Clarion

Coach and facilitate Agile adoption within a marketing team, tailoring Agile practices to marketing workflows, and building trust and credibility with creative professionals. | Must have direct marketing experience or proven Agile coaching within marketing teams, deep understanding of marketing workflows and terminology, practical coaching skills, and familiarity with Scrum and SAFe. | 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. Tasks 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 Requirements 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