Job Title: Release Train Engineer
Location: London, UK (3 days a week in office)
SC Cleared: Required
Job Type: Full-Time
Experience: 8+ years
Job Overview:
We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Release Train Engineer (RTE) to facilitate the successful delivery of our cutting-edge Azure Databricks platform for economic data. This platform is critical to our Monetary Analysis, Forecasting, and Modelling capabilities. The RTE will serve as a servant leader and coach for multiple Agile teams, ensuring alignment with programme objectives, removing impediments, and driving continuous improvement within the Agile Release Train (ART). This role demands a strong understanding of Agile principles, excellent communication and facilitation skills, and a passion for fostering a collaborative and high-performing team environment.
Responsibilities:
* ART Facilitation:
* Facilitate ART events, including Programme Increment (PI) Planning, Scrum of Scrums, System Demos, and Inspect & Adapt workshops.
* Drive the cadence and synchronisation of ART activities, ensuring alignment with the overall programme roadmap.
* Coach teams and stakeholders on Agile principles and practices, promoting a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
* Impediment Removal:
* Identify and escalate impediments that block the progress of the ART and individual teams.
* Work with stakeholders to resolve dependencies, manage risks, and mitigate issues proactively.
* Facilitate cross-team communication and collaboration to ensure smooth workflow.
* PI Planning:
* Lead the preparation and execution of PI Planning events, ensuring clear objectives, well-defined features, and realistic commitments.
* Facilitate the development of PI Objectives and ensure alignment with strategic themes.
* Track progress against PI Objectives and report on key metrics.
* Continuous Improvement:
* Promote a culture of continuous improvement within the ART by facilitating retrospectives and implementing agreed-upon actions.
* Identify and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
* Champion the adoption of Agile best practices and principles.
* Stakeholder Management:
* Build strong relationships with stakeholders at all levels, including business owners, product managers, and technical teams.
* Communicate ART progress, risks, and dependencies effectively.
* Manage stakeholder expectations and ensure alignment on priorities.
* Metrics and Reporting:
* Collect and analyse key metrics to track ART performance and identify areas for improvement.
* Provide regular reports on ART progress to stakeholders.
* Use data to drive decision-making and continuous improvement.
* Collaboration with System Architect/Engineering:
* Work closely with the System Architect/Engineering to support the architectural runway and ensure technical alignment within the ART.
Skills & Experience:
* 5+ years of experience working in an Agile environment, with at least 3+ years in a Release Train Engineer or similar leadership role.
* Deep understanding of Agile principles, practices, and frameworks (e.g., Scrum, Kanban, SAFe).
* Proven experience facilitating large-scale Agile events, such as PI Planning.
* Excellent communication, interpersonal, and facilitation skills.
* Strong problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills.
* Ability to influence and motivate teams without direct authority.
* Experience working with distributed teams.
* Familiarity with Jira or similar Agile project management tools.
* Experience in a data-driven environment is highly desirable.
* Experience with Azure Databricks or similar big data platforms is a plus.
* Desirable Skills & Experience:
* SAFe Program Consultant (SPC) or SAFe RTE certification.
* Experience working with economic data or in the financial services industry.
* Knowledge of DevOps practices and principles.