Senior Agilist
Candescent
Candescent is the largest non-core digital banking provider. We bring together the transformative technologies that power and connect account opening, digital banking and branch solutions for banks and credit unions of all sizes on any core. Our Candescent solutions power the top three U.S. mobile banking apps and are trusted by banks and credit unions of all sizes.
We offer an extensive portfolio of industry-leading products and services with an extensible ecosystem of out-of-the-box and integrated partner solutions. In addition, our API-first architecture and developer tools enable financial institutions to optimize and expand upon their existing capabilities by seamlessly integrating custom-built or third-party solutions. And our connected in-person, remote and digital experiences reinvent customer service across all channels.
Self-service configuration and marketing tools give financial institutions greater control of their branding, targeted messaging and overall user experience. And data-driven analytics and reporting tools provide valuable insights to help drive continued growth and profitability. From conversions and implementations to custom development and customer care, our clients get expert, end-to-end support at every step.
Senior Agilist
Position Summary
We are seeking Senior Agilists to serve as agile leaders within the organization. Senior Agilists define and promote best practices for agile methodologies at the product and team level, coach Agilists across teams, and ensure visioning and planning activities are grounded in agile principles. They enable the organization to experiment and evolve strategies to meet product objectives. This role leads the setup and transformation of large products (teams of teams) and oversees broader agile transformation and continuous improvement.
Titles may include Release Train Engineer and Product Agile Coach.
Key Areas of Responsibility
- Lead transformation and execution of a Product (team of teams)
- Serve as a member of the Product Leadership Team (PLT)
- Apply and improve organizational standards and identify opportunities for change
- Help the Product team integrate with the Portfolio and navigate complexity
- Collaborate with Portfolio Leadership to drive Product and Portfolio success
- Coach team-level Agilists (e.g., Scrum Masters) and Product Managers in facilitation and backlog management
- Coordinate Agile Teams in product delivery and lead Agile Team structure adaptation
- Identify and communicate product impediments and risks, and lead response planning
- Mentor less experienced Agilists and seek guidance from senior practitioners
- Ensure aligned, end-to-end product execution including planning, development, testing, delivery, and operations
- Drive continuous improvement using Objectives and Key Results (OKRs)
- Facilitate product-level agile events, workshops, and coaching sessions
- Maintain documentation, metrics, and improvement plans for agile practices
Product Strategy, Vision, and Planning
- Define and own agile methodology, values, and principles for the product in partnership with Product Managers
- Enable the product to continuously experiment and evolve strategy using outcome-based feedback loops
- Maintain transparency through regular communication of agile outcomes and impediments to stakeholders
- Define best practices for planning activities including product roadmaps, OKRs, PI planning, and cross-team collaboration
- Coach Product Managers and Agilists on agile ways of working to build strategic and tactical capabilities
- Act as a transformational advocate for agile and product mindsets across teams
Product Design and Development
- Ensure teams are staffed with the right roles and skills to meet objectives
- Collaborate with Product Managers to prioritize and communicate roadmaps across Product Owners and teams
- Own and facilitate product-level agile practices including PI planning, product syncs, and business reviews
- Manage risks, dependencies, and the flow of value across the product and with external teams
- Simplify governance, audit, and compliance requirements in collaboration with Product and Risk/Compliance teams
Performance Measurement and Optimization
- Lead agile surveys and retrospectives to guide product-level agile maturity and roadmap development
- Establish and monitor product-level metrics to drive outcomes and support continuous improvement
Qualifications and Experience
- Operational knowledge of large Agile programs (5+ teams) and frameworks such as SAFe, LeSS, DAD, Nexus
- Expert in running program-level operations and transformations
- Able to define and execute product transformation strategy based on business needs
- Skilled in Agile team structuring and product startup processes
- Proficient in Value Stream Mapping and improving delivery flow
- Master-level skills in continuous improvement and cross-team facilitation
- Able to coach leaders, stakeholders, and other Agilists across the product ecosystem
- Master-level Agile coaching and facilitation experience
- 4+ years leading Agile transformations at the product or release train level
- Experience coaching teams from inception to maturity for sustainable delivery and speed
- Facilitated Agile Release Trains and led delivery using Kanban
- Coached senior leaders and stakeholders (director level and above preferred)
- Led multi-team change initiatives and coached other facilitators and change agents
EEO Statement
Integrated into our shared values is Candescent’s commitment to diversity and equal employment opportunity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, age, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, military service, genetic information, or any other characteristic or conduct protected by law. Candescent is committed to being a globally inclusive company where all people are treated fairly, recognized for their individuality, promoted based on performance and encouraged to strive to reach their full potential. We believe in understanding and respecting differences among all people. Every individual at Candescent has an ongoing responsibility to respect and support a globally diverse environment.
Statement to Third Party Agencies
To ALL recruitment agencies: Candescent only accepts resumes from agencies on the preferred supplier list. Please do not forward resumes to our applicant tracking system, Candescent employees, or any Candescent facility. Candescent is not responsible for any fees or charges associated with unsolicited resumes.