Agile Coach

Barclays; Manchester; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Barclays seeks an Agile Coach to drive digital transformation by enabling teams and leaders to adopt scalable Agile practices with a focus on product value and customer outcomes.

You will coach multiple teams, support PI Planning, and collaborate with communities of practice to share learnings while maintaining regulatory discipline across a complex organisation.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as an Agile Coach in a large, complex organisation.
• Experience coaching leaders and multiple teams at team and scaled-delivery levels.
• Strong knowledge of scaled Agile, including practical SAFe experience.
• Experience supporting the adoption of scaled Agile across a large enterprise or business area.
• Experience with PI Planning, cross-team coordination and dependency management.
• Track record of improving flow, predictability, collaboration and delivery outcomes using data and metrics.
• Strong knowledge of Agile, Lean, Scrum and Kanban, with a focus on product and value delivery.
• Strong coaching, facilitation, communication and influencing skills.
• Ability to adapt Agile practices to different organisational needs, governance requirements and levels of Agile maturity.
• Relevant SAFe, ICAgile, Scrum, Lean, product or coaching certification.

Responsibilities

• Coaching multiple teams, delivery roles and leaders in Agile, Lean and product-led ways of working.
• Support adoption and execution of scaled planning and coordination, including PI Planning readiness, cadence alignment, cross-team collaboration and dependency management.
• Improve flow, predictability, transparency and delivery outcomes through effective backlog management, impediment removal and continuous improvement.
• Use delivery, flow, quality and outcome measures to identify improvement opportunities and guide evidence-based decisions.
• Strengthen customer and business-value focus through iterative delivery, outcome-based planning and value-led prioritisation.
• Coach and develop Scrum Masters, Product Owners, Release Train Engineers and other key roles, transferring capability and reducing long-term dependency on dedicated coaches.
• Influence leaders and governance forums to address systemic barriers while maintaining appropriate risk, control and regulatory discipline.
• Collaborate with other Agile Coaches and Communities of Practice to share learning and promote consistent, adaptable ways of working

Skills

Scaled Agile

SAFe Expertise

Coaching

Facilitation

Stakeholder Influence

Agile Metrics

Product & Value

Cross-team Collaboration

Risk & Compliance

Education

SAFe Certification

Tools

PI Planning

Job description

Join us as Agile Coach at Barclays, where you'll spearhead the evolution of our digital landscape, driving innovation and excellence. You'll harness cutting-edge technology to revolutionise our digital offerings, ensuring unapparelled customer experiences.

Purpose of the Role

Enable teams, Teams of Teams/Agile Release Trains and leaders to adopt and continuously improve Agile ways of working. The role will strengthen product and customer focus, improve delivery flow and predictability, and build sustainable Agile capability across a complex, regulated organisation. SAFe and other scaled-Agile practices should be applied pragmatically to the organisational context rather than as a rigid blueprint.

Key Accountabilities

• Coach multiple teams, delivery roles and leaders in Agile, Lean and product-led ways of working.
• Support adoption and execution of scaled planning and coordination, including PI Planning readiness, cadence alignment, cross-team collaboration and dependency management.
• Improve flow, predictability, transparency and delivery outcomes through effective backlog management, impediment removal and continuous improvement.
• Use delivery, flow, quality and outcome measures to identify improvement opportunities and guide evidence-based decisions.
• Strengthen customer and business-value focus through iterative delivery, outcome-based planning and value-led prioritisation.
• Coach and develop Scrum Masters, Product Owners, Release Train Engineers and other key roles, transferring capability and reducing long-term dependency on dedicated coaches.
• Influence leaders and governance forums to address systemic barriers while maintaining appropriate risk, control and regulatory discipline.
• Collaborate with other Agile Coaches and Communities of Practice to share learning and promote consistent, adaptable ways of working

Essential Skills & Experience

• Proven experience as an Agile Coach in a large, complex organisation.
• Experience coaching leaders and multiple teams at team and scaled-delivery levels.
• Strong knowledge of scaled Agile, including practical SAFe experience.
• Experience supporting the adoption of scaled Agile across a large enterprise or business area.
• Experience with PI Planning, cross-team coordination and dependency management.
• Track record of improving flow, predictability, collaboration and delivery outcomes using data and metrics.
• Strong knowledge of Agile, Lean, Scrum and Kanban, with a focus on product and value delivery.
• Strong coaching, facilitation, communication and influencing skills.
• Ability to adapt Agile practices to different organisational needs, governance requirements and levels of Agile maturity.
• Relevant SAFe, ICAgile, Scrum, Lean, product or coaching certification.

Desirable Skills & Experience

• Agile transformation experience in financial services or another complex, regulated environment.
• Experience coaching senior leaders, Release Train Engineers, Scrum Masters and Product Owners.
• Knowledge of Lean Portfolio Management, value-based prioritisation and outcome measurement.
• Familiarity with Agile delivery tools and flow, backlog and dependency metrics.

You may be assessed on key critical skills relevant for success in role, such as risk and controls, change and transformation, business acumen, strategic thinking and digital and technology, as well as job-specific technical skills.

This role can be based out of Glasgow, Northampton or Knutsford.

Purpose of the role

Guides teams, leaders, and organizations in adopting and optimizing Agile practices. To foster an Agile mindset, enhance team performance, and drive continuous improvement by coaching teams in Agile methodologies, facilitating collaboration, and removing barriers to efficiency. Align Agile practices with organisational goals and support long-term, sustainable Agile transformations.

Accountabilities

• Mentor and coach : Guide teams and leaders on Agile principles, practices, tools, and methodologies in alignment to the Business Unit's strategic needs and delivering value to the client / customers
• Facilitate Colleague Development: Coach and Develop colleagues to embed Agile ways of working, championing an Agile mindset and behaviors to drive cultural change
• Build High-Performing Teams: Help teams identify and address impediments to Agile execution and foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning
• Continuous Improvement: Use data and metrics to identify opportunities for improvement and growth
• Cross Business Collaboration: Collaborate with other Agile Coaches, share best practice and contribute to a network of Agile champions across Business Units
• Agile Adoption: Own the Agile coaching strategy to continually improve maturity levels across the organisation by embedding best practices.