Lead Scrum Master
11 years building high-performing teams and challenging the status quo in fast-paced environments—from digital agencies to multinational corporations.
Flexible, motivated, and always challenging convention
Lead Scrum Master with deep expertise in scaling agile practices and transforming delivery organizations.
Over 11 years of experience spanning small digital agencies to large multinational corporations, I've built my career on one core belief: challenging the status quo leads to better outcomes.
Whether it's scaling a Scrum function from 3 to 6+ Masters, implementing tribe-based delivery models, or breaking down silos between UX and development teams, I drive change that matters. My passion lies in building systems and cultures where teams can do their best work.
Currently leading the Scrum function at Pretty Little Thing, supporting 10+ delivery squads while continuously improving our scaled agile maturity.
Transformations that moved the needle
Scaled the Scrum Master team from 3 to 6+ members at Pretty Little Thing, establishing minimum standards while maintaining squad flexibility. Currently expanding to support 12+ Scrum Masters.
Implemented tribe-based delivery model after squad numbers exceeded 10, addressing critical inter-squad communication breakdowns that were damaging delivery velocity.
Drove UX resource integration directly into delivery squads, eliminating friction and bottlenecks. Data-driven development improved dramatically with UX metrics embedded in squad workflows.
Championed API contract testing and CI/CD POCs, eliminating frontend-to-backend notification bottlenecks and enabling squads to burn down tickets when code goes live.
Introduced quarterly squad health checks across all teams to assess and systematically improve department maturity. Defined minimum service and health metrics for accurate stakeholder communication.
Secured protected time for L&D, partnered with AWS for workshops, and laid groundwork for cross-tribe Guild model focused on areas like CI/CD and Machine Learning.
11 years of delivery across agencies and enterprises
Pretty Little Thing, Manchester
Pretty Little Thing, Manchester
Studio Retail, Accrington
Foreign Currency Direct, Manchester
Covéa Insurance, Halifax
Pretty Little Thing, Manchester
Enghouse Networks, Blackburn
Enghouse Networks, Blackburn
Netsells Ltd, Scarborough
Deep dives into key transformations
Pretty Little Thing • 2021-Present
PLT needed to rapidly scale its Scrum capability to support growing squad numbers while maintaining quality and consistency. The existing team of 3 Scrum Masters was stretched thin, and there was no standardized framework for how Scrum should operate across the organization.
Built a scalable Scrum function from the ground up by:
Created a sustainable, scalable Scrum function supporting 10+ squads with plans to expand to 12+ Scrum Masters. Teams now operate with consistent quality while maintaining autonomy, and the function has become a model for other departments in the organization.
Pretty Little Thing • 2022
As squad numbers grew beyond 10, inter-squad communication began to break down. Dependencies weren't being surfaced early, duplicated work was happening across teams, and delivery velocity was suffering. The organization needed a scaled framework, but roadmap pressure made transformation difficult.
Implemented a tribe-based delivery model by:
Restored effective communication across squads, reduced duplicated effort, and improved delivery predictability. The tribe model provided the scaffolding needed to maintain quality during rapid team expansion (40% staff increase) and created a foundation for future scaling.
Pretty Little Thing • 2022-2023
UX and development teams operated in separate silos, creating massive friction and bottlenecks. Designs would arrive at the wrong time, UX metrics weren't considered in sprint planning, and there was constant tension between design quality and delivery velocity.
Drove UX integration into delivery squads by:
Eliminated the UX-development bottleneck entirely. Squads now receive designs exactly when needed, data-driven development improved through embedded UX metrics, and the quality of shipped features increased dramatically. The change became a model for breaking down other organizational silos.
Recommendations from colleagues and partners
"Greg's ability to scale the Scrum function while maintaining quality standards was instrumental in our growth. He built a team that could support our expanding squad structure without sacrificing agile principles."
"The tribe model transformation Greg led fundamentally changed how we collaborate. What was a communication nightmare became a well-oiled machine. His systematic approach to organizational change is second to none."
"Working with Greg on UX integration was a game-changer. He understood both the design and delivery perspectives, and created a framework where both could thrive. The quality of our shipped features improved dramatically."
"Greg doesn't just follow agile by the book—he adapts it to what actually works. His pragmatic approach to ceremonies and metrics helped our squad mature faster than I thought possible."
How I think about agile transformation
Real improvement requires questioning established norms. I consistently push organizations to examine whether current practices serve their goals or simply persist out of habit. Change for the sake of change is wasteful, but change driven by clear purpose creates value.
Scaling requires baseline standards—without them, chaos follows. But rigidity kills team ownership. I build frameworks that ensure minimum quality bars while giving teams the autonomy to adapt practices to their context. One size rarely fits all.
Leadership isn't about authority—it's about removing obstacles and creating environments where teams excel. My role is to clear the path, provide context, and ensure teams have what they need to deliver. When teams succeed, leaders have done their job.
Opinions are valuable, but data tells the truth. I establish metrics that matter, implement health checks that reveal real issues, and use evidence to guide improvement efforts. Gut feel has its place, but sustainable change requires measurement.
The goal isn't to make teams dependent on Scrum Masters—it's to build self-sufficient teams and sustainable systems. I focus on creating processes, frameworks, and cultures that function well after I'm no longer in the room.
Agility isn't a destination—it's a practice. Retrospectives aren't ceremonies to complete; they're opportunities to evolve. Protected time for learning and experimentation isn't a luxury; it's essential infrastructure for long-term success.
Recent technical work and contributions
Modern, responsive personal portfolio built with vanilla JavaScript and CSS. Features dark mode, intersection observer animations, print-optimized stylesheets, and comprehensive test coverage.
Personal knowledge management system for capturing notes, tasks, and insights. Built with modular architecture for easy extension and integration with productivity workflows.
Real-time monitoring dashboard for tracking team metrics, sprint progress, and deployment pipelines. Integrates with Jira and CI/CD tools to provide at-a-glance squad health visibility.
Workflow automation tool for streamlining repetitive Scrum Master tasks. Automates meeting notes, generates sprint reports, and integrates with team communication platforms.
Technical capabilities and certifications
Thoughts on agile transformation and team leadership
When squad numbers exceed 10, the communication overhead becomes exponential. Here's how we implemented a tribe-based model that preserved autonomy while improving collaboration. We'll explore the warning signs, transition challenges, and the metrics that proved we made the right call.
Read article →The traditional model of centralized UX teams creates bottlenecks. This deep dive examines how we embedded UX directly into delivery squads, the resistance we encountered, and the dramatic improvement in both velocity and quality that followed.
Read article →Following Scrum by the book sounds great in theory. In practice, real organizations need pragmatic adaptation. Learn when it's appropriate to bend the rules, which principles are non-negotiable, and how to make evidence-based decisions about your agile framework.
Read article →What drives me outside the office
Combining Canon dSLR photography with travel to increase my country count. I also fly drones to capture unique perspectives of the places I visit.
Avid SpaceX follower, passionate about the mission to make life multiplanetary and the engineering challenges of space travel.
Daily training sessions with my Doberman x German Shepherd. The discipline and consistency required mirror the principles I apply in team coaching.
Yearly skiing trips to the Alps, regular countryside walks, and a history of competitive tennis (represented Burnley) and basketball (represented Lancashire).
Interested in discussing agile transformation, new opportunities, or collaborations?
I'm always open to conversations about scaling agile teams, breaking down organizational silos, or exploring new challenges in delivery leadership.