Director, Agile Practices

Security Benefit Business Services / Everly Life•Overland Park, KS

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

As a Director, Agile Practices, you will lead and develop a team of Scrum Masters across multiple Domain Teams, establishing coaching practices, elevating consistency, and scaling Agile excellence across the enterprise. You will influence Agile transformation—coaching leaders, scaling frameworks, and improving delivery outcomes across complex programs. Working within our Customer Centric Delivery Model (CCDM), you'll partner with our Centers of Excellence and cross-functional Domain Teams to embed disciplined Lean-Agile delivery approaches that balance speed, quality, and regulatory compliance in a financial services environment. This role is ideal for an experienced Agile leader who combines deep Agile coaching expertise with people leadership capability, strategic impact, organizational influence, and a passion for developing Agile capability at scale. The Director, Agile Practices position reports to the Chief Digital and Technology Officer and can be based out of our home office in Topeka, Kansas, or remotely for the right candidate. We work a hybrid schedule, offering flexibility to work both remotely and on-site.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Business, Technology, or related discipline, or equivalent experience.
10+ years of experience in Agile environments with at least 6+ years in an Agile Coach or enterprise coaching capacity.
Proven experience managing and developing Scrum Masters or Agile Coaches, with demonstrated success in building high-performing coaching teams.
Hands-on experience serving as a Scrum Master for delivery teams, with the ability to effectively balance strategic leadership with tactical execution.
Extensive experience coaching at scale—with multiple teams, complex programs, and senior leaders.
Deep knowledge of Agile and Lean principles, methods, and scaling frameworks (Scrum, Kanban, SAFe, Lean).
Experience in regulated industries (financial services, insurance, banking) with demonstrated ability to integrate Agile with compliance and risk controls.
Strong facilitation, influencing, coaching, and mentoring skills with a proven ability to affect change without direct authority.
Track record of driving organizational transformation and measurable delivery improvements.
Experience with Agile metrics and analytics, including using tools like Jira, Confluence, Airtable, or similar platforms to track team performance and drive improvement.

Nice To Haves

Advanced Agile certifications such as ICP-ACC, ICP-ATF, SAFe Program Consultant (SPC), Certified Scrum Professional (CSP), or equivalent.
Experience developing Agile coaching communities, Communities of Practice (CoPs), or Center of Excellence practices.
Familiarity with matrix organizational structures and experience operating within or establishing Centers of Excellence.
Experience partnering with Risk, Compliance, Security, or Audit functions in large enterprises.
Demonstrated success in promoting value stream thinking, and product-centric operating models.
Experience with AI/ML delivery practices or emerging technology transformation initiatives.

Responsibilities

Directly manage and develop a team of Scrum Masters, providing mentorship, performance feedback, career development, and capability building to elevate their coaching effectiveness and delivery impact.
Establish consistent coaching standards, practices, and delivery frameworks across the Scrum Master community, ensuring alignment with enterprise Agile transformation objectives.
Build and lead a community of practice, knowledge-sharing forums, and continuous learning programs that strengthen organizational Agile maturity.
Lead enterprise-wide scaling initiatives that support cross-organization alignment, predictability, and business outcomes.
Act as a senior advisor and coach to technology leaders, product executives, and business stakeholders on Agile leadership behaviors, organizational design, and value delivery.
Drive and implement Agile frameworks (e.g., Scrum, Kanban, SAFe, hybrid models) at team, program, and portfolio levels, tailoring approaches to solve organizational challenges within our CCDM operating model.
Collaborate with product management, architecture, risk, compliance, and operations partners to ensure Agile practices integrate seamlessly with enterprise governance and control expectations.
Establish and track key Agile metrics (velocity, cycle time, lead time, sprint predictability, quality metrics) using tools like Jira, Confluence, and Airtable dashboards to drive data-informed decision-making.
Coach leaders and teams on metrics that matter—flow, predictability, quality, and customer value—and help them make evidence-based decisions that improve outcomes.
Lead large-scale Agile ceremonies, workshops, and retrospectives that enhance capability, promote continuous improvement, and disseminate best practices across the organization.
Identify systemic impediments and organizational anti-patterns, and partner with stakeholders to design and implement sustainable solutions.
Influence mindset shifts across the organization toward empowered, product-centric, outcomes-focused delivery culture.
Champion psychological safety, transparency, and collaborative problem-solving as foundational principles for high-performing Agile teams.

Benefits

Competitive salary and annual incentive bonuses to reward your contributions.
33 days of paid time off (including PTO, holidays, Volunteer Day, and days of significance).
Paid parental leave after 90 days of service.
Comprehensive medical, dental & vision insurance.
401(k) with company match, plus Profit Sharing & Savings Plan.
Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance to give you peace of mind.
Flexible Spending Accounts for medical and dependent care.
Life Insurance to protect your loved ones.
Educational assistance to support your career development.
Associate assistance programs for your personal and professional well-being.