Lead Scrum Master

National Grid plc; Warwick; Hybrid; GBP 75,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Cycle scheme

Share incentive plan

Technology schemes

Private medical insurance

Job summary

National Grid is hiring a Lead Scrum Master for its Warwick, UK office in a hybrid role. You will lead a vibrant community of Scrum Masters and Kanban practitioners, empowering teams to execute the technology vision and deliver cutting-edge digital products.

You will mentor teams, solve impediments, and shape agile strategy across IT & Digital. You will collaborate with senior stakeholders, champion SAFe/ Scrum/ Kanban, and support the Head of Agile Delivery in financial and governance aspects,

Qualifications

• Proven ability to define a clear product vision and roadmap.
• Experience building and leading high-performing delivery teams.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management across business and tech.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute SME strategy to satisfy organisational and individual needs.
• Lead, coach, and develop a resilient high-performing team aligned to technology priorities.
• Manage objectives and ensure delivery of technology vision and strategy.
• Engage senior stakeholders and ensure appropriate level of engagement within teams.
• Oversee budget-related accountabilities and training needs for the team.
• Coordinate third-party providers to ensure scope, budget and milestones are met.
• Ensure solutions deliver commercial viability and align with architecture strategy.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder management

Communication

Coaching

Agile delivery

SAFe

Scrum-Kanban

Job description

At National Grid, we keep people connected and society moving. But it’s so much more than that. National Grid supplies us with the environment to make it happen. As we generate momentum in the energy transition for all, we don’t plan on leaving any of our customers in the dark. So, join us as a Lead Scrum Masterand find your superpower.

National Grid is hiring a Lead Scrum Master. This role operates under a hybrid working model and is based out of the Warwick, UK office. Hybrid work expectations are subject to business needs and company policy.

About the Role

Join us on a journey as the Lead Scrum Master, reporting directly to the Head of Agile Delivery! In this dynamic role, you will spearhead the development of a vibrant and high-performing community of Scrum Masters and Kanban practitioners. Your mission? To empower your team to fully grasp and execute our ambitious technology vision and strategy, ensuring the successful delivery of cutting‑edge digital products that will transform our business.

As a leader, you will not only guide and mentor your team but also serve as a subject matter expert in your field. You'll be the go‑to problem solver, adept at removing obstacles and making impactful decisions that drive your teams forward. Additionally, you will define and implement innovative strategies that elevate your discipline to new heights.

In this pivotal position, you will also have the opportunity to step in for your line manager when needed, playing a crucial role in supporting the IT&D leadership team. Your influence will extend beyond your immediate team as you champion a positive culture throughout the Information Technology & Digital department and the wider business, leading by example and inspiring others to embrace agility and collaboration. Embrace this chance to make a significant impact and help shape the future of our organisation!

What You'll Do

• Support to define and execute the SME strategy ensuring it satisfies the needs of the organisation as well as the individuals within the team for their own discipline including future roadmaps, innovation and R&D.
• To lead, coach, develop and build a resilient and high‑performing team who are capable of understanding and delivering on the technology vision and strategy, contribute to a culture of continuous improvement and take ownership of their career progression..
• Manage and monitor the definition and realisation of team objectives that are aligned to individual, technology priorities.
• Manages the accountability for working with and influencing relevant senior stakeholders across the business, ensuring the appropriate level of stakeholder engagement capability also exists within their own teams.
• Supports Head of Agile Delivery with any and/or all delegated financial/budgetary accountabilities related to the team.
• Managing and supporting the identification, structure and management of training needs for the entire team, ensuring evidence‑based performance improvement and individual competency growth.
• Support in managing the relationship with third‑parties working on technology projects, ensuring third‑party deliveries are formally scoped, and delivery is within budget and to agreed milestones and quality expectations.
• Supports the Head of Agile Delivery in accountability with the technology leadership team for delivered solutions ensuring commercial viability; operational principles and standards compliance; adherence to the architectural strategy and high‑level solution designs; and solution delivery which is; supportable, enduring and minimises future development costs.
• Support and embed Agile delivery principles across technology ensuring best practice adoption.
• Manages the delegated department business and technology strategy and implements the roadmap.
• Champion the agile frameworks (Scrum, Kanban and SAFe) within the team, ensure that Agile principles are practiced by peers and understood by stakeholders.
• Adherence to the architectural strategy and high‑level solution designs; and solution delivery which is; supportable, enduring and minimises future development costs.
• Playing an active role in supporting the agile software development life cycle; collaborating with all technical/engineering functions, to define, document, implement and share best practice and standards.
• Promote and proactively support a culture of robust (project and departmental) risk assessment/mitigation and ensure all activity is compliant and delivered within delivery governance frameworks and operating principles.
• Manage and guide the team to setup and optimise operational processes that satisfy the Agile strategy.
• Manage the Scrum and SAFe strategy in Technology, able to answer questions and challenges related to the Agile approach and its operational application.
• Embed the RAID framework within technology and delivery ensuring compliance with delivery best practice and competency across the technology function.
• Manages the Agile strategy of helping the department perform to its highest ability and to continually improve, build a culture of trust and no blame within the teams, facilitate the teams across all of the ceremonies to help promote complete and relevant team participation, protect the teams from noise and remove impediments capitalising on Agile expertise, delivery and operational experience.
• Lead, train and embed agile SAFe, Scrum and Kanban approach to ensure that the Agile strategy is understood and embedded.

