Consultant, Agile Leader (Release Train Engineer)

If you’re passionate about being part of a dynamic organization that enables a Fortune 100 company with nearly $70 billion in annual sales to drive innovation and adopt new technologies that deliver business results, then Nationwide’s Technology team could be the place for you! At Nationwide®, “on your side” goes beyond just words. Our customers are at the center of everything we do and we’re looking for associates who are passionate about delivering extraordinary care.

This role will work a hybrid schedule coming into the Columbus, Ohio or Des Moines, Iowa office 2 days per week on Wednesdays & Thursdays.

Position Overview

This is an exciting opportunity to join Nationwide’s Annuity Modernization Program, driving a Tier 1 priority multi-year program focused on delivering business outcome uplift through updating technology solutions and practices.

We are seeking a uniquely experienced individual with working knowledge of Scrum Master / Release Train Engineer (RTE), and Delivery Leader (project manager) on a large, multi-year program. This role will coordinate delivery across multiple teams and value streams, drive SAFe and Agile ways of working, and provide coaching, metrics, and insights to program leadership.

The ideal candidate blends strong servant leadership, program delivery expertise, and hands-on SAFe Release Train Engineer experience, including facilitation of Scrum of Scrums and big room / PI planning events.

Key Responsibilities

• Agile Team & Train Leadership

  • Act as Release Train Engineer (RTE) for a large Agile Release Train, coordinating planning and execution across multiple teams and lines of business.

  • Participate in line Scrum ceremonies (Daily Stand-ups, Sprint Planning, Reviews, Retrospectives) and ensure they are outcome-focused and value-driven.

  • Remove impediments and escalate blockers that impact delivery, partnering with leaders to drive resolution.

• Program & Release Coordination

  • Lead Scrum of Scrums, cross-team syncs, and other coordination forums to manage dependencies, risks, and cross-cutting issues.

  • Plan and facilitate PI Planning / big room planning events, ensuring clear objectives, aligned priorities, and committed plans across teams.

  • Coordinate release calendars, milestones, and delivery timelines across multiple teams and stakeholders.

  • Partner with Product Management, Architecture, and Delivery Leaders to align roadmaps, scope, and capacity.

• SAFe & Agile Coaching and Uplift

  • Coach teams, Product Owners, and leaders on SAFe, Scrum, and Lean-Agile principles and practices.

  • Champion continuous improvement through retrospectives, experiments, and adoption of Agile best practices.

  • Support the development of Agile maturity roadmaps and uplift plans for teams and the broader program.

  • Mentor less experienced Scrum Masters and help establish communities of practice.

• Metrics, Reporting, and Insights

  • Define, collect, and maintain Agile and delivery metrics (e.g., velocity, predictability, flow, cycle time, defect trends, PI objectives progress).

  • Provide clear, data-driven insights and dashboards to program leaders to support decision-making and course correction.

  • Identify trends and systemic impediments using metrics and qualitative feedback, and drive targeted improvement actions.

  • Communicate status, risks, and dependencies clearly and transparently to stakeholders at all levels.

• Stakeholder Management & Communication

  • Build strong relationships with business partners, technology leaders, and other stakeholders across multiple lines of business.

  • Facilitate alignment on priorities, scope, and trade-offs, ensuring teams are focused on the highest-value work.

  • Communicate complex delivery topics in a clear, concise manner tailored to executives, leaders, and teams.

Skills & Experience

• 7+ years of experience in Agile delivery roles, including Scrum Master and/or Release Train Engineer (or equivalent program-level Agile role).

• Demonstrated experience leading large, multi-team or multi-year programs using SAFe or similar scaled Agile frameworks.

• Hands-on experience facilitating:

  • Scrum ceremonies at team level

  • Scrum of Scrums or similar cross-team coordination