JobsMercury Marine

Agile Program Manager

Mercury Marine · Mettawa, IL

Posted Sep 10, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Walk me through a program you managed where you had no direct authority over the people doing the work. How did you get them to actually deliver?

whether they can drive results through influence rather than positional power, which is central since this role has no direct reports

Tell me about a time you had to report bad news about a program's delivery health to leadership. How did you frame it?

comfort with transparency and executive communication rather than spinning status green when it isn't

Describe a team whose Agile maturity was low when you started with them. What did you actually change, and how did you know it improved?

whether they can assess and coach maturity with concrete evidence rather than vague claims of 'we did retros'

Describe a time you had to tell a team to slow down or push back on unplanned work coming from leadership.

whether they protect delivery discipline under pressure from above, not just from peers

What does psychological safety look like day to day on a team you've coached, beyond just saying the words?

depth of understanding of team culture-building versus buzzword familiarity

Tell me about a risk you spotted early on a program that others hadn't flagged yet. How did you escalate it and what happened?

proactive risk sense and follow-through on escalation, not just identification

Technical

How do you decide what belongs in an executive-ready status update versus what stays at the team level?

judgment about audience-tailored communication and signal versus noise

What's your experience with Azure DevOps or Jira for backlog management and reporting? Walk me through how you'd set up visibility into delivery health for a program with multiple teams,

actual hands-on tool fluency versus surface familiarity

How do you facilitate a retrospective or planning session so it doesn't turn into a rubber-stamp exercise?

real facilitation craft and whether ceremonies are treated as purposeful versus checkbox rituals

Situational

Say you're running Scrum of Scrums and two teams both claim the same shared service dependency is blocking them, and each blames the other. What do you do in that meeting and after it?

practical facilitation skill in cross-team dependency conflict, not just theoretical knowledge of the ceremony

Tell me about a program where scope, timeline, and budget were all under pressure at once. What trade-off did you make and who did you involve in that call?

ability to manage competing constraints and know when a decision needs stakeholder buy-in versus unilateral action

A Product Owner keeps letting the backlog get overloaded with more than the team's capacity allows. How do you handle that conversation?

willingness to push back on stakeholders diplomatically while protecting team sustainability

If you inherited a program with three teams at very different maturity levels, all reporting into the same roadmap, how would you approach aligning them without slowing the strongest team down?

strategic thinking about portfolio-level coordination and differentiated coaching

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The full job description

As published by Mercury Marine.

