engineering, or STEM subject. Comparable commercial experience may also be considered.

• Experience using data and flow metrics to drive continuous improvement.
• Experience coaching teams to inspect and adapt their ways of working using data, and the willingness to challenge or retire practices when they no longer serve the team.
• Experience with different Agile frameworks e.g. Kanban, XP, Lean Software Development, Le SS.
• Experience/knowledge of good engineering practices (e.g. Test Automation, CICD, TDD, paired programming).
• Experience of working with partners in a different timezones.
• Agile certification with evidence of practical application in real-world environments.

Applicants should be located in Northern Ireland and hold the relevant right to work status. We are unfortunately unable to offer sponsorship on this role.