Scrum Master III

PRIMARY PURPOSE

This position will act as  a Senior Scrum Master on a production team utilizing Scrum methodology and implementing Agile ideology. This position will evaluate current Agile and Scrum practices utilized by the organization to drive process improvement and educate leadership in supporting an agile organization. The ultimate goal of an Agile team is to understand business needs and develop optimal business and/or IT solutions in partnership with departmental stakeholders and functional experts. This position is distinguished from other information technology classifications due to the concentration on transformation and coaching of  all agile related activities.

ORGANIZATIONAL SUMMARY

Located in the vibrant and diverse Tampa Bay region of Florida’s gulf coast, the University of South Florida (USF) is a Preeminent State Research University with campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee. Rated as one of the top places to live in the U.S., Tampa Bay offers a high quality of life, year-round sunshine, and easy access to top-rated entertainment. USF is one of the nation’s largest public universities, serving more than 50,000 students with an annual budget of $1.8 billon. Over the past five years, USF has been the fastest-rising university in the nation, public or private, on the U.S. News and World Report's list of best universities, which it ranks as the 44th best public university in America.

USF is proud to be an innovating partner within the Tampa Bay region, listed by Forbes as the top emerging tech city in the country. 

USF Information Technology (USF IT) provides technology services and support for the University of South Florida. The IT team, led by the Vice President and CIO, provides the following services: Administrative Services, Client Support, Communication Services, Teaching and Learning, Analytics and Reporting, Mobile and Web Services, Consulting Services, Cybersecurity Service and Research Technologies. For more information, please visit: Information Technology | University of South Florida (usf.edu)

 

ADDITIONAL INFO FOR APPLICANTS:

The selected candidate must have current work authorization in the United States. This position is not eligible for Visa Sponsorship.

USF offers GREAT BENEFITS to full time employees!!

• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Paid Vacation Days
• Paid Sick Days
• 11 Paid Holidays
• Various Retirement Options, including 401K employer match
• Tuition Assistance (available for yourself, spouse, partner or dependent)

 

For more information about your total compensation package and other USF benefits, please visit: Work at USF

PRIMARY JOB DUTIES

 

30%  Coach and manage multiple scrum teams. Provide metrics to help inform team planning capacity and ensure that Scrum guidelines are fully understood. Acts as subject matter expert on Scrum guidelines and Agile mindset. Evaluate teams and facilitate team and individual growth. Serve as an escalation for impediment removal for Scrum Masters and  scrum teams. Create dashboards and project metrics in USF system tools and help teams develop necessary workflows.

40 % Train Scrum Masters and Product Owners how to manage their projects and become successful self-organizing teams when it comes to writing user stories, product visions, prioritizing backlog, release planning and managing Scrum Tools (story board, action board, charts, backlogs, metrics, etc.)

15% Evaluate current Agile and Scrum practices utilized by the organization to drive process improvement and educate leadership in supporting an agile organization. Work cross functionally to align strategy, methodology and execution.

10% Mentor and guide junior and intermediate Scrum Masters. This includes making recommendations on how to run daily stand ups, retrospectives, and reviews

5% Other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE   

Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Computer Science or IT related field and Scrum Master certification and three years of relevant experience OR
seven years of relevant work experience and Scrum Master certification

Degree Equivalency Clause: Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree.
• Senate Bill 1310- The Florida Senate (https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/1310) is conditional upon meeting all employment eligibility requirements in the U.S.
• SB 1310: Substitution of Work Experience for Postsecondary Education Requirements
• A public employer may include a postsecondary degree as a baseline requirement only as an alternative to the number of years of direct experience required, not to exceed:
• (a) Two years of direct experience for an associate degree;
• (b) Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree;
• (c) Six years of direct experience for a master’s degree;
• (d) Seven years of direct experience for a professional degree; or
• (e) Nine years of direct experience for a doctoral degree
• Related work experience may not substitute for any required licensure, certification, or registration required for the position of employment as established by the public employer and indicated in the advertised description of the position of employment.
• Minimum Qualifications that require a high school diploma are exempt from SB 1310.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES 

Methods and tools- Leads the adoption, management and optimization of methods and tools, ensuring effective use and alignment with organizational objectives.

Measurement-Developing and operating a measurement capability to support agreed organizational information needs.

Quality Management- Defining and operating a management framework of processes and working practices to deliver the organization's quality objectives.

Organization Facilitation-Supporting work groups to implement principles and practices for effective teamwork across organizational boundaries and professional specialisms.

Delivery Management-Ensuring successful delivery of new or updated products and services through effective leadership and collaboration within defined delivery cycles.

Organizational Change Management-Planning, designing and implementing activities to transition the organization and people to the required future state.

Portfolio, program and project support- Providing support and guidance on portfolio, program and project management processes, procedures, tools and techniques.

SOFT SKILLS

Growth Mindset - Takes ownership of personal growth and embraces the concept that intelligence and talent can be developed through continuous learning. Willing to take on new challenges, and views failure as an opportunity to grow.

Communication - Comfortable using a broad range of communication styles, and chooses appropriate, effective ways to communicate. Adapts communication style depending on the audience and situation. Listens and asks questions to develop a better understanding.

Collaboration- Collaborates with others in the pursuit of common missions, visions, values and goals. Fosters a sense of community within and across teams, building on mutual respect, trust, and drawing on the strengths of others.

Client Obsession-Client focused when creating solutions or solving problems, believing that everything we do is to earn and keep our clients’ trust.

Ownership-Takes responsibility, accountability and proactively focuses on areas they can directly influence. Understands their role within the team and recognizes that they share the team’s successes and failures.

Outcome Driven-Focuses on desired results, business outcomes, and how to achieve them. Takes appropriate actions to ensure commitments are met and results achieved.

INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE

Certified Scrum Master or SAFe Scrum Master Certification

Working at USF

With approximately 16,000 employees, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay area. We are dedicated to cultivating a talented, engaged and driven workforce that strives to be bold. Employees excel in USF‘s rich academic environment, which fosters their development and advancement. In 2025, Forbes recognized USF as one of Florida’s best large employers, ranked No. 1 among the state’s 12 public universities. Our first-class benefits package includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, employee and dependent tuition programs, generous leave, and hundreds of employee perks and discounts.

About USF 

The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $738 million in research funding in 2024 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF’s Division I athletics teams compete in the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.

Compliance and Federal Notices

This position may be subject to a Level 1 or Level 2 criminal background check.

Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws: 

The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law.  The University maintains programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Applicants for USF employment are entitled to request reasonable accommodation(s) in the application process. A request is to be made at least five (5) working days prior to the time the accommodation(s) is needed. Visit the Central Human Resources ADA Accommodations webpage for more information on requesting an accommodation during the application/interview process.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law.  The University maintains affirmative action programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.  This job description does not constitute an employment contract.