Role Title: Release Train Engineer
Client: Financial Services
Employment Type: Contract
Duration: 1 year- 2025
Location: Remote with travel to NY every 4 weeks (onsite 4 days those weeks)
Role Description:
We are seeking a highly experienced and strategic Senior Release Train Engineer (RTE) to join our team. As a Senior RTE, you will lead and drive the success of a large Agile Release Train (ART) with dependencies across other ARTs. Your role will focus on aligning teams, stakeholders, and processes to deliver value at scale, and you will work closely with senior leadership to drive continuous improvement in Agile practices across the enterprise. You will leverage your deep knowledge of the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) and Agile principles to lead the transformation and execution of large-scale initiatives.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Lead and Facilitate ARTs:
- Oversee and guide a large Agile Release Trains (ART) with dependencies across other ARTs to ensure successful program execution.
- Serve as a servant leader for ART, facilitating key events such as PI Planning, Scrum of Scrums, ART Syncs, and Inspect and Adapt workshops.
- Drive collaboration and communication across ART teams and stakeholders to ensure alignment and the removal of impediments.
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement by encouraging teams to reflect and implement process improvements.
2. Program Delivery and Execution:
- Collaborate with product managers, product owners, and other stakeholders to define program-level objectives and ensure they are translated into clear and achievable team-level deliverables.
- Track ART progress, monitor milestones, and ensure that teams deliver on time, within scope, and meeting quality standards.
- Provide leadership and support during PI Planning sessions, ensuring all dependencies are identified and mitigated.
3. Stakeholder Engagement and Communication:
- Act as the primary point of contact between the ART and senior management, communicating progress, risks, and impediments.
- Present program performance, insights, and recommendations to stakeholders and executives, ensuring transparency and alignment.
- Ensure continuous communication between teams, business units, and stakeholders to manage expectations and drive alignment.
4. Process Optimization:
- Mentor and coach ART teams on Agile methodologies and best practices, including SAFe principles, Scrum, Kanban, and Lean.
- Proactively identify process gaps or inefficiencies and work with teams to implement improvements.
- Ensure Agile maturity across all ART by helping teams evolve their Agile practices and facilitating regular retrospectives and improvement initiatives.
Requirements:
Experience:
- At least 7+ years of experience in Agile frameworks (Scrum, SAFe, Kanban), with 3+ years in a senior or lead RTE role.
- Banking or financial industry experience is highly desirable
- Proven track record of leading a large Agile Release Trains (ART) with dependencies across other ARTs through successful delivery in a large-scale enterprise environment.
- Extensive experience in leading PI Planning, ART Syncs, and other key SAFe ceremonies.
Certifications:
- SAFe Program Consultant (SPC), SAFe Release Train Engineer (RTE), or equivalent Agile certifications.
- Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) or equivalent Scrum certifications is highly desirable.
Skills and Expertise:
- Deep knowledge of the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) and other Agile methodologies.
- Strong facilitation and coaching skills, with the ability to influence and inspire teams and leadership.
- Excellent communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills, with a strong ability to engage stakeholders at all levels.
- Experience with Agile project management tools such as Jira, Rally, VersionOne, or similar.
- Ability to navigate complex organizational environments and manage competing priorities.
- Strong problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills.