Agile Coach

Details

An Agile Coach works with Product and Engineering structures to ensure they are focused on the effective delivery of working software. Agile Coaches work with a variety of roles across multiple, cross-functional teams to shape high-performing teams that deliver high value to the business by guiding teams to think customer first. They focus on continuous improvement and work at all levels to identify improvements, guide stakeholders and teams, and create a culture of psychological safety.

Agile Coaches are deployed into an area focusing on a business objective and work with stakeholders and teams to determine where they can best add value. They may work on large-scale programmes alongside Technical Programme Managers. Agile Coaches have experience in an Engineering, Product, or Design background, enabling them to draw on a broad range of experiences when working with Engineering teams.

Responsibilities

Working With Teams to Deliver Working Software

• Work with Product and Engineering structures to ensure effective delivery of working software by helping teams break down work, think about customers first, define the value to achieve, and determine how work can be delivered effectively.
• Work with Product and Engineering teams to establish a culture of continuous improvement through regular reviews, learning, and implementation of effective change.
• Solve problems related to the delivery of working software, remove blockers, and reduce dependencies by bringing subject matter experts together to agree on suitable outcomes.
• Influence Product teams to focus on effective delivery metrics, ideally working software, by helping teams understand delivery data and use it to measure success effectively.
• Influence individuals and teams on the continuous delivery of working software, drawing on delivery function principles.

Influencing Behavioral Change

• Influence Product teams to continually learn and adapt by creating a culture where teams are open to trying new approaches to delivering working software.
• Encourage teams to obtain early feedback by delivering working software in a single batch.
• Help teams develop a culture of continuous improvement by highlighting problems and enabling teams to solve them.
• Create a sustainable pace by improving planning and continuous delivery practices.
• Instill a continuous improvement mindset by coaching and teaching teams tools and techniques to evolve their ways of working.

Continuous Improvement

• Work at all levels to identify improvements by understanding the current situation, articulating it clearly, and defining the direction for improvement.
• Achieve target conditions by recognizing the current state, desired future state, and steps required to reach it.
• Act on decisions, take ownership, and lead by doing.

Psychological Safety and Stakeholder Engagement

• Enable teams to freely present ideas and thoughts by adopting a culture of openness and healthy conflict.
• Identify and adopt long-term, sustainable solutions using techniques such as root cause analysis and the 5 Whys.
• Identify key stakeholders for projects, plans, or decisions by understanding how organizational components and people are affected.
• Create stakeholder buy-in through effective communication, providing information, and addressing needs and concerns.
• Analyze the impact of project-driven change on stakeholders and design change management approaches using change management principles and communication strategies.

Influencing, Negotiating, and Advising

• Build commitment and obtain support for initiatives by applying emotional intelligence, persuasive communication, and stakeholder expectation management.
• Work toward win-win outcomes by understanding the needs and motives of others during negotiations.
• Provide advisory services and solutions to relevant areas of the organization by combining an understanding of challenges and needs with problem-solving and effective communication.

Coaching and Mentoring

• Use experience and knowledge to coach or guide stakeholders at all levels when appropriate.
• Improve stakeholder performance by sharing experience and approaches to work.

Requirements

• Full understanding of Agile principles.
• Knowledge of different Agile methodologies, such as Scrum and Kanban.
• Knowledge of the software delivery lifecycle, including continuous delivery and walking skeletons.
• Relevant background in an Engineering or Product role.

Contract Details

• Independent contractor position.
• Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands.
• Workload: 40 hours per week.
• Timeline: August 10, 2026 to November 9, 2026.
• Pay rate: €40–€92 per hour.