Agile Coach Hiring Guide | LinkedIn Talent Solutions

Illustration of a woman standing at a desk working on a laptop

Agile is a project management approach based on rapid iteration, collaboration, flexibility, and adaptability. It uses short development cycles, known as sprints, to break down large projects into smaller deliverables. Agile coaches are project management professionals that help teams and organizations implement these principles into their workflows. Their role is typically associated with the tech industry. But, as agile methodologies have gained popularity, agile coaches have evolved to serve other industries such as marketing, finance, media, and retail.

You might hire an agile coach to:

Analyze current systems and processes, then design a custom strategy for the adoption and implementation of agile principles

Coach senior management in agile practices to ensure effective leadership
Train and mentor team members and empower them to make better decisions
Advance an organizational shift toward communication, collaboration, and flexibility by championing an agile mindset

Required skills and qualifications	Preferred skills and qualifications
Proven experience implementing agile methodologies in similar organizational settings	Certification in computer science, IT, engineering, business, or a field related to the industry they will be working in
Strong understanding of Scrum, Kanban, and industry-specific agile frameworks	Certification in agile coaching, like the Scrum Alliance’s Certified ScrumMaster certification
Excellent leadership, coaching, and mentoring skills	Ability to influence and coach senior leadership
A strategic and innovative mindset, with the ability to analyze complex problems	Strong problem-solving skills