Scrum Master Career Path

In my career thus far, I have come across several Scrum Masters. While many of them are now doing very well in their careers, growing up the ladder. This article is meant for the ones who are new to Scrum and are trying to identify a career path once they start their journey as a Scrum Master. It is a field with vast opportunities and growth potential. We will now go step by step to make you understand the career trajectory of a Scrum Master.

Scrum Master – The beginning (Suggested tenure: 2-3 years)

Scrum masters guide, coach, mentor, and enable their Scrum Teams to develop useful products. They must start with one Scrum Team. In an organization that is new to Scrum, it requires a diligent effort by the Scrum Master to educate the team about the framework. This is followed by coaching and guiding the team on new practices and Agile methodology. The Scrum Master must be able to convince the team that a Product can be developed from scratch and be ready to use in a stipulated period. The Scrum Master also gives a helping hand to the Product Owner in understanding new principles.

But with time, the team becomes more receptive to change and starts adhering to Agile methodology which makes the task of Scrum Master easier. The team members start taking more responsibility and communicate more actively with the Product Owner thereby needing less time from the Scrum Master in handling communication channels.

Scrum Master – Scaled Up (Suggested tenure: 3-4 years)

After spending 3 to 4 years with a Scrum Team, the team becomes less reliant on the Scrum Master for his/her guidance. The team can leverage Agile principles to make themselves more efficient. With the current team needing less support, the Scrum Master should look for growth. A natural step up is to work with multiple teams or with a more challenging team. In both cases, the efficiency of the Scrum Master is put to test, as he/she has to utilize time in the best possible way to achieve desired results.

In handling multiple teams, He/She will gain experience of coaching a bigger group of personnel and tackling a variety of problems. In addition, he/she will come across different kinds of personalities in a team, and dealing with them will enhance his/her coaching skills as well.

This is a period where the base for the next step needs to be formed and the Scaled framework needs to be practiced. You will be responsible for identifying and fixing problems in the Scrum implementation. The name of the position could vary across organizations, but generally accepted role names are Scrum Architect or Chief Scrum Master.

This is also the point where the individual needs to understand their own area of interest for career trajectory. Below you’ll find recommendations based on areas of interest and expertise.

Product Owner (Suggested tenure : 3-4 years)

While working as a Scrum Master, the individual may realize that his/her interest lies in the Product itself rather than the methodology to make that product. It is for those individuals that a crossover to becoming a Product Owner will bear fruit.

In terms of hierarchy, the two roles are similar in an organization. But it does add a dimension to the Scrum Master’s expertise. When an experienced Scrum master takes on the role of a Product Owner, he/she gains experience of the other side of Product Development. This will be thought-provoking and add an edge to the Scrum Masters’ profile. He/she will be able to gauge the same situation through the lens of a Scrum Master as well as a Product Owner and make better decisions.

This role involves handling the business side of product development along with coordination with the Scrum Master and the team. This will introduce the Scrum Master to things like Market Research, Competitor Analysis, Product Financing and Product release-associated activities.

A Product Owner role after being a Scrum Master makes a unique combination of skill set that combines Agile methodology with business acumen. It will spur your career to higher echelons in corporate organizations.

Agile Coach or Mentor (Suggested Tenure: Based on one’s liking)

This path is recommended for Scrum Masters who are instinctively aligned to Agile methodology and have a passion for inculcating the same in other individuals.

Once a Scrum Master has a significant amount of experience in handling a foray of Scrum Teams, he/she will have gained the right skills to move into mentorship. There are various means to go about this role as an individual. If your current organization has the organizational structure to incorporate a Mentor, then you can ascend to that role. If not, then it might be the right time to think about either changing your organization or joining an Agile consulting company. 

Agile Consulting Entrepreneur (Suggested Tenure: Till the time you keep growing)

Furthermore, if you’re sure of your skill and believe in your entrepreneurial abilities, it might be lucrative to start your own Agile Consulting firm. But this is only recommended after thorough research of market availability and your own temperament to manage a business altogether.

Manager (Suggested Tenure: Based on employer merit cycle)

Scrum Masters are not supposed to be Managers. But the organizations are evolving now. Managers play an important role in a big organization with multiple hierarchies. Scrum Masters, in their role, do interact with Managers and work closely with them. 

Although the Manager as a position does not form a part of the Scrum guide, a good Manager is important for the effectiveness of the Scrum process within an organization. 

A person who has a background of being a Scrum Master and also a Product Owner will have the required skills to be successful as a Manager. A Manager has a bigger range of responsibilities and transforms being responsible for People’s performance rather than Process. This role will take you a step away from the Scrum methodology and open doors to senior positions in organizations.

Senior Management (Suggested Tenure: Based on employer merit cycle)

Once you have entered the Management scheme of things after being a Manager, it allows you to climb up the ladder. With growing complexity in the organization, companies are looking at Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) who can take the role of Senior Management.

There are multiple senior roles that a person with a Scrum background can easily fill and handle with proficiency. There are roles like Director of IT, Director of Quality Assurance (QA), or even Development Manager which can be seamlessly fulfilled by experienced Scrum Masters.

A combination of People management skills and adherence to optimal processes will reap dividends for the organization and also make the role fulfilling for the individual.

Conclusion: 

Scrum Master in itself is a long-term career. Many individuals have a fulfilling career being Scrum Master for a long duration working on different challenges and streamlining processes to produce adequate results. But, it also works as a giant stepping-stone towards some fabulous career options. It can be in the line of Coaching or Entrepreneurship or take you to higher positions within organizations. You might choose the path you like, but one thing is for sure; you will have ample options to choose your career trajectory from. Simpliaxis offers Agile courses to help you on this journey. You can enroll in our comprehensive Certified Scrum Master course, which provides in-depth knowledge and practical skills needed to excel in your role.