Scrum Master

• locations
• Milton Keynes

• time type
• Full time

• posted on
• Posted 2 Days Ago

• time left to apply
• End Date: October 6, 2025 (8 days left to apply)

• job requisition id
• R7050

At AQA, we’re committed to advancing education and we’re committed to our people. As the largest provider of academic qualifications in the UK, we mark over 10 million exam papers each year and it’s our people who make this happen.

Scrum Master

Fixed Term Contract: 18 months

Milton Keynes: £45,200 - £50,000

Hybrid – minimum 2 days per week in office

Imagine a role where you transform education by ensuring millions of students receive their GCSE and A-level results seamlessly. Join us in the Assessment Technology group and make a real impact!

Are you passionate about Agile and Scrum methodologies? Ready to drive efficiency and foster a culture of continuous improvement? If you thrive in a dynamic environment and want to be at the forefront of educational technology, we want you on our team.

As a Scrum Master in our Scanning & Marking department, you'll be coaching and mentoring teams, facilitating key events, and driving strategic product changes. With at least 3 years of experience and a Certified Scrum Master qualification, you’ll leverage and improve your knowledge of Essential SAFe, PI Planning, and Agile Release Train. Your role will include:

• Coaching scrum teams in Scrum and Scaled Agile practices
• Experience using Azure DevOps for work management
• Promoting continuous process improvement for greater efficiency
• Facilitating ART events and Scrum ceremonies
• Assisting Product Owners in backlog prioritisation and PI planning
• Monitoring performance and tracking progress
• Attending Scrum of Scrums meetings for alignment
• Removing impediments and managing risks
• Creating a trusting environment for problem-solving

You’ll report to the Lead Scrum Master and be integral to our mission of delivering operational excellence. Expert knowledge of Azure DevOps and a high standard of communication, organisational, and relationship-building skills are essential.

What’s in it for you?

• Generous Annual Leave: 25 days of annual leave, increasing to 30 days with service, plus all Bank Holidays and additional Christmas office closure.
• Flexible Working: A 35-hour week with the empowerment to deliver requirements of your role when it suits everyone.
• Competitive Pension Scheme: Excellent contributory pension plan (6% - 11.5% based on your contribution).
• Your health and wellbeing: BUPA private medical insurance, gym membership/ access and free access to the Headspace app.
• Other benefits: Life assurance, salary sacrifice and an enhanced maternity/paternity scheme.

What You’ll Bring:

• Strong communication skills for effective collaboration with scrum teams and the management team.
• Passion for continuous improvement and innovation.
• Proven experience facilitating scrum teams

Ready to apply? 

If the role looks of interest and you would like to apply, please do so via our portal. Every application will be provided with a written response!

Closing date for applications will be Sunday 5th October. We are reviewing applications as they come through and reserve the right to close this role early.

#PRO22

At AQA, we are committed to fostering a workplace that celebrates diversity and promotes equity and inclusion. We believe that a diverse team brings richer perspectives and drives better outcomes. Our ED&I strategy ensures that everyone—regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, age, disability, sexual orientation, or background—is valued, respected, and empowered to thrive. We actively promote inclusive language, avoid stereotypes, and strive for representation across all dimensions of diversity. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and lived experiences.

Recruitment Agencies

We have a preferred supplier list (PSL) in place.

Unsolicited CVs will be treated as a gift. We will not be subject to or liable under your terms and conditions for agency fees.

Full Job Description

Summary

Responsible for facilitation of Scaled Agile and Scrum events and ceremonies. Responsible for ensuring our Scrum & Essential Scaled Agile processes are followed by scrum teams you facilitate. Inspiring a culture of trust, learning, innovation, continuous improvement, and collective ownership.Landscape:

Responsible for facilitation of Scaled Agile and Scrum events and ceremonies. Responsible for ensuring our Scrum & Essential Scaled Agile processes are followed by scrum teams you facilitate. Inspiring a culture of trust, learning, innovation, continuous improvement, and collective ownership.

Activities:

Coach members of scrum teams you facilitate in the use of Scrum and Essential Scaled Agile practices & values and be an evangelist in these areas.

Create efficiency through promotion of continuous process improvement.

Facilitate events and meetings for Agile Release Train (ART) events and Scrum ceremonies.Facilitate Product Increment (PI) planning to ensure that the near-term roadmap is clearly defined

Driving PI execution, managing performance, tracking and communicating progress

Engaging in Scrum of Scrums meetings to ensure all product delivery teams are aligned

Escalating impediments, managing risk, and driving delivery improvement.

Remove impediments, and act as a safeguard for the scrum teams you facilitate.

Regularly assess the Scrum Maturity of the teams you facilitate and coach them to higher levels of maturity at a sustainable pace.

Build a trusting and safe environment where problems can be raised without fear of blame, retribution, or being judged, with an emphasis on healing and problem-solving.

Report upward to the Lead Scrum Master as required.

To be successful in this role, you will need to know:

Have a minimum of 1 year experience as a Scrum Master

Knowledge of Essential SAFe; PI Planning, and Agile Release Train.

Certified Scrum Master (essential)

Expert knowledge of Azure DevOps; work item management, backlog refinement, creating Azure DevOs queries, maintaining dashboards, setting up sprints and running Scrum Ceremonies.

Software development lifecycle

High standard of written and oral communication.

Excellent organisational skills

Relationship building skills

Assertiveness

About Us

AQA is an independent charity that sets and marks over half of all GCSEs and A-levels in the UK every year. Our purpose is to advance education by helping students and teachers to realise their potential. As part of AQA, you’ll very quickly appreciate the determination and unwavering passion to deliver this goal in everything we do. To help drive these ambitions, AQA invests in the development of its people by offering a range of professional development and learning opportunities leading to over 50% of our permanent roles being filled internally.

Reasonable Adjustments

If you have any requirements for reasonable adjustments in relation to the application, interview or the prospective job, please contact Faye Harrison (she/her) at fharrison@aqa.org.uk or on

07813 724161. We are asking for this information to make the process as equitable as possible for each candidate. Please note that Faye will not be able to assist you with enquiries regarding Temporary vacancies or non-recruitment enquiries. If you have query regarding Temporary vacancies, please contact:

temprecruit@aqa.org.uk

Smart Working

We’re operating a smart working model. This allows for our colleagues to work from two days a week in one of our offices across England.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

AQA is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone - regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, age, disability, sexual orientation, or background - is valued, respected, and supported to thrive.

Conflict of Interest

Please note that due to the confidential nature of our work, we are unable to employ people for our temporary roles who are currently a candidate for Key Stage 4 and 5 public examinations.

Safeguarding

AQA is committed to the safeguarding of children and adults at risk. We’re dedicated to reducing the risk of employing or contracting any person intent on abusing their position of trust, along with identifying and responding to any incident of alleged abuse from its employees or associates fairly and swiftly.

For more information on safeguarding at AQA please visit the AQA website here. 

Contact

Temporary roles: temprecruit@aqa.org.uk
Permanent and Fixed Term roles: opportunities@aqa.org.uk