Are you ready for what’s next?   Come explore opportunities within Brunswick, a global marine leader committed to challenging conventions and innovating next-generation technologies that transform experiences on the water and beyond.  Brunswick believes “Next Never Rests™,” and we offer a variety of exciting careers and growth opportunities within united teams defining the future of marine recreation.  Location:   Mettawa, IL Workplace Category: (Hybrid, onsite, remote)  Hybrid Travel Required:   Occasional Direct Reports:   None Pay Range:    $118,400 - $174,000 Visa Sponsorship: Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States.  This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship now or in the future.     Relocation:   Relocation assistance is generally not available for this position; exceptions may be considered for highly qualified candidates.   Innovation is the heart of Brunswick .  See how your contributions will help transform vision into reality :   Position Overview :    The Agile Program Manager champions Agile delivery by coaching cross-functional teams, strengthening Agile practices, removing organizational impediments, and driving predictable execution across projects and programs. This role requires a proactive leader with strong project/program management discipline who can align teams around business priorities, communicate risks and progress to leadership, and ensure Agile ceremonies and planning practices are purposeful, outcomes-focused, and conducted according to industry best practices. About Us: Brunswick embodies innovation + inspiration on the water. Home to marine’s most recognized consumer brands like Mercury Marine, Boston Whaler, Sea Ray and Lund, the company is defining the industry as the leading manufacturer of recreational boats, engines, parts and accessories. Essential Duties: • Lead program-level delivery by coordinating cross-functional initiatives, aligning work to business outcomes, and managing scope, timelines, dependencies, risks, financials, and trade-offs to support high-quality execution. • Drive Agile delivery and continuous improvement by applying Scrum practices, coaching teams and stakeholders, assessing maturity, and guiding practical improvements at a sustainable pace. • Communicate program progress, delivery health, risks, dependencies, financials, and trade-offs in a clear, executive-ready manner that supports timely decisions and stakeholder alignment. • Maintain transparent delivery information, metrics, and Agile planning tools to improve visibility, collaboration, accountability, and informed decision-making. • Foster a trusting, psychologically safe team environment that promotes ownership, accountability, collaboration, learning, and problem solving. • Represent teams in portfolio, roadmap, planning, dependency management, and coordination forums, including Scrum of Scrums, to improve alignment and remove cross-team blockers. • Identify, escalate, and resolve blockers, unplanned work, risks, conflicts, and delivery issues while helping teams navigate ambiguity and maintain momentum. • Partner with Product Owners to maintain healthy, prioritized backlogs that align strategic goals , team capacity , and effective trade-off decisions. Required Qualifications: • BA or BS degree required, or relevant years of experience . • Ability to work in a hybrid environment, both onsite and offsite . • Minimum 6+ years of experience in digital product development, Agile delivery, project management, or program management, including experience supporting cross-functional technology teams. • Demonstrated ability to lead, influence, and coach cross-functional teams without direct authority, while fostering accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement. • Strong time management , organizational , and delivery management skills, with a proven ability to manage competing priorities , risks, dependencies, and deadlines across multiple initiatives. • Strong knowledge of Agile/Scrum practices, facilitation techniques , situational awareness, conflict resolution, continuous improvement, empowerment, transparency , and team maturity development. • Strong presentation, communication, and stakeholder management skills, including the ability to translate delivery information into clear insights for technical, business, and leadership audiences. • Experience using Agile planning and development tools, such as Azure DevOps, Jira, or similar platforms, to support backlog management, sprint planning, reporting, and delivery transparency. Preferred Qualifications: • Knowledge and/or experience with widely successful Agile techniques: User Stories, ATDD, TDD, Continuous Integration, Continuous Testing, Pairing, Automated Testing, Agile Games . • Applicable knowledge of the technologies used by the team . • Previous experience as a Team Leader, Scrum Master, or Project/Program Manager supporting complex digital or technology initiatives. • Excellent mentoring and coaching skills . The hiring range for this position is $118,400 - $174,000 annually. The actual base pay offered will vary based on multiple factors including job-related knowledge/skills, relevant experience, business needs, and geographic location. Compensation decisions are dependent upon the specifics of the candidate’s qualifications and the business context.  In addition to base pay, this position is eligible for an annual discretionary bonus.  This position is eligible to participate in Brunswick's comprehensive and high-quality benefits offerings, including medical, dental, vision, paid vacation, 401k (up to 4% match), Health Savings Account (with company contribution), well-being program, product purchase discounts and much more. Details about our benefits can be found here.    Why Brunswick:     Whatever tomorrow brings, we’ll be at the leading edge.  As the clear leader in the marine industry, we’re committed to our values and supporting our exceptional people. We offer and encourage growth opportunities within and across our many brands. In addition, we’re proud of being recognized for making a splash with numerous awards !        About Division/Brand   Brunswick Corporation is a leader in the marine industry, and we’re looking for people just like you to take part in the movement towards better boating for all. We rely on the thoughtful input of people from all backgrounds to create compelling, innovative products for our customers around the globe. As such, diversity, equity, and inclusion are priorities in the enduring culture of our company. As a world leader in emerging recreational products and technologies, when you join our team, you become part of some of the most innovative, forward-looking brands in the marine industry today.  Next is Now!   We value growth and development, recognizing that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the technical requirements of a job. If your experience is close to what you see listed here, please still consider applying. Brunswick is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.  Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is key to innovation and inspiration and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply.  If you require accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact hrsharedservices@brunswick.com  for support.  Brunswick and Workday Privacy Policies Brunswick does not accept applications, inquiries or solicitations from unapproved staffing agencies or vendors. For help, please contact our support team at: hrsharedservices@brunswick.com or 866-278-6942. All job offers will come to you via the candidate portal you create when applying through a posted position through https:///www.brunswick.com/careers .  If you are ever unsure about what is being required of you during the application process or its source, please contact HR Shared Services at 866-278-6942 or HRSharedServices@brunswick.com . #Brunswick Corporation For more information about EEO laws, - click here Brunswick Corporation participates in E-Verify as part of our commitment to a lawful and transparent hiring process. For additional information click here: https://www.brunswick.com/e-verify .

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