Agile Program Manager - Pharma
Job Title: Agile Program Manager3 days a week to South San Francisco/Pharma ClientRole OverviewWe are looking for a versatile and strategic Agile Program Manager to bridge the gap between high-level strategic product roadmaps and day-to-day agile execution. In this dual-impact role, you will own the end-to-end delivery of complex, cross-functional technical programs while championing agile principles, removing impediments, and keeping cross-functional development squads humming.You will operate at both ends of the telescope: partnering with leadership to align program milestones with business objectives, and working directly with product managers, engineers, and designers to optimize sprint execution, velocity, and predictability.Key ResponsibilitiesProgram ManagementEnd-to-End Delivery: Own the planning, execution, and communication of high-visibility, cross-functional technical programs from inception to launch.Roadmap & Milestone Tracking: Translate strategic business goals into structured program timelines, defining clear milestones, dependencies, and critical paths.Risk & Stakeholder Management: Proactively identify delivery risks, devise mitigation strategies, and keep stakeholders and executive leadership informed through transparent status reporting.Resource & Capacity Alignment: Collaborate with engineering and product leads to manage resource allocation and ensure teams are set up for sustainable delivery.Scrum Master & Agile LeadershipFacilitate Scrum Events: Lead core agile ceremonies—including Sprint Planning, Daily Standups, Backlog Grooming, Sprint Reviews, and Retrospectives—keeping them focused, efficient, and actionable.Impediment Removal: Actively shield the team from external distractions and clear operational, technical, or interpersonal roadblocks to maintain continuous momentum.Metrics & Continuous Improvement: Track and analyze key agile metrics (e.g., velocity, burndown/burnup charts, cycle time) to coach teams toward continuous process optimization.Agile Evangelism: Foster a culture of psychological safety, cross-functional collaboration, transparency, and high ownership within product development squads.Qualifications & SkillsMust-HavesExperience: 5+ years of combined experience in technical program management, project management, and serving as a Scrum Master within software development or data-driven environments.Agile Mastery: Deep expertise in Scrum/Agile frameworks, with certifications such as CSM (Certified ScrumMaster), PMI-ACP, or PMP.Tool Proficiency: Advanced fluency in agile tracking and project management software (such as Jira, Confluence, or similar tools) for managing backlogs, sprints, and release burndowns.Cross-Functional Leadership: Proven track record of guiding cross-functional teams (Product, Engineering, QA, Design, Data) through complex product releases without relying on formal authority.Nice-to-HavesExperience in commercial pharma and life sciences.Experience scaling agile practices across multiple teams (SAFe, LeSS, or custom scaling frameworks).Background in data analytics, BI, SaaS products, or complex enterprise software solutions.Familiarity with modern software development lifecycles (SDLC) and CI/CD pipelines.What We OfferCompetitive salary and performance bonus structure.Comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits.Flexible hybrid work environment and generous PTO.Continuous learning and professional development budget.