Safe Scrum Master Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

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Summary

The Scrum Master is a servantleader and Agile coach accountable for establishing and enabling team and value stream effectiveness, and leveraging Kanban principles to improve delivery speed, predictability, and value realization. The role focuses on how work is performed, flowing through the system, not on scope or budget.

The Scrum Master is accountable for improving delivery flow, removing impediments, and optimizing how teams collaborate within the value stream to delivery measurable business outcomes. This includes managing work in progress, improving cycle time, and ensuring work is delivered in alignment with value-driven priorities and business outcomes.

Location

This position can sit in any of our U.S. office locations and offers a hybrid work schedule.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate team and value stream ceremonies as appropriate (e.g. stand-ups, reviews, retrospectives), adapting practices to support successful delivery
• Identify and remove impediments that limit team or value stream effectiveness or disrupt flow of delivery.
• Foster a culture of transparency, collaboration, accountability, and psychological safety for continuous improvement within the team.
• Enable effective work intake, refinement, and prioritization in partnership with TPMs and QA Leads, ensuring alignment to value-driven outcomes (without owning scope or priorities).
• Shield teams from unnecessary external disruption while promoting appropriate stakeholder engagement and alignment.
• Track and help teams use appropriate Agile metrics (e.g. cycle time, WIP, throughput) to support learning and improvement, not performance scoring.
• Facilitate coordination and collaboration across teams within the value stream to improve end-to-end delivery and reduce dependencies.
• Contribute to broader Agile adoption by partnering with other Scrum Masters, TPMs, QA Leads, coaches, and leadership.

Desired Skills

• Understanding Scrum and Agile frameworks and principles.
• Strong facilitation, coaching, and conflictresolution skills.
• Ability to lead without formal authority through influence and servant leadership.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Experience fostering continuous improvement and team maturity.
• Comfortable working in complex enterprise environments with multiple stakeholders.
• Experience working across teams and stakeholders.
• Comfort with ambiguity and evolving operating models.
• A coaching mindset (not task management) is critical.

Minimum Education

• High School or GED

Preferred Education

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or related field.

Certifications

• PSM I / PSM II, CSM / ACSM / Kanban or SAFe Scrum Master certifications preferred.

Minimum Years of Experience

• 10+ years of experience with cross-team coordination or scaled delivery

Essential Job Expectations

While the specific job requirements of a DLA Piper position may vary depending upon scope of the job and area of specialty, there are certain universal requirements that are expected of all DLA Piper employees, which include but are not limited to:

• Effectively communicate, verbally and in writing, with clients, lawyers, business professionals, and third parties;
• Produce deliverables, answer phone calls, and reply to correspondence in an efficient and responsive manner;
• Provide timely, accurate, and quality work product;
• Successfully meet deadlines, expectations, and perform work duties as required;
• Foster positive work relationships;
• Comply with all firm policies and practices;
• Engage in both physical and sedentary activity, such as (a) working at a computer for extended periods of time, including on-screen reading and typing; (b) participating in digital/virtual conference calls; (c) participating in meetings as needed;
• Ability to work under pressure and manage competing demands in a fast-paced environment;
• Perform all other duties, tasks or projects as assigned.

Our employees are expected to embrace and uphold our firm values as a part of our DLA Piper culture. We are committed to excellence in how we represent our clients and develop our people.

Physical Demands
Sedentary work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.

Work Environment

The individual selected for this position may have the opportunity for a hybrid work arrangement comprised of remote and in-office work, the requirement for which will be determined in coordination with the hiring manager or supervisor and may be modified in the firm's discretion in the future.

Disclaimer

The purpose of this job description is to provide a concise statement of the work elements and to organize and present the information in a standardized way. It is not intended to describe all the elements of the work that may be performed by every individual in this classification, nor should it serve as the sole criteria for personnel decisions and actions. The job duties, requirements, and expectations for this position may be modified at the Firm's discretion at any time. This job description does not change the at-will nature of employment.

Application Process

Applicants must apply directly online instead of sending application materials via email.

Accommodation

Reasonable accommodations may be made upon request to permit individuals with a disability to perform the essential functions and responsibilities of the position or to participate in the job selection process. If you have a request for an accommodation during the application process, please contact careers@us.dlapiper.com.

Agency applications will not be considered.

No immigration sponsorship is available for this position.

The firm's expected hiring range for this position is $149,276 - $237,355 depending on the candidate's geographic market location.

The compensation offered for employment will also be dependent on other factors including the candidate's experience, skills, educational and professional background, and overall qualifications. We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including medical/dental/vision insurance, and 401(k).

Applicants who are not based in the jurisdiction in which this position is posted and who apply for this role are doing so voluntarily and are not eligible for relocation assistance. Any relocation benefits, if any, are provided only where a relocation is required at the firm's direction and in accordance with applicable policy and law.

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DLA Piper is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.Job applicant poster viewing center.