Agile Practice Manager - 20-Month Contract (Agile Coach)

Job summary

Lead and evolve Agile practices, standards, metrics, and the Agile community of practice, while coaching Scrum Leads, project managers, squads, and stakeholders. Manage a team of Project Managers and Scrum Leads, and support portfolio planning, prioritization, resource allocation, governance, and continuous improvement across delivery models.

Job details

Who We Are With every job, there’s always the question of “why”. Why join a company? Why be part of their mission? Here, the why is easy. It’s because at some point, we’ve all needed someone there for us. At the OTIP Group of Companies (OGC), we believe that something special happens when employees feel valued for the work they do, supported as the people they are, and included in the very fabric of the organization: they bring their best to work every day. And that's why we mean it when we say we put our people at the centre of everything we do. Join us as we grow our way into a future that reimagines what it means to deliver meaningful benefits support and service. As Agile Practice Manager, you will lead the maturity, evolution and effectiveness of Agile delivery practices across ESO and the broader organization. This role is accountable for strengthening Agile ways of working, enabling delivery teams and squads, coaching Scrum Leads and delivery partners, and ensuring Agile practices are applied consistently, pragmatically, and in alignment with business outcomes. The position combines people leadership with practice ownership, delivery enablement, governance support, and continuous improvement across Agile, hybrid, and traditional delivery models. What You’ll Do Practice Management Mature and evolve Agile practices, frameworks, and methodologies across the organization. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to refine and mature the Agile processes, ensuring alignment with business objectives. Provide training and workshops on Agile principles, best practices, and frameworks to project teams, stakeholders, and senior management. Champion a practical Agile mindset and support consistent, fit-for-purpose application of Agile practices across teams, squads, and stakeholder groups. Establish and maintain meaningful Agile delivery metrics to assess flow, predictability, capacity, dependencies, impediments, delivery health, and continuous improvement opportunities. Evaluation and adjustment of existing delivery practices and processes for continuous improvement. Identify opportunities for process improvement and implement initiatives to enhance project management capabilities. Foster a culture of learning and knowledge sharing within the project management practice team. Coach Scrum Leads, Capability Owners, squad members, project managers, and delivery stakeholders on practical Agile behaviours, ceremonies, delivery practices, and continuous improvement techniques; act as a trusted resource for Agile-related questions, impediments, and delivery challenges. Manage OGC’s Agile community of practice for Agile practitioners. Ensure Agile practices integrate with portfolio intake, prioritization, capacity planning, dependency management, and executive reporting. Support alignment between squads, project teams, product/capability owners, Scrum Leads, and PMO/portfolio functions. Own and evolve Agile standards, guardrails, playbooks, role expectations, and ways of working to support consistent delivery practices across ESO. Relationship Management Develop and maintain relationships and effectively communicate with OGC and External stakeholders, often at senior leadership and executive levels. Develop and maintain relationships with reporting staff and key delivery partners. Staff Management Lead a team of Project Managers and Scrum Leads in a strong matrix environment. Provide line management support to ensure their success and professional growth including the following: mentoring, coaching training objective setting and performance management Strategic Planning Collaborate with ESO leaders as well as other stakeholders to share best practices, lessons learned and promote a culture of continuous improvement. Stay up-to-date with industry trends and advancements in Agile methodology and related practices, incorporating relevant insights into our Agile framework. Anticipate, profile, and enable the Enterprise journey in evolution of Project management Maturity and solution delivery through right sizing and right timing of Methodologies, tools and processes and support thereof. Support the project portfolio, proving well considered input on risks, issues, opportunities, and staff allocations. Evolve capabilities and capacities to meet current and future Portfolio needs to enable execution of projects within budget, scope, and schedule. Provide strategic guidance in project selection, prioritization, and resource allocation. Let’s Talk About You Experience leading or maturing an Agile practice, Agile community of practice, or delivery enablement function. Experience with cost benefit analysis, executive communication, and approval facilitation. Bachelor's degree in project management, business administration, or a related field. Proven experience (5 years) in Agile project management, and experience in Agile Project Management Practice development/leadership (5 years) with a track record of successfully managing complex projects. In-depth knowledge of project management methodologies, tools, and techniques. (Scrum, SAFe, Kanban…) Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with stakeholders at all levels. Strong leadership and people management skills, with the ability to motivate and inspire teams. Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a focus on delivering results. Proactive mindset with the ability to anticipate risks, issues and implement timely solutions. Applicable Project management certifications (e.g., PMP, CSM, PSM, SAFe…). Proven success in building effective relationships with internal teams and all levels of management. Strong facilitation skills with the ability to plan and facilitate workshops, brainstorming and planning sessions, including process reviews. Ability to communicate effectively in French is a strong asset. Experience in a consulting or professional services environment is an asset. Proven experience in Insurance or financial services or related industries is an asset. Working Conditions General office environment. May be required to work overtime Salary Range: $116,054 to $156,602 This position offers a competitive salary along with rewarding bonuses that recognize your dedication. At the OTIP Group of Companies (OGC), we value transparency and take multiple factors into account when determining your starting salary, including your skills, experience, and alignment with the role as well as internal equity, while positioning you for continued growth and recognition over time. Some Of The Perks We Offer We offer best-in-class pension and benefits, total reward programs and comprehensive mental wellness support to set you up for every success in and outside of work. Here are just some of the reasons you’ll love working here: Defined benefit pension plan for a financially confident retirement 100% coverage of approved continuing education and licensing fees Access to a wealth of learning resources, including LinkedIn Learning for professional development Flexible work-from-home and hybrid options Unlock your potential with opportunities for advancement Let’s work together! If you are interested in this opportunity, please apply online. The OTIP Group of Companies (“OGC”) is a group of affiliated organizations operating under a shared purpose and values. OGC is comprised of Ontario Teachers Insurance Plan (OTIP), Curo Claims Services, and Orbit Insurance Services. Candidate communications may refer to OGC when referencing any of the affiliated organizations applied to. This recruitment process uses artificial intelligence tools to assist with screening and assessing applications. All hiring decisions include human review. OTIP and its group of companies strive to create an accessible and inclusive work environment where everyone is treated with respect and dignity. Upon individual request, we will endeavor to remove any barrier to the recruitment and selection processes and provide accommodations for persons with disabilities. As a business, we protect what matters most to our members. As an employer, we value what matters most in our workplace. Together, this includes fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment for all. We are committed to learning and evolving so we can continue to celebrate what makes us special. You are who you are, and our differences are what make us unique. We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage applications from all qualified individuals. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

