Agile Coach (Marketing Experience Required)
About the Opportunity: Our client is seeking an experienced Agile Coach to support their ongoing Agile transformation. The ideal candidate will possess a deep understanding of Agile methodologies and practices, with a strong ability to facilitate and guide teams through the Agile transformation process. In this role, you will play a crucial part in enhancing project implementation strategies and ensuring effective governance across IT initiatives. Your expertise will help foster an environment of continuous improvement, collaboration, and innovation. Tasks Role Overview: The Agile Coach will work directly with the marketing team, which includes roles such as VP/Director of Marketing, Content Marketing Manager, Art Director, Marketing Operations Manager (also Scrum Master), and others. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of coaching Agile within marketing or creative environments, and will be able to build trust, relate to the teamās unique challenges, and drive practical, hands-on adoption of Agile practices. Key Responsibilities: ⢠Build strong relationships and credibility with a creative, marketing-focused team ⢠Assess current workflows and identify practical Agile improvements tailored to marketing ⢠Facilitate workshops, team events, and hands-on coaching sessions (onsite for 1-2 weeks, then remote) ⢠Introduce and support practical tools for work visualization, capacity planning, and WIP management ⢠Help the team understand and experience the value of Agile, overcoming skepticism and resistance ⢠Collaborate with the Marketing Operations Manager/Scrum Master to reinforce Agile practices ⢠Align coaching with the companyās broader Agile transformation vision and practices (Scrum, SAFe) ⢠Support Product Owner engagement and, if possible, offer guidance on product ownership in a marketing context ⢠Deliver direct, hands-on value with lots of team interaction Core Objectives for the Agile Coach ⢠Build trust and credibility with the marketing team, addressing their skepticism and unique concerns ⢠Identify and demonstrate how marketing work can fit within Scrum and/or SAFe frameworks, adapting Agile practices to suit creative workflows ⢠Secure the marketing teamās buy-in and active participation in Agile practices, ensuring they see the value and sustainability of the approach Requirements Marketing Expertise & Communication Requirements ⢠Must have either: ⢠Marketing background/experience in a corporate environment OR ⢠Direct, proven experience coaching Agile specifically within marketing or creative teams ⢠Must be able to āspeak the languageā of marketingādemonstrating fluency with marketing terminology, workflows, and challenges ⢠Ability to quickly build trust and credibility with creative professionals by relating to their unique context and needs ⢠Candidates without direct marketing experience or a track record of coaching Agile in marketing environments will not be considered Candidate Requirements: ⢠Hands-on experience in marketing or direct experience coaching Agile within marketing teams (required) ⢠Deep understanding of marketing workflows, challenges, and terminology ⢠Practical, hands-on coaching styleāable to āmeet the team where they areā and drive real change ⢠Track record of building trust and credibility with creative professionals ⢠Familiarity with Scrum and SAFe; certifications are a plus but not required ⢠Experience with capacity planning, WIP limits, and work visualization in a marketing context ⢠Ability to provide and adapt proven Agile templates and materials for immediate use ⢠Bonus: Experience supporting Product Owners or product management in marketing teams Engagement Details: ⢠3 month initial engagement, with potential for extension / future opportunities ⢠Initial 1-2 weeks onsitem in San Diego, then fully remote ⢠CEO buy-in and strong executive support for this initiative Apply tot his job