Scrum Master / Project Manager (Mortgage Domain)-McLean, VA - (Onsite)

The ideal candidate will be a strong leader and communicator who can effectively facilitate Agile ceremonies, manage cross-functional teams, and ensure successful project delivery while exceeding client expectations. Agile Leadership Serve as the Scrum Master for one or more Agile teams by facilitating Scrum ceremonies, including Sprint Planning, Daily Stand-ups, Sprint Reviews, and Retrospectives.

Title: Scrum Master / Project Manager (Mortgage Domain)
Location: McLean, VA - (Onsite)

Position Summary
We are seeking an experienced and results-driven Scrum Master / Project Manager with expertise in Agile delivery, SAFe methodology, Kanban, and Waterfall project management. The ideal candidate will be a strong leader and communicator who can effectively facilitate Agile ceremonies, manage cross-functional teams, and ensure successful project delivery while exceeding client expectations. This role also requires part-time Product Owner responsibilities, working closely with business stakeholders to prioritize work and maximize business value.

Skills Needed: Experience serving as both a PM and Scrum Master w/ Agile, SAFe, Kanban, and Waterfall PM experience. Defining product visions and priorities. Prioritize product backlog. Hands on SQL and NoSQL DB experience supporting requirement analysis, data validation, reporting, and troubleshooting. Client + Stakeholder Management. Mortgage domain experience is highly preferred.

Key Responsibilities
Agile Leadership

• Serve as the Scrum Master for one or more Agile teams by facilitating Scrum ceremonies, including Sprint Planning, Daily Stand-ups, Sprint Reviews, and Retrospectives.
• Coach teams on Agile principles, Scrum framework, SAFe practices, Kanban, and continuous improvement.
• Remove impediments and proactively manage risks to ensure smooth sprint execution.
• Promote Agile best practices and foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous learning.

Project Management

• Plan, execute, monitor, and deliver projects using Agile, SAFe, Kanban, or Waterfall methodologies, depending on project requirements.
• Develop project plans, timelines, resource allocations, risk mitigation strategies, and status reports.
• Ensure projects are delivered on time, within scope, and meet quality standards.
• Manage stakeholder communications and provide regular project updates to leadership and clients.
• Track project metrics and drive continuous process improvements.

Product Owner Support (Part-Time)

• Collaborate with business stakeholders to define product vision and priorities.
• Create, refine, and prioritize the product backlog.
• Translate business requirements into clear user stories and acceptance criteria.
• Work closely with development teams to ensure successful delivery of business value.
• Participate in backlog grooming and sprint planning activities.

Technical Responsibilities

• Possess hands-on knowledge of SQL and NoSQL databases to support requirement analysis, data validation, troubleshooting, and reporting.
• Collaborate with technical teams to understand data structures, integrations, and system dependencies.
• Support solution design discussions by bridging business and technical teams.

Client & Stakeholder Management

• Build strong relationships with clients, business stakeholders, and technical teams.
• Effectively communicate project status, risks, dependencies, and mitigation strategies.
• Manage client expectations and ensure high levels of customer satisfaction throughout project execution.
• Facilitate decision-making and conflict resolution across cross-functional teams.

Leadership & Team Management

• Clearly articulate project goals, priorities, and expectations.
• Delegate responsibilities effectively while empowering team members to take ownership.
• Mentor Agile teams and promote accountability and high performance.
• Foster collaboration across distributed and cross-functional teams.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience as a Scrum Master, Agile Project Manager, or similar leadership role.
• Strong knowledge of Scrum, SAFe, Kanban, and Waterfall methodologies.
• Experience serving as both Scrum Master and Project Manager in enterprise environments.
• Experience performing Product Owner responsibilities in Agile teams.
• Hands-on knowledge of SQL and NoSQL databases.
• Strong understanding of Agile project management tools such as Jira, Azure DevOps, Rally, or similar platforms.
• Excellent communication, presentation, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Proven ability to prioritize work, delegate responsibilities, and lead multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Demonstrated success delivering projects on schedule while meeting or exceeding client expectations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience within the Mortgage or Financial Services industry.
• Strong understanding of mortgage origination, servicing, underwriting, or loan processing systems.
• Scrum Master certification (CSM, PSM).
• SAFe Scrum Master (SSM) or SAFe Agilist (SA) certification.
• PMP or PMI-ACP certification is a plus.
• Experience working with cloud-based applications and enterprise software delivery.

Key Competencies

• Agile Leadership
• SAFe Framework
• Scrum Facilitation
• Kanban
• Waterfall Project Management
• Product Ownership
• Project Planning & Execution
• Stakeholder Management
• Client Relationship Management
• SQL & NoSQL Database Knowledge
• Mortgage Domain Expertise
• Risk & Issue Management
• Team Leadership
• Effective Communication
• Problem Solving
• Decision Making
• Delegation and Accountability
• Continuous Improvement
• On-Time Delivery and Client Satisfaction