Senior Scrum Master

Charles (CJ) McElrath Jr.

Summary Statement

Accomplished Senior Project Manager and Agile Scrum Master with 9 years of experience leading cross-functional teams on high- impact projects, including large-scale system migrations, integrations, and continuous improvement initiatives. Expertise in Agile methodologies, with a proven track record of driving Agile transformations, delivering complex enterprise solutions, and optimizing project delivery through tools such as Jira, ServiceNow, and Azure DevOps. Skilled in managing multi-million dollar projects and streamlining processes to accelerate decision-making and increase operational efficiency. Known for fostering collaboration across departments and aligning teams to meet business objectives while delivering results ahead of schedule and within budget. Passionate about using data-driven strategies to improve team performance and achieve project success. Professional Experience

Northrop Grumman, Irving, TX June 2016 – present Senior Scrum Master (June 2018 – Present)

• Agile Transformation & Leadership: Successfully led Agile transformation efforts, championing the adoption of Scrum and Kanban practices across 3 cross-functional teams. Collaborated with key stakeholders to ensure the organization embraced Agile principles, resulting in high-performing, self-organizing teams.

• Capacity Management & Resource Allocation: Guided the development and refinement of capacity management strategies, ensuring effective alignment of team resources with project timelines and goals. Worked closely with leadership and project teams to improve resource allocation, minimizing bottlenecks and enhancing efficiency.

• Scrum Ceremonies & Process Improvement: Led and facilitated Scrum ceremonies (Daily Stand-ups, Sprint Planning, Retrospectives), consistently meeting sprint goals. Introduced continuous improvement practices that enhanced team collaboration, shortened cycle times, and increased deliverables.

• KPIs & Reporting: Drove project success by designing and implementing reporting tools that tracked KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) such as velocity, capacity, backlog health, and quality metrics. Delivered actionable insights to senior management to inform decision-making and project adjustments.

• Stakeholder Engagement & Communication: Managed stakeholder relationships, ensuring alignment of business goals with IT solutions, and providing consistent updates through dashboards and tools like Jira, Rally, and ServiceNow. Fostered transparency across teams and stakeholders, improving overall project visibility and accountability.

• Mentorship & Coaching: Mentored junior Scrum Masters and Agile practitioners, providing guidance on process improvement, team collaboration, and conflict resolution. Instilled a servant leadership mindset across teams, empowering them to achieve higher productivity and collaboration.

• Risk Management & Dependencies: Proactively identified risks and managed dependencies, ensuring project success by tracking potential issues and collaborating with other teams to develop mitigation strategies.

• Technology Roadmaps & Value Stream Mapping: Led the execution of technology roadmaps and value stream mapping efforts, streamlining operational processes and improving team collaboration, leading to more efficient delivery of aerospace initiatives.

• Tools & Systems: Utilized advanced Jira configurations, Confluence, Visio, and LucidChart for backlog management, sprint tracking, and visualizing process improvements. Led the integration of Workday HCM, improving workforce planning, talent acquisition, and HR lifecycle management for increased organizational efficiency.

• Agile Coaching & Training: Delivered training sessions on Agile methodologies and tools, leading to increased adoption and understanding of Scrum principles. Coached teams on self-organization and best practices, resulting in more autonomous and high-performing teams.

IT Agile Project Manager - International Services ( June 2015 – June 2018)

• Managed the deployment of integrated services, including mobility and print management systems for international clients.

• Utilized Agile methodology to streamline migration processes for Windows 10 adoption, ensuring minimal downtime and improving customer satisfaction.

• Collaborated with internal stakeholders to ensure smooth system transitions, reducing the impact on service delivery.

IT Agile Project Manager for International PMO (June 2015 – January 2018)

• As part of the Professional Development Program, I rotated through various roles within the International PMO, supporting the Enterprise Service Sector and global stakeholders, modern project management tools such as Jira, ServiceNow, and Azure DevOps to manage large-scale global projects.

• Ensured seamless communication and project alignment across teams, utilizing tools to drive efficiency and improve project outcomes.

Education

Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Operations and Technology Management Southern Polytechnic State University (now Kennesaw State University), Marietta, GA December 2014 Bachelor of Business Administration

Southern Polytechnic State University (now Kennesaw State University), Marietta, GA May 2013 Certifications

● Project Management Professional (PMP) – February 2016 – Present

● Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) – March 2017 – Present

● Certified SAFe 6 Advanced Scrum Master– Present to March 2026

● Certified SAFe 6 Scrum Master – Present to May 2025

● Certified SAFe 6 Product Owner/Product Manager– Present to May 2025

● ITIL V3 – November 2015 – Present

● CompTIA IT Fundamentals – April 2018 – Present

● Certified Associate in Project Management (PMI-CAPM) – March 2017 – March 2022 Military Service

Cadet, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY August 2008

– July 2011

Honorable Discharge, US Army Veteran, Rank: E2

Skills & Tools

● Project Management: Agile & Waterfall, System Integration, Cloud Migration, Jira, ServiceNow, Azure DevOps, Vendor Management

● Collaboration: Cross-functional Team Leadership, Stakeholder Engagement, Risk & Issue Management, Business Process Optimization

● Methodologies: Scrum, Kanban, SAFe, Continuous Improvement, Backlog Management, Roadmap Development

● Data Analysis & Reporting: KPI Tracking, Performance Metrics, Reporting Dashboards, Executive Reporting

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