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- Tasks: Lead agile change and optimise workflows in a dynamic university project.
- Company: Join the University of Manchester, a leading institution with bold digital ambitions.
- Benefits: Generous holiday allowance, excellent pension scheme, and wellbeing support.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on teaching and student experience through innovative projects.
- Qualifications: Experience in agile frameworks and leading mixed teams in complex environments.
- Other info: Flexible working arrangements and a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 52000 £ per year.
Job Description
Job Title: Scrum Master
Location: Oxford Road, Manchester
Salary: £47,389 to £58,225 per annum depending on relevant experience
Job Type: Fixed Term – 24 months, Full Time
Closing Date: 06/10/2025
Are you ready to drive agile change at one of the UK's leading universities?
The University of Manchester invites applications for the position of Scrum Master within the Evolve Integrations Project, an initiative delivering essential new capabilities to enhance how we connect with and serve our community. This full-time, fixed-term role is vital to ensuring the successful delivery of project outcomes by implementing agile methodologies, tools, and techniques to optimise workflows through ongoing improvement cycles.
We are seeking a Scrum Master with a proven track record of excelling in dynamic environments, embracing complex challenges, and achieving significant results. The successful candidate will collaborate effectively with staff, contractors, and consultants, pragmatically applying agile practices while adapting to shifting priorities and diverse working styles. While sprints, retrospectives, and ceremonies form part of the methodology, the emphasis remains on flexibility, facilitation, and achieving outcome-focused delivery.
Who we're looking for:
- As an adaptable Scrum Master, you excel in dynamic and complex environments. You demonstrate the ability to adapt effectively and facilitate change.
- You possess an in-depth understanding of agile frameworks (Scrum, Kanban, SAFe, etc.) and know how to apply them with pragmatism and purpose.
- You work well with both people and processes, focusing on mentoring, clear communication, and removing obstacles. Your role goes beyond standard routines to empower teams and deliver value efficiently. When working with stakeholders unfamiliar with agile, you provide guidance and ongoing support to keep projects moving forward.
- Your approach prioritises practical outcomes, rapid learning, and continuous improvement over rigid adherence to process frameworks.
- You efficiently identify potential obstacles and take proactive measures to address them.
- You possess the ability to analyse key metrics, identify trends, and promptly deliver insightful reports.
What we're looking for:
We're looking for a pragmatic, adaptable Scrum Master who thrives in complexity and who has:
- Experience leading mixed teams (staff, contractors, consultants) in complex, high-stakes projects.
- Proven ability to adapt agile practices to fit real-world delivery, not just theory.
- Confidence engaging stakeholders who may be new to agile, building understanding and alignment.
- Coached mixed teams and building buy-in with non-technical stakeholders.
- Confident with agile tools (Jira, Confluence, Planner, Monday).
- Knowledge of cloud-based technologies and platform-as-a-service (desirable).
- Certified Scrum Master (CSM) or Professional Scrum Master (PSM) (desirable).
- A pragmatic, outcome-focused mindset
Campus presence: you can ideally commit to being on-site at least 1 day a week initially, enabling high-touch collaboration and team cohesion. If you're excited by complexity, thrive on experimentation, and want to shape agile delivery in a transformative University programme, this is the role for you.
Why join us?
Be part of a world-class university with bold digital ambitions. Work on projects that have real impact on teaching, research, and student experience. Join a collaborative IT culture where your ideas and growth are valued.
What you'll get in return:
- Generous holiday allowance, excellent pension scheme, and staff wellbeing support.
Inclusion matters here.
We're proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We value diversity of thought and background, and we know teams are stronger when they reflect the communities we serve. If you're excited by this opportunity but don't meet every requirement, we still encourage you to apply.
As an equal opportunities employer we welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of age, sex, gender (or gender identity), ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation and transgender status. All appointments are made on merit.
Our University is positive about flexible working.
Hybrid working arrangements may be considered.
Please be aware that due to the number of applications we are unfortunately not able to provide individual feedback on your application.
Please note that we are unable to respond to enquiries, accept CVs or applications from Recruitment Agencies.
Any CV's submitted by a recruitment agency will be considered a gift.
Please click APPLY to be redirected to our website to complete an application form.
Candidates with experience of; Scrum Lead, Agile Coach, Product Owner, Project Manager, Program Manager, may also be considered for this role.
Scrum Master employer: The University of Manchester
Contact Detail:
The University of Manchester Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Scrum Master
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections on LinkedIn or at industry events. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by practising common Scrum Master scenarios. Think about how you’d handle team dynamics or stakeholder engagement. The more you rehearse, the more confident you'll feel when it’s showtime!
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your agile expertise during interviews. Be ready to discuss specific tools and methodologies you've used, like Jira or Kanban. This will demonstrate your hands-on experience and adaptability.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search.
We think you need these skills to ace Scrum Master
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Agile Expertise: Make sure to highlight your experience with agile methodologies like Scrum and Kanban. We want to see how you've applied these frameworks in real-world scenarios, so share specific examples that demonstrate your adaptability and problem-solving skills.
Tailor Your Application: Don’t just send a generic application! Take the time to tailor your CV and cover letter to reflect the job description. We’re looking for someone who understands our needs and can articulate how their experience aligns with the role of Scrum Master.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, clarity is key. Use straightforward language and avoid jargon unless it’s relevant. We appreciate a well-structured application that gets straight to the point while showcasing your personality and passion for agile delivery.
Apply Through Our Website: Remember to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows us you’re serious about joining our team at the University of Manchester.
How to prepare for a job interview at The University of Manchester
✨Know Your Agile Frameworks
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of agile frameworks like Scrum, Kanban, and SAFe. Be ready to discuss how you've applied these methodologies in real-world scenarios, especially in dynamic environments. This will show that you can adapt theory into practice.
✨Prepare for Stakeholder Engagement
Since you'll be working with stakeholders who may not be familiar with agile, think about how you can explain concepts clearly and build their understanding. Prepare examples of how you've successfully engaged non-technical stakeholders in the past.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Be ready to discuss specific obstacles you've encountered in previous projects and how you proactively addressed them. Highlight your ability to analyse metrics and trends, as this will demonstrate your outcome-focused mindset.
✨Emphasise Team Collaboration
Collaboration is key in this role, so prepare to talk about your experience leading mixed teams. Share examples of how you've mentored team members and facilitated effective communication, ensuring everyone is aligned and working towards common goals.
