Scrum Master (Extreme Programming / XP)

About the role

HelloKindred, a staffing specialist in marketing, creative and technology roles, is recruiting on behalf of a client in the global professional services industry. The client is looking for an experienced Scrum Master who combines Scrum ceremonies with Extreme Programming (XP) engineering practices and also coaches the development team on XP technical practices. The role is hybrid, on a 3-month contract with a potential extension.

Key responsibilities

• Facilitate all Scrum ceremonies (sprint planning, daily stand-ups, sprint reviews and retrospectives)
• Remove impediments and protect the team from external disruptions
• Coach the team on Scrum values, self-organisation and continuous improvement
• Partner with the Product Owner to keep the backlog healthy and prioritised
• Embed XP practices such as Test-Driven Development (TDD), pair programming, continuous integration, refactoring and collective code ownership
• Guide teams through short iteration cycles focused on high-quality, working software
• Advise on sustainable pace and balance between deadlines and developer wellbeing
• Mentor agile teams and run feedback loops between the team and stakeholders
• Measure and communicate team velocity, quality metrics and delivery health

Required profile

• 5+ years in a Scrum Master or Agile Coach role within software development teams
• Proven ability to coach developers on TDD, pair programming and CI/CD practices
• Experience in short-cycle, iterative delivery environments
• Certified Scrum Master (CSM, PSM I/II) or equivalent; Certified Scrum Developer (CSD) is valuable
• Experience in Kanban or Scrumban; background in software development is advantageous but not required
• Legally authorised to live and work in the country where the position is based, without employer sponsorship

Required skills

• Strong knowledge of Agile, Extreme Programming (XP) and Scrum, including design patterns, refactoring and unit testing
• Expert-level JIRA
• Strong facilitation, conflict resolution and communication skills