The Scrum Master is a professional who coaches their team during the adoption of the Scrum Framework. The core responsibility of a Scrum Master is to lead the Scrum Team to the correct understanding and enactment of Scrum’s theory, practices and rules.
The Scrum Master interacts with all the members of the Scrum Team (the Product Owner and the Development Team) and with the entire organisation to maximise the value created by the Scrum Team.
The Scrum Master is a professional in the Agile Software Development field and they are responsible for the Scrum Team, monitoring Scrum processes and meetings. They are responsible for ensuring that the Agile philosophy is understood and enabled through the organisation. This is also the reason why it is preferable to have a Scrum Master that belongs to the organisation, instead of a freelancer.
Due to their devotion to the Agile principles, the Scrum Masters are often considered as servant-leaders to the Scrum Team.
The Role of a Scrum Master
The main responsibility of the Scrum Master is to be a process facilitator for the Product Owner and for all the Scrum Team. The Scrum Master has no management authority inside the team, indeed they are considered only a team member. Their role is to act as a facilitator for the Scrum Events (as the development of working software) and to help the team release the planned Product Increment. The Scrum Master is considered a coach for the Scrum Team.
The Responsibilities of the Scrum Master inside the Scrum team
The main responsibilities of a Scrum Master are to:
- Ensure that the Scrum processes are correctly enabled
- Facilitate the Scrum events: Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint, Review and Sprint Retrospective
- Remove all the obstacles
- Maintain a friendly environment that enables team efficiency
- Resolve conflicts (through Conflict Management techniques) inside the Scrum Team
- Ensure a collaborative relationship between the Scrum Team and the Product Owner and between the Scrum Team and the other departments.
- Protect the team from external threats
- Provide assistance on Agile practices, giving priority to individuals and interactions over processes and tools.
- Guarantee the adoption of the Scrum framework
The Scrum Master is committed to:
- Help the Product Owner with the following activities:
- Shaping and ordering the Product Backlog
- Communicating the vision, goals and intended use of the product to the Development Team
- Describing Product Backlog items to the Development Team clearly and unambiguously
- Organising Scrum events when and as requested by the Product Owner
- Help the Development Teams with:
- Their internal self-organisation
- The removal of any possible obstacle to their work
- The development of high value products
At the organisation level the Scrum Master has to:
- Lead and assist the overall organisation in adopting and implementing Scrum
- Help colleagues understand and use Scrum
- Implement the necessary changes to increase the productivity of the team
- Collaborate with other Scrum Masters in order to increase the effectiveness of Scrum adoption inside the organisation.
The Competencies of Scrum Master
Scrum.org highlights 5 main areas in which a professional has to succeed if they want to be Scrum Master. The 5 areas are to:
- Understand and to enable the Scrum Framework
- Develop the individual and the Scrum Team
- Manage products in the Agile way
- Professionally develop and deliver products
- Nurture and boost Agility in the organisation
A practical example of what a Scrum Master does
Claudia works as a Scrum Master at a fintech scale-up that develops a mobile app for managing personal expenses. The development team is made up of six people working remotely from Milan, Berlin, and Madrid. One of her initial goals is to strengthen collaboration and make the sprint process more effective.
After observing a few sprint cycles, Claudia introduces some small changes: she transforms the retrospectives into more interactive discussions using Miro, redefines the Definition of Done with the team, and works with the Product Owner to improve the quality of the User Stories. When a colleague raises technical issues caused by outdated tools, Claudia facilitates the discussion and the decision to adopt a new CI/CD system, also bringing in the IT department and negotiating a transition period.
Over four months, the team’s average output increases from 18 to 27 story points completed per sprint, and their lead time improves by 30%. Moreover, the team atmosphere improves and conflicts are reduced. Her role proves to be central not only to delivery, but also to the cultural growth of the Agile team.
How much does a Scrum Master earn in Luxembourg?
The average national salary for a Scrum Master in Luxembourg is in the region of €100,000-105,000 gross per year. However, there is a wide range. Salaries for junior positions typically start from €60,000–€75,000, while mid-level figures can expect to earn up to €90,000-110,000. Senior professionals or those with Agile Coach responsibilities often exceed €120,000, with top-end salaries reaching over €150,000 in big tech, finance, or complex multinational environments.
Three variables have the greatest impact on salary: seniority, the industry, and certifications. Each step up in experience can be worth an additional €12,000–€25,000. The variable component, including bonuses and team performance rewards, can add a further 3–10%.
Those working as freelancers or external consultants charge daily rates between €320 and €900, based on the complexity of the project and the level of Agile transformation required.
Certifications can be significant salary boosters. Qualifications such as PSM I/II (Professional Scrum Master), CSM (Certified ScrumMaster®), and SAFe® Scrum Master can increase pay considerably. Companies also reward transversal skills like coaching, facilitation, interpersonal communication, and change management, which are increasingly central to successful Agile transformations.
QRP International is an Accredited Training Organisation (ATO) that offers the Scrum certification: the Scrum Master or Scrum Product Owner.
Do you want to deepen your understanding of these concepts and learn how to use the Scrum framework to its full potential? QRP International organises Scrum Master and Scrum Product Owner Certified courses. Visit the site or contact us for all the information!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the Scrum Master Role
