Release Train Engineer

Purpose of the Job

The purpose of the Release Train Engineer (RTE) is to drive an Agile Release Train (ART) by steering it to success while navigating the complexity of delivering software in a complex and cross-functional environment. The RTE is a servant leader and coach for the ART, assuring value delivery by effectively facilitating all ART events and processes, communicating with stakeholders, resolving and escalating impediments, managing risks, and driving relentless improvement. The RTE is an individual with a solid grasp of how to scale Lean and Agile practices and resolve unique opportunities and challenges associated with facilitating and continuously aligning a large development program. They further help configure SAFe to business needs, standardising, and documenting practices.

Job Objectives

Manage and optimise delivery of the ART, overseeing and managing transition to full operational support. Manage and optimise the flow of value through the ART using various tools. Coach leaders, teams, and Scrum Masters in Lean-Agile practices and mindsets. Establish and communicate the annual calendars for iterations and program increments (PIs). Facilitate PI planning readiness by fostering a Continuous Exploration process which drives the synthesis of a vision, a roadmap, and backlogs, and through pre- and post-PI planning meetings. Facilitate the PI planning event and summarise team PI objectives into program PI objectives. Track the execution of features and capabilities against defined metrics. Facilitate periodic synchronisation meetings, including the ART sync at the Essential Level and the value stream sync for Solution Trains. Assist with economic decision-making by facilitating feature and capability estimation by teams and the roll-up to Epics, where necessary. Manage ART risks and dependencies and escalate and track impediments. Provide input on resourcing to address critical bottlenecks. Drive collaboration between teams and System and Solution Architects/Engineering. Work with Product and Solution Management, Product Owners, and other stakeholders to help ensure strategy and execution alignment. Improve the flow of value through value streams by improving and assessing practices associated with DevOps and Release on Demand in the Continuous Delivery Pipeline. Help drive the Lean User Experience (UX) innovation cycle. Work with the Agile Program Management Office (APMO) on program execution and operational excellence. Understand and operate within lean budgets and ensure adherence to Guardrails. Facilitate System Demos and Solution Demos. Drive relentless improvement via Inspect and Adapt workshops; assess the agility level of the ART and Solution Train and help them improve. Foster Communities of Practice and the use of engineering and Built-In Quality practices.

Qualifications

• Degree or Diploma in Computer Science, Information Technology or a related field – (essential).
• SAFe Certified Release Train Engineer certification or equivalent – (essential).
• Certificate in Leading SAFe or SAFe for Teams – (essential).

Experience

• +6 years proven and progressive experience as a Scrum Master, Project Manager or a similar related role for long lived value streams and products with demonstrated proficiency in multiple disciplines, technologies and processes – (essential).
• Demonstrated experience leading teams through large-scale and complex projects from conception to implementation – (essential).
• Expert in Agile tools preferably Target Process and/or JIRA or equivalent – (essential).
• Good understanding of how budgeting works in a Scaled Agile environment along with experience tracking and interpreting meaningful metrics - (preferred).
• Retail or eCommerce industry experience – (preferred).

Knowledge and Skills

Comprehensive knowledge and experience in software development in an Agile environment – (essential). Good understanding of how budgeting works in a Scaled Agile environment along with experience tracking and interpreting meaningful metrics - (preferred).