Scrum Master

The University of Manchester; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Manchester seeks a Scrum Master to lead agile transformation within their IT community. This role focuses on empowering teams in a dynamic environment that supports pioneering research and innovation. The ideal candidate will be a servant-leader with hands-on experience in cloud platforms, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement.

Benefits

Market-leading pension scheme

Excellent employee health and wellbeing services

Generous annual leave entitlement

Local and national discounts

Qualifications

• Experience facilitating agile delivery in complex environments.
• Deep understanding of Agile frameworks like Scrum and Kanban.

Responsibilities

• Guide and mentor platform engineering teams.
• Champion agile principles and enable team delivery.
• Remove obstacles for team progress.

Skills

Agile coaching

Facilitation

Team mentoring

Communication

Empathy

Job description

Scrum Master

Drive Agile Change at One of the UK’s Most Ambitious Universities

Are you ready to take on a career-defining opportunity where your leadership will directly impact world-leading research, innovation, and student experience?

Do you thrive in complex environments where agility and transformation go hand-in-hand?

Join us at The University of Manchester, a global institution at the forefront of science, technology, and social progress, as we reimagine how digital platforms support research, education, and collaboration on a global scale.

We’re looking for a Scrum Master to guide, mentor, and energise one of our high-performing Platform Engineering teams, helping shape the future of Cloud at Manchester, supporting pioneering research and teaching, and empowering a team that delivers critical platform-as-a-service capabilities for tens of thousands of users.

This is more than a technical role. It’s a people-first leadership opportunity. You’ll cultivate a culture of self-organisation and continuous improvement, champion agile principles, and remove obstacles that stand in the way of progress. You'll enable the team to deliver at their best.

What makes this role exciting?

• You’ll work in one of the UK’s most diverse, complex, and rewarding digital environments spanning everything from heritage systems to high-performance computing and quantum technologies.
• You’ll help modernise and simplify delivery across departments through new collaboration platforms and CRM systems.
• You’ll be part of a supportive IT community that believes in empowering its people, values innovation, and strives to be sector-leading in its digital capability.
• You'll shape digital transformation in an institution that was born to make a difference, ranked 1st in the UK and Europe, and 2nd globally for social and environmental impact.

This role is ideal for someone who:

• Is a passionate servant-leader and agile coach, able to galvanise cross-functional teams and foster a culture of excellence and learning.
• Has hands-on experience facilitating agile delivery in complex environments, ideally with experience in cloud or platform services.
• Brings a deep understanding of Agile frameworks (Scrum, Kanban, SAFe, etc.) and knows how to apply them with pragmatism and purpose.
• Enjoys working with people as much as with processes, facilitating, mentoring, communicating, and removing blockers with empathy and clarity.

Why choose Manchester?

This is a place where you can do work that matters. The University of Manchester is one of the UK’s largest single-site universities, home to over 13,000 staff and 46,000 students. We’re a global beacon of learning, research, and social responsibility. And we’re only just getting started with a bold new digital strategy, a dynamic IT transformation programme, and Manchester 2035, our roadmap for the future.

Ready to lead change at scale, in a place that’s changing the world?

Apply now and be part of something truly transformational.

What you will get in return:

• Market-leading pension scheme
• Excellent employee health and wellbeing services including an Employee Assistance Programme
• Generous annual leave entitlement, plus bank holidays
• Additional paid closure over Christmas
• Local and national discounts at major retailers

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 supports flexible working arrangements. You can find out more here.

Hybrid working arrangements may be considered.

Please note, we are unable to respond to enquiries, accept CVs, or applications from recruitment agencies. Any recruitment inquiries from agencies should be directed to [e-mail]. Submissions from agencies will be considered a gift.

Enquiries about the vacancy, shortlisting, and interviews:

Name: Andrew Richards

Email: [e-mail]

General enquiries: [e-mail]

Technical support: https://jobseekersupport.jobtrain.co.uk/support/home

This vacancy will close at midnight on the closing date.

See the further particulars document for the person specification criteria.