Scrum Master

**Application closing date**: Wednesday, 18 December 2024 - 11:59pm, Canberra time

**Estimated start date**: Monday, 03 February 2025

**Location of work**: ACT

**Working arrangements**:Hybrid Work From Home arrangements available and flexible.

**Length of contract**: 19 months

**Contract extensions**: 3 x 12 months

**Security clearance**: Ability to obtain Baseline clearance

**Rates**: $110 - $130 per hour (inc. super)

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) Payday Super represents a transformative opportunity to modernize the Super Guarantee (SG) system, addressing the estimated $5.1 billion in unpaid SG annually and improving retirement incomes for millions of Australians. It introduces a core requirement for employers to make super contributions to funds within seven calendar days of payday, significantly accelerating current processes.

The implementation of Payday Super involves extensive collaboration across the SG ecosystem, including employers, digital service providers, gateways, clearing houses, super funds, and the ATO. Preparations include adapting systems, workflows, and compliance practices to meet the faster pace required by the new system. Legislative changes are being developed by Treasury, while the ATO and industry stakeholders work proactively to align with upcoming requirements.

Key to this transition is the ATO's enhanced capability to match Single Touch Payroll data with super contribution reports. This allows for proactive compliance monitoring and faster intervention when employers fail to meet obligations, ensuring more timely contributions for workers. Payday Super will drive significant operational and cultural shifts within the superannuation industry, requiring readiness for faster data processing and regulatory responses.

The ATO is seeking an experienced Scrum Master to support the successful delivery of the Payday Super initiative, a transformative program modernizing the Super Guarantee (SG) system. This role involves driving Agile practices, fostering collaboration, and ensuring the successful delivery of iterative project milestones in a fast-paced environment. As Scrum Master, you will work closely with cross-functional teams, removing impediments, promoting Agile principles, and facilitating seamless delivery of project goals. This is a critical role in ensuring the readiness of the SG ecosystem for the legislative, operational, and technological changes introduced by Payday Super.

Key Responsibilities:

- Facilitate Agile ceremonies, including daily stand-ups, sprint planning, sprint reviews, and retrospectives.
- Ensure teams adhere to Agile principles and Scrum practices for efficient and high-quality delivery.
- Act as a servant leader to Agile teams, fostering collaboration and continuous improvement.
- Shield the team from external interruptions and distractions to maintain focus on sprint goals.
- Support the team in identifying and removing blockers to ensure smooth progress.
- Work closely with the Product Owner and stakeholders to ensure a clear understanding of priorities and deliverables.
- Facilitate effective communication between team members, stakeholders, and leadership.
- Promote a culture of continuous improvement by encouraging team reflections and implementing actionable insights from retrospectives.
- Identify opportunities for optimizing workflows, improving team dynamics, and enhancing delivery processes.
- Track team performance metrics, including velocity and sprint progress, to provide insights for informed decision-making.
- Prepare and share regular status updates with leadership and program stakeholders.
- Identify and escalate risks or issues that could impact project timelines or deliverables.
- Collaborate with the team to mitigate challenges and ensure alignment with project goals.

Skills and Experience:

- Proven experience as a Scrum Master, ideally in large-scale Agile environments or public-sector projects.
- Strong understanding of Agile frameworks (Scrum, Kanban, SAFe).
- Exceptional facilitation, coaching, and team-building skills.
- Effective communication and stakeholder management abilities.
- Proficiency in Agile project management tools (e.g., Jira, TFS, Confluence, Trello).
- Experience in the superannuation or financial services industry.
- Familiarity with legislative and compliance-driven projects.
- Certification in Agile practices (e.g., Certified Scrum Master (CSM), SAFe Scrum Master, PMI-ACP).

**HOW TO APPLY**

**NOTE**: You are not required to meet all the Key Responsibilities and Skills and Experience criteria. However, your level of achievement in these areas will determine the APS level and corresponding remuneration you qualify for.