Manager, IT Delivery: Agile Practices

The Options Clearing Corporation; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 127,000 - 169,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work environment (up to 2 days)

Tuition Reimbursement

Student Loan Repayment Assistance

Technology Stipend

Generous PTO and Parental leave

401k Employer Match

Health benefits including medical, etc

Job summary

The Options Clearing Corporation is seeking a strategic Agile Transformation Leader who will guide enterprise Agile adoption and serve as Jira Product Manager, owning configurations, governance, and optimization to support Agile delivery across product teams.

You will coach Scrum Masters, partner with senior leaders, design maturity roadmaps, and implement metrics and dashboards to illuminate delivery progress while advancing risk management and regulatory alignment.

Job description

***THIS POSITION IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR VISA SPONSORSHIP*** To be considered for this position, applications and resumes are accepted only through our careers site by directly applying to the posted job. We do not accept unsolicited resumes or sales solicitations from staffing agencies. Any OCC employee wishing to submit a referral must do so through their Workday account. Any resume submitted outside of an active job posting will not be considered for employment.

What You'll Do:

This strategic leadership role drives organizational Agile transformation by leading a team of practitioners who teach, mentor, and advise stakeholders across the enterprise on Agile methodologies and practices. The position demands proven expertise in multiple Agile frameworks at both program and team levels, combined with demonstrated people management capabilities to foster operational excellence and continuous improvement. As a transformation catalyst, you will shape how delivery teams mature their Agile capabilities while influencing senior stakeholders to create an environment where Agile principles become embedded in the organization’s operational DNA. This role also serves as a Jira Product Manager, owning the configuration, governance, and optimization of Jira as the enterprise Agile delivery platform.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

Team Leadership & Coaching

• Lead a high-performing team of Scrum Masters deployed across multiple product teams while managing relationships with managed service providers
• Foster a culture where delivery teams self-organize and achieve objectives through coaching rather than directive management
• Create a psychologically safe environment that encourages transparent problem-solving, constructive conflict resolution, and continuous improvement
• Implement robust accountability frameworks to ensure Scrum Masters fulfill their roles effectively while monitoring team performance metrics
• Serve as the Jira Product Manager, governing project configurations, workflows, permission schemes, and board setups to ensure consistency and alignment across product teams

Organizational Agile Transformation

• Partner directly with the Group Director and cross-functional senior leaders to evolve enterprise Agile capabilities that align with changing business priorities
• Design and implement systematic approaches to mature Agile teams/squads from foundational to advanced practices
• Develop and socialize Agile best practices tailored to the organization's unique context and challenges
• Conduct regular Agile maturity assessments, using insights to create targeted improvement roadmaps
• Own the Jira instance strategy, including scheme standardization, custom field management, and automation rules that support Agile maturity progression
• Design and maintain Jira dashboards and Advanced Roadmaps (formerly Jira Portfolio) views that provide leadership with real-time delivery visibility

Stakeholder Engagement & Communication

• Serve as a strategic advisor to Product Owners and delivery teams, modeling servant leadership principles
• Facilitate critical discussions and decision-making forums that drive clarity and alignment
• Establish multi-directional communication frameworks that enhance transparency and information flow
• Proactively identify and mitigate project risks through structured governance approaches

Continuous Improvement

• Champion a data-driven approach to measuring and improving team performance
• Lead regular retrospectives at the program level to identify systemic improvement opportunities
• Develop and refine Agile ceremonies that maximize team productivity and engagement
• Create feedback mechanisms that promote ongoing learning and adaptation
• Continuously evaluate and optimize Jira configurations, automations, and integrations to reduce friction and improve team velocity tracking

Supervisory Responsibilities: Manages a team

This role requires an exceptional leader who can balance tactical execution with strategic vision, adeptly navigate complex organizational dynamics, and drive measurable improvements in delivery capabilities while nurturing a collaborative Agile culture.

Qualifications:

The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary functions.

