Senior Agile Project & Release Manager

Role: Senior Agile Project & Release Manager

Location: Austin, TX - Onsite

Job Type: Fulltime / W2

Experience

5–10 Years of relevant experience in Project Management, Release Management, Agile Delivery, and Strategic Portfolio Management.

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced Senior Agile Project & Release Manager to lead the planning, execution, and delivery of complex projects and releases across multiple teams.

The ideal candidate will possess strong leadership, stakeholder management, problem-solving, and portfolio management skills, with extensive experience in Agile methodologies, release governance, and enterprise project management tools such as JIRA and Clarity CA PPM.

The role requires a strategic thinker who can drive cross-functional collaboration, manage project portfolios, ensure successful release execution, and continuously improve delivery processes in a fast-paced environment.

Key Responsibilities

Project & Portfolio Management

• Manage end-to-end project lifecycles, ensuring delivery within scope, schedule, budget, and quality expectations.
• Govern and manage project portfolios using Clarity CA PPM and established PMO processes.
• Develop and maintain project plans, roadmaps, milestones, dependencies, and resource forecasts.
• Monitor project risks, issues, and dependencies while ensuring timely resolution.

Release Management

• Plan, coordinate, and oversee release schedules across multiple teams and applications.
• Establish release governance processes and ensure adherence to organizational standards.
• Collaborate with development, QA, operations, and business stakeholders to ensure smooth deployments and minimal business disruption.

Agile Delivery Leadership

• Drive Agile transformation and promote Agile best practices across teams.
• Facilitate Agile ceremonies including sprint planning, retrospectives, reviews, and daily stand-ups.
• Support Scrum teams in removing impediments and improving delivery velocity.
• Utilize JIRA to manage backlogs, track progress, and report project metrics.

Strategic Planning & Stakeholder Management

• Align project objectives with organizational goals and strategic initiatives.
• Partner with senior leadership to prioritize initiatives and optimize portfolio outcomes.
• Communicate project status, risks, and recommendations to executive stakeholders.
• Build strong relationships with cross-functional teams and business partners.

Problem Management & Continuous Improvement

• Lead root cause analysis and problem management activities.
• Identify opportunities to improve delivery processes, release management practices, and team effectiveness.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives using data-driven decision-making and analytical thinking.

Required Skills & Qualifications

Mandatory Skills

• Release Management (5–10 years)
• Project Management (5–10 years)
• Project & Portfolio Management (PPM) (5–10 years)
• Strategic Management (5–10 years)
• Agile Project Management (5–10 years)
• Problem Management & Problem Solving (5–10 years)
• Planning and Execution (5–10 years)
• Analytical Thinking (5–10 years)
• Communication & Stakeholder Management (5–10 years)
• Collaboration, Diplomacy, and People Skills (5–10 years)
• Attention to Detail (5–10 years)

Technical & Methodology Skills

• Clarity CA PPM (2–5 years)
• SDLC Management (2–5 years)
• Agile Methodologies (2–5 years)
• Agile Scrum Framework (2–5 years)
• JIRA (2–5 years)

Soft Skills

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong facilitation and negotiation abilities.
• Ability to influence stakeholders at all organizational levels.
• Strong teamwork and collaboration mindset.
• Effective questioning, critical thinking, and decision-making capabilities.

Preferred Qualifications

• PMP, PgMP, PMI-ACP, Scrum Master, SAFe, or equivalent certifications.
• Experience managing large-scale enterprise programs and multiple concurrent releases.
• Experience working with geographically distributed teams and stakeholders.

Success Criteria

• Consistently deliver projects and releases on schedule and within budget.
• Improve portfolio visibility, release predictability, and delivery efficiency.
• Drive Agile maturity and foster a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Maintain high stakeholder satisfaction through proactive communication and execution excellence.