Agile Coach (Marketing Experience Required)

About the Opportunity:

Our client is seeking an experienced Agile Coach to support their ongoing Agile transformation. The ideal candidate will possess a deep understanding of Agile methodologies and practices, with a strong ability to facilitate and guide teams through the Agile transformation process. In this role, you will play a crucial part in enhancing project implementation strategies and ensuring effective governance across IT initiatives. Your expertise will help foster an environment of continuous improvement, collaboration, and innovation.

Role Overview:

The Agile Coach will work directly with the marketing team, which includes roles such as VP/Director of Marketing, Content Marketing Manager, Art Director, Marketing Operations Manager (also Scrum Master), and others. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of coaching Agile within marketing or creative environments, and will be able to build trust, relate to the team’s unique challenges, and drive practical, hands-on adoption of Agile practices.

Key Responsibilities:

• Build strong relationships and credibility with a creative, marketing-focused team
• Assess current workflows and identify practical Agile improvements tailored to marketing
• Facilitate workshops, team events, and hands-on coaching sessions (onsite for 1-2 weeks, then remote)
• Introduce and support practical tools for work visualization, capacity planning, and WIP management
• Help the team understand and experience the value of Agile, overcoming skepticism and resistance
• Collaborate with the Marketing Operations Manager/Scrum Master to reinforce Agile practices
• Align coaching with the company’s broader Agile transformation vision and practices (Scrum, SAFe)
• Support Product Owner engagement and, if possible, offer guidance on product ownership in a marketing context
• Deliver direct, hands-on value with lots of team interaction

Core Objectives for the Agile Coach

• Build trust and credibility with the marketing team, addressing their skepticism and unique concerns
• Identify and demonstrate how marketing work can fit within Scrum and/or SAFe frameworks, adapting Agile practices to suit creative workflows
• Secure the marketing team’s buy-in and active participation in Agile practices, ensuring they see the value and sustainability of the approach

Marketing Expertise & Communication Requirements

• Must have either:

• Marketing background/experience in a corporate environment OR

• Direct, proven experience coaching Agile specifically within marketing or creative teams

• Must be able to “speak the language” of marketing—demonstrating fluency with marketing terminology, workflows, and challenges
• Ability to quickly build trust and credibility with creative professionals by relating to their unique context and needs
• Candidates without direct marketing experience or a track record of coaching Agile in marketing environments will not be considered

Candidate Requirements:

• Hands-on experience in marketing or direct experience coaching Agile within marketing teams (required)
• Deep understanding of marketing workflows, challenges, and terminology
• Practical, hands-on coaching style—able to “meet the team where they are” and drive real change
• Track record of building trust and credibility with creative professionals
• Familiarity with Scrum and SAFe; certifications are a plus but not required
• Experience with capacity planning, WIP limits, and work visualization in a marketing context
• Ability to provide and adapt proven Agile templates and materials for immediate use
• Bonus: Experience supporting Product Owners or product management in marketing teams

Engagement Details:

• 3 month initial engagement, with potential for extension / future opportunities
• Initial 1-2 weeks onsitem in San Diego, then fully remote
• CEO buy-in and strong executive support for this initiative