What you’ll do

Lead and evolve Agile practices, standards, metrics, and the Agile community of practice, while coaching Scrum Leads, project managers, squads, and stakeholders. Manage a team of Project Managers and Scrum Leads, and support portfolio planning, prioritization, resource allocation, governance, and continuous improvement across delivery models.

Requirements

Requires a bachelor's degree in project management, business administration, or a related field, along with five years of Agile project management experience and five years of Agile practice development or leadership experience. Candidates should have strong knowledge of Agile and project management methods, leadership and communication skills, facilitation ability, and applicable project management certifications; French, consulting, and insurance or financial services experience are assets.

Benefits

• Defined Benefit Pension Plan
• Continuing Education and Licensing Fee Coverage
• Professional Development Resources
• Flexible Work-from-Home and Hybrid Options
• Advancement Opportunities
• Bonuses
• Benefits and Mental Wellness Support

Listed skills

• Scrum · Preferred
• Kanban · Preferred
• Project management · Preferred
• Stakeholder Management · Preferred
• Continuous Improvement · Preferred
• Risk Management · Preferred

Other relevant skills

Identified from the job description. Confirm important requirements above.

• Agile Practice Leadership
• Agile Coaching
• Scrum
• SAFe
• Kanban
• Project Management
• People Management
• Stakeholder Management
• Portfolio Management
• Capacity Planning
• Dependency Management
• Agile Metrics
• Workshop Facilitation
• Continuous Improvement
• Risk Management
• Executive Communication

Job areas

• Management & Leadership
• Consulting
• Finance & Accounting

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