About You

• Strong strategic thinking skills with the ability to define a clear product vision and roadmap.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate and inspire cross functional teams (coaching, training, facilitating and collaborating)
• Exceptional communicator with outstanding interpersonal skills and stakeholder management experience. Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with good interpersonal skills to effectively convey ideas and updates to diverse stakeholders.
• Strong influencing skills and ability to communicate technical information to both technical and non‑technical audiences, clearly and concisely.
• Excels at working with people and developing teams (coaching, training, facilitating and collaborating).
• Detailed knowledge/experience of the NGED product suite.
• Able to work under pressure and adapt to shifting priorities, demands and timelines and quickly update stakeholders on impact (potential or actual) to the defined delivery timescales.
• High self‑awareness and emotional intelligence, able to recognise the impact of their own behaviour on others.
• Eagerness to continually develop self through high quality training and the latest industry trends with regular, guided self‑reflection and “mentoring”.
• Knowledge and experience of implementing an agile delivery framework with technology scrum teams.
• Strong commercial awareness and prioritisation skills.
• Exceptional problem‑solving and decision‑making abilities, with a focus on data‑driven solutions.
• Act as a SME leader and role model within the delivery community and wider NGED organisation.
• Previous experience of building and leading effective teams (PMO, project management or agile).

What You'll Get

• Competitive Salary: circa £75,000 - £90,000 per annum (dependent on location, capability, and experience).
• Bonus: Up to 30% of your salary for stretch performance
  Additional benefits:
  
• Flexible benefits such as a cycle scheme, share incentive plan, technology schemes
• Ongoing career development and support to help you cover the cost of professional membership subscriptions, course fees, books, examination fees and time off for study leave – so long as
• it is relevant to your role
• Access to apps such as digital GP service for round the clock access to GP video consultations and NHS repeat prescriptions, wellbeing app to support your health and fitness
• Access to Work + Family Space, providing support and resources for work and family life, including paid emergency childcare and eldercare

National Grid operates in both the UK and US, with a broad portfolio of energy businesses dedicated to providing safe, reliable, and sustainable power.

From electricity and gas transmission to advancing clean energy and modernising grids, our work covers every aspect of the energy system.

Our energy flows through absolutely everything we do

Life here at National Grid is more than just our purpose or our values, it’s everything we put into everything we do. It’s our commitment to diversity and inclusion; how we help our employees learn and grow; and how we partner with and support the communities where we live and work. It’s all this, and so much more.

We leverage our collective strengths to do meaningful BIG work so that we can be at the heart of a fair and affordable energy future.

Your salary is reviewed each year against the market for your role, skills, knowledge and experience.

Incentive

Annual performance plan or bonus (depending on your role) rewards your contribution to our success each year.

Retirement

Generous pension plan with company contributions up to 12%.

Private medical insurance for self and family.