Agile Leadership & Transformation

Demonstrated success guiding organizations through Agile transformations with proven frameworks for building high-performing Agile teams Extensive experience leading Scrum Masters, including career development and professional growth of direct reports Practical experience implementing and managing Agile-specific metrics and KPIs that drive meaningful improvement

Technical Knowledge

Deep understanding of Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) with direct implementation experience Hands‑on experience with multiple Agile methodologies beyond Scrum, including XP, Kanban, and other frameworks Proven capability in enterprise-scale release planning and coordination Experience consolidating and analyzing data from diverse sources to identify trends and drive decisions Proven experience serving as a Jira Product Manager or Jira Administrator, with the ability to translate Agile process needs into tool configurations

Professional Capabilities

Outstanding verbal and written communication skills with ability to influence across all organizational levels Strong analytical mindset with exceptional reasoning and problem-solving abilities Demonstrated servant leadership approach to team management Self‑motivated professional capable of working independently with minimal supervision

Team Experience

Practical experience working within diverse Scrum teams across varied contexts (team sizes, organizational cultures, co‑located/distributed environments)

Continuous professional development

evidenced by recent Agile training, conference participation, and community involvement

Experience supporting regulatory compliance through documented process flows

Demonstrated ability to analyze complex data sets and translate findings into actionable insights The ideal candidate will combine strategic vision with hands‑on Agile expertise, balancing technical knowledge with exceptional people leadership capabilities to drive organizational transformation

Education and/or Experience:

Bachelor’s degree in information technology, Computer Science, or related field; or equivalent combination of education and 7+ years relevant experience Minimum 5 years direct experience as a Scrum Master leading software development teams applying Agile methodologies Proven track record managing high‑performing Agile teams through complete delivery lifecycles Advanced knowledge of Agile/Scrum frameworks with practical application experience across diverse contexts Demonstrated ability to proactively identify potential impediments and guide teams toward effective resolution before issues impact delivery Experience as a Jira Product Manager or Jira Administrator in an enterprise environment preferred The ideal candidate will combine comprehensive technical tool knowledge with extensive hands‑on Agile leadership experience, enabling them to drive both process excellence and cultural transformation across our organization

Certificates or Licences:

[Preferred] Professional Agile certifications [Preferred] Six Sigma [Preferred] Atlassian Certified Professional – Jira Project Administration or similar Atlassian certification

About Us

The Options Clearing Corporation (OCC) is the world's largest equity derivatives clearing organization. Founded in 1973, OCC is dedicated to promoting stability and market integrity by delivering clearing and settlement services for options, futures and securities lending transactions. As a Systemically Important Financial Market Utility (SIFMU), OCC operates under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. OCC has more than 100 clearing members and provides central counterparty (CCP) clearing and settlement services to 23 exchanges and trading platforms. More information about OCC is available at www.theocc.com.

Benefits

• A highly collaborative and supportive environment developed to encourage work-life balance and employee wellness.
• A hybrid work environment, up to 2 days per week of remote work
• Tuition Reimbursement to support your continued education
• Student Loan Repayment Assistance
• Technology Stipend allowing you to use the device of your choice to connect to our network while working remotely
• Generous PTO and Parental leave
• 401k Employer Match
• Competitive health benefits including medical, dental and vision

Visit https://www.theocc.com/careers/thriving-together for more information.

Compensation

The salary range listed for any given position is exclusive of fringe benefits and potential bonuses. If hired at OCC, your final base salary compensation will be determined by factors such as skills, experience and/or education. In addition, we believe in the importance of pay equity and consider internal equity of our current team members as part of any final offer. We typically do not hire at the maximum of the range in order to allow for future and continued salary growth. We also offer a substantial benefits package as noted on www.theocc.com/careers All employees may be eligible for a discretionary bonus. Discretionary bonuses are based on various factors, including, but not limited to, company and individual performance and are not guaranteed.

Salary Range $126,500.00 - $168,800.00 Incentive Range 8% to 15% This position is eligible for an annual discretionary incentive compensation award, for which the target range is listed above (see Incentive Range). The amount of such award, if any, will be based on various factors, including without limitation, both individual and company performance.