Scrum Master
UK Health Security Agency
About the job
Job summary
Job Title – Scrum Master
Profession- Scrum Master
Directorate – Technology
Full Time equivalent - 37.5 hours
No of Roles – 1
Contract Type – Permanent
Location – Birmingham, Liverpool, Leeds or London
UKHSA operates a hybrid working model where business needs allow. This provides us with greater flexibility about how and where we work, to get the best from our workforce. As a hybrid worker, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week pro rata,(averaged over a month) working at one of UKHSA's locations (Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, and London). Specialist or regional roles will be based at the appropriate UKHSA site. For certain roles, some additional flexibility may be possible, which will be agreed upon with the hiring manager based on individual requirements and business needs.
Working Pattern – Full Time / Flexible Working/ Hybrid Working
Grade & Salary – Grade SEO. National banding- £38,724 - £44,393 Inner London –£42,716- £48,068 Outer London - £40,721- £46,231
This role comes with a Market Pay Supplement of up to £5,000
New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.
The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.
This role is to be appointed under Civil Service Terms & Conditions. Full details on the T&C’s are found https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/.
Closing Date – 07/05/2024. 23:55pm. Unfortunately, late applications will not be considered
Interview Date – W/C 20/05/2024 Please note, these dates are subject to change.
Job description
As a Scrum Master in the UKHSA Hosting and HPC (High Performance Computing) team you will be responsible for promoting and supporting Agile working practices as defined in, among other places, the Scrum Guide.
You will be bringing your considerable experience of Agile development approaches to bear to ensure our products are delivered in a consistent and effective fashion.
You will be an ambassador for Agile approaches within the Technology division and the wider organisation.
Job Overview
As a Scrum Master in the UKHSA you will be responsible for promoting and
supporting Scrum practices in the organisation. Reporting to the Head of Hosting and HPC, you will focus on removing impediments to the rapid delivery of deployable products, and work with stakeholders to define and manage a sustainable backlog of work.
The Scrum Master will actively build and promote an agile approach and environment, using Agile tools and methodology to ensure the successful delivery of multiple outcomes via multi-disciplinary teams.
The Ideal Candidate
Operational Focus
- Good attention to detail; prompt resolution of issues and errors
- Constantly looking for ways to improve current processes
Business Focus
- Work closely with others, including those outside of the immediate team
- Identify process improvement opportunities that enhance the end-customer experience
People Focus
- Sets high standards for self and others; works effectively in partnership with all colleagues; supports with actions that secure achievement of business objectives
Skills Focus
- Ability to adapt and learn new tools and techniques, and willingness to embrace opportunities for change
Customer Focus
- Ability to develop good working relationships with internal and external stakeholders
- Take full ownership and accountability of issues to resolution
Main Duties of the Job
- Helping team members understand Scrum theory, practices, rules and values;
- Acting as the servant leader to the Agile team, assisting them in delivering high value products;
- Mentoring the team in self-organisation and cross-functionality;
Removing impediments to analysis work, development and testing;
- Establishing a feedback loop from the team to the senior management to ensure the team, and individuals within the team, are kept motivated and the offerings improved;
- Establishing and maintaining a dashboard so that velocity and progress can be reported and improved upon;
- Facilitating Scrum ceremonies
- Working with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to provide regular updates on progress, addressing any concerns or issues;
- Being an advocate of Automation and our Target Operating Model
We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.
UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.
Person specification
Essential Criteria:
- 1+ years experience as a Delivery Manager/Senior Delivery Manager/Scrum Master;
- Planning skills able to understand and act upon the prioritisation criteria to enable forward planning of Development Sprints, as well as re planning activities for urgent time sensitive changes;
- Interpersonal skills able to communicate the progress and blockers to senior stakeholders;
- Relationship management experience in maintaining relationships to get the best out of Agile teams;
- Experienced in problem ownership able to lead a problem through to its resolution;
- Highly motivated and resilient.
The post also has a number of desirable skills and experiences but these are not critical to hold.
Desirable Criteria:
- Scrum Master experience working with Agile teams;
- Experience of using JIRA or similar applications;
- Experience of working across multiple Agile teams;
- Experience of delivering with Technology teams.
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £38,724, UK Health Security Agency contributes £10,455 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Stage 1: Application & Sift
This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
As part of the application process you will be asked to provide a Personal Statement / Statement of Suitability in no more than 500 words. We will be assessing essential criteria at sift.
This should outline your skills, experience, and achievements, providing evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the Experience criteria or the essential criteria (outlined in the person specification section).
You will also be asked to provide information within the ‘Employer/ Activity history’ section of the application form. This is equivalent to the information you would provide on a CV, setting out your career history. This will be used in the sifting process and will be scored.
Feedback will not be provided at this stage.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview
Stage 2: Panel Interview
This vacancy is using Success Profiles. During the interview we will assess your Behaviours/ Experience/Technical skills.
Behaviours to be assessed:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Working Together
- Changing and Improving
Reserve List:
Candidates who pass the interview criteria but are not offered a post will be kept on a reserve list for 12 months and may be contacted if similar roles become available.
If you are interviewed for the post and do not meet the required threshold for the specified grade, your application may be assessed against a similar, lower grade role and you may be offered the post should one be available.
Benefits
- Alongside your salary of £49,592, UK Health Security Agency contributes £13,390 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- Range of health and wellbeing support
Any move to UKHSA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare.
DBS - People working with government systems must complete Basic Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks which includes a disclosure and barring security check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed for this role is BPSS however there may be a requirement for this role to be SC cleared and you should familiarise yourself with the criteria of security clearance.
This role is Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants. Appointments to roles within UKHSA will be made in accordance with the Civil Service nationality rules. These can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- Nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- Nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- Certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles.
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Government baseline personnel security standard
It’s important to note that there are currently exceptions to applications being considered if your conviction relates to any of the following:
- life sentences
- arson
- sexual offences
- hate and terror offences
Some departments will also consider the specific offence against the nature of the business, i.e., a conviction for fraud may rule you out for a finance role
Complaint process:
The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: Complaints1@ukhsa.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website.
Contact Details – Sophie.Rigney@reed.com
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.