Senior Scrum Master - Midnight

Who are we?

IOHK, is a technology company focused on Blockchain research and development. We are renowned for our scientific approach to blockchain development, emphasizing peer-reviewed research and formal methods to ensure security, scalability, and sustainability. Our projects include decentralized finance (DeFi), governance, and identity management, aiming to advance the capabilities and adoption of blockchain technology globally.

We invest in the unknown, applying our curiosity and desire for positive change to everything we do. By fueling creativity, innovation, and progress within our teams, our products and services are designed for people to be fearless, to be changemakers.

About Midnight:

IOG's Midnight Tribe is a business technology provider and core contributor to the Midnight Network, a blockchain platform for developing decentralized applications that safeguard personal and commercial data. The Midnight Network is the first blockchain to offer programmable data isolation by leveraging zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs to enable selective disclosure of what information is visible on-chain and is designed to help developers implement necessary business policies, such as meeting regulatory requirements.

What the role involves:

We are looking for a talented Senior Scrum Master to play a pivotal role on the Midnight team, driving cutting-edge technology development in one of the most exciting fields in the world. As Senior Scrum Master, you will support Midnight’s engineering and product teams in delivering on ambitious project goals and initiatives. You will champion the Scrum process, ensuring it is understood and followed by leading the team through key Scrum activities such as planning, execution, and monitoring through to project completion. In this role, you will serve as an advocate for the team, balancing delivery timelines and scope with team capacity, while fostering collaboration and efficiency.

Key responsibilities include:

• Guide and coach the Scrum Team on applying Agile practices and principles as outlined in the Scrum Guide, fostering the team's ability to deliver high-quality products and services.
• Assess the Scrum maturity of the team and coach them towards becoming a fully self-managed, high-performing team.
• Foster a trusting and safe environment where problems can be raised without fear of blame, retribution, or judgment, with a focus on problem-solving and continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with relevant stakeholders to remove impediments that block the development team's ability to work effectively and deliver value.
• Facilitate conflict resolution within and across teams and escalate issues to management only when necessary.
• Work closely with internal and external stakeholders to improve transparency, share information, and maintain effective communication.
• Coordinate Agile ceremonies, including sprint planning, retrospective meetings, and daily stand-ups.
• Assist Product Owners and teams with product release planning and backlog prioritization to ensure the most valuable features meet deadlines.
• Monitor and ensure deliverables meet quality standards at the end of each sprint.
• Support and educate Product Owners, particularly in grooming and maintaining the product backlog and release plans.
• Continuously improve personal skills and adopt new tools and techniques to enhance team performance.
• Safeguard the team from outside interruptions and distractions.
• Leverage various tools and platforms such as Jira, Linear, or equivalent, to manage workflows, track progress, and maintain accountability.

Who you are:

• Proven experience as a Scrum Master in a software development environment.
• Strong familiarity with software development processes, including Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD).
• Excellent knowledge of Scrum techniques and artifacts (e.g., definition of done, user stories, automated testing, backlog refinement).
• Good understanding of other Agile frameworks (e.g., Kanban, XP).
• Experience managing Jira software projects, including configuration and integration with other projects and workflows. Proficiency in using other Scrum tools such as Linear or equivalent project management software is also essential.
• Exceptional communication and servant leadership skills.
• Demonstrated problem-solving and conflict-resolution abilities.
• Outstanding organizational skills and attention to detail.
• A commitment to fostering collaboration, innovation, and team success.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Business, or a related field (or equivalent professional experience).
• Certified Scrum Master (CSM) or equivalent certification is a plus.

Are you an IOGer?

Do you find yourself questioning the status quo? Do you tinker with ideas and long to turn those ideas into solutions? Are you able to spark thoughtful debates, bringing out the inquisitiveness in others? Does the promise of continuously growing excite you? Then get ready to reimagine everything you thought wasn’t possible because that’s what it means to be an IOGer - we don’t set limits, we break them. 

• Remote work
• Laptop reimbursement
• New starter package to buy hardware essentials (headphones, monitor, etc)
• Learning & Development opportunities
• Competitive PTO 

At IOG, we value diversity and always treat all employees and job applicants based on merit, qualifications, competence, and talent. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.