Senior Agilist

Aptive Resources; United States; On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Aptive Resources is seeking a Senior Agilist to provide SAFe, Lean-Agile, and enterprise Agile coaching for VA health informatics teams under the IHT 2.0 Field Informatics Service Health Practice program.

The role advises and coaches teams within the IHP Agile Release Train, supports agile artifact development, strengthens cadence and governance, and helps deliver clinical informatics solutions that improve workflow efficiency and care quality across the VA enterprise.

Qualifications

• SPC certification required.
• 7+ years leading Agile/SAFe implementations.
• Experience coaching enterprise-wide Agile adoption.
• Experience with large-scale SAFe deployments.
• Proficient with JIRA/JIRA Align for planning and reporting.
• Strong executive communication and stakeholder engagement.
• Ability to obtain public trust clearance and work in the U.S.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior-level Agile and SAFe coaching and implementation support.
• Support SAFe and Lean-Agile practices including PI planning and ART coordination.
• Guide development of lean business cases, feature canvases, user stories, acceptance criteria, MVP definitions, and non-functional requirements.
• Coach Scrum Masters, Product Owners, analysts, informaticists, SMEs, and other team members.
• Help teams define, track, and communicate value delivery, metrics, risks, and retrospective actions.
• Facilitate collaboration across VA stakeholders, product management, and technical resources.
• Support use of JIRA, JIRA Align, dashboards, and reporting tools to improve transparency and delivery predictability.
• Recommend Agile process improvements for high-performing teams and organizational change.

Skills

SAFe coaching

Agile leadership

Executive communication

Stakeholder engagement

Change management

Facilitation

Education

SPC certification

Tools

JIRA

JIRA Align

Job description

Senior Agilist - Health Informatics

Aptive is seeking a Senior Agilist to provide experienced SAFe, Lean-Agile, and enterprise Agile implementation support for VA health informatics teams under the IHT 2.0 Field Informatics Service Health Practice program. This role will advise and coach teams within the IHP Agile Release Train, support Agile artifact development, strengthen Agile cadence and governance, and help teams deliver clinical informatics solutions that reduce burden, improve workflow efficiency, and support high‑quality care across the VA enterprise.

Primary Responsibilities

• Provide senior‑level Agile and SAFe coaching, consultation, and implementation support across interdisciplinary VA health informatics teams.
• Support adoption and consistent execution of SAFe and Lean‑Agile practices, including PI planning support, team ceremonies, ART‑level coordination, dependency management, and continuous improvement.
• Guide development and refinement of lean business cases, feature canvases, feature specifications, user stories, acceptance criteria, MVP definitions, and non‑functional requirements.
• Coach Scrum Masters, Product Owners, analysts, clinical informaticists, SMEs, and other team members on Agile roles, responsibilities, artifacts, and ceremonies.
• Help teams define, track, and communicate value delivery, performance metrics, sprint outcomes, risks, impediments, and retrospective actions.
• Facilitate collaboration across VA stakeholders, product management, release train leadership, Agile teams, clinical SMEs, and technical resources.
• Support use of JIRA, JIRA Align, dashboards, and reporting tools to improve transparency, prioritization, and delivery predictability.
• Recommend Agile process improvements that support operational excellence, high‑performing teams, and sustainable organizational change.

Minimum Qualifications

• Certified SAFe Practice Consultant (SPC) certification.
• 7+ years of experience leading Agile and SAFe implementations in medium‑to‑large organizations.
• Demonstrated superior knowledge and practical experience adopting Agile across an enterprise.
• Experience providing consultation for large‑scale implementation of Agile practices, including SAFe.
• Experience coaching teams on SAFe Lean‑Agile principles, Agile ceremonies, backlog management, value delivery, and continuous improvement.
• Experience with JIRA, JIRA Align, or comparable Agile planning and reporting tools.
• Strong executive communication, facilitation, change management, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a public trust clearance.
• Legal authorization to work in the U.S.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience supporting VA/VHA, OCI/OHI, Field Informatics Service, IHP ART, EHR modernization, clinical informatics, or federal healthcare product teams.
• Experience supporting clinical informatics artifacts such as lean business cases, feature canvases, feature specifications, performance monitoring dashboards, and clinical workflow improvement products.
• Experience in healthcare or healthcare technology environments, including VistA/CPRS, Oracle Health/Cerner, clinical decision support, terminology, standards, or interoperability.
• Additional certifications such as SAFe Program Consultant Trainer (SPCT), Release Train Engineer, SAFe Advanced Scrum Master, Product Owner/Product Manager, PMP, Prosci, CSM, or PSM.
• Experience building Agile operating models, team metrics, communities of practice, playbooks, SOPs, or Agile maturity roadmaps.

About Aptive

Aptive partners with federal agencies to achieve their missions through improved performance, streamlined operations and enhanced service delivery. Based in Alexandria, Virginia, we support more than a dozen agencies including Veterans Affairs, Transportation, Defense, Homeland Security and the National Science Foundation. We specialize in applying technology, creativity and human‑centered services to optimize mission delivery and improve experiences for millions of people who count on government services every day. Founded 2012. Employees 300+ nationwide.

EEO Statement

Aptive is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, parental status, veteran status, age, disability, or any other protected class. Veterans, members of the Reserve and National Guard, and transitioning active‑duty service members are highly encouraged to apply.