Principal Agilist

Principal Agilist 

Location: Remote (with periodic on-site at VA facilities) | Full-Time | Clearance: VA Eligible 

Position Overview 

Commonwealth Strategic Solutions is seeking a Principal Agilist to serve as the senior Agile leader responsible for guiding the implementation of SAFe Agile frameworks across clinical informatics programs within the Department of Veterans Affairs. This role ensures alignment with VHA strategic goals, facilitates interoperability initiatives, and supports integration of clinical informatics systems. The Principal Agilist will mentor teams, establish Agile best practices, and collaborate with stakeholders to deliver high-value solutions in a complex, regulated healthcare environment. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Lead and guide SAFe Agile transformation activities across VA’s Office of Clinical Informatics (OCI), ensuring consistent adoption of Lean-Agile principles and practices 

• Mentor and coach Agile teams, Release Train Engineers, Scrum Masters, and Product Owners to drive high-performing delivery 

• Facilitate PI Planning events, Inspect & Adapt workshops, and portfolio-level coordination across clinical informatics programs 

• Align Agile delivery with VHA strategic goals, interoperability initiatives, and clinical safety standards 

• Establish and sustain Agile best practices, metrics, and continuous improvement cadences across distributed teams 

• Collaborate with program leadership, clinical stakeholders, and technical teams to manage dependencies, risks, and cross-team coordination 

• Support organizational change and operational excellence through empowering high-performing Agile teams at scale 

• Drive value stream mapping and Lean portfolio management to optimize flow and delivery outcomes 

Work Location 

Remote with periodic on-site support at VA facilities as required. Candidates in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area are preferred. 

Equal Opportunity 

Commonwealth Strategic Solutions is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage veterans, service-disabled veterans, and individuals from all backgrounds to apply. 

Required Qualifications 

• 20 years of experience developing IT solutions 

• 10 years of experience leading SAFe transformations in large organizations 

• Certified SAFe Practice Consultant (SPC) certification 

• Strong knowledge of Agile scaling frameworks (SAFe, LeSS, or equivalent) 

• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage stakeholder engagement in regulated environments 

• Experience facilitating PI Planning, Inspect & Adapt, and portfolio-level Agile ceremonies 

Strongly Preferred Qualifications 

• Direct experience leading SAFe transformations within VHA, OHT (Office of Health Technology), OIT (Office of Information and Technology), or VA’s Office of Clinical Informatics (OCI) 

• Experience supporting VA’s Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) program in an Agile leadership capacity 

• Familiarity with clinical informatics systems, including VA VistA/CPRS and Oracle Health (Cerner Millennium) 

• Experience with interoperability standards (HL7, FHIR) and how they intersect with Agile delivery cadences 

• Prior experience coaching Agile adoption in environments with dual EHR systems (legacy VistA alongside Oracle Health) 

• Understanding of VA’s organizational structure, governance processes, and clinical safety requirements 

• Experience leading Agile at scale across geographically distributed VA Medical Centers or VISNs 

• Familiarity with VA’s Authority to Operate (ATO) and security compliance processes as they affect Agile release planning 

Certifications (Required and Preferred) 

• Required: Certified SAFe Practice Consultant (SPC) 

• Preferred: SAFe Program Consultant Trainer (SPCT), Certified Scrum Professional (CSP), or ICAgile Expert 

Clearance & Citizenship 

• Must be a U.S. citizen 

• Must be eligible for VA clearance/background investigation 

• Ability to obtain and maintain a government-issued Personal Identity Verification (PIV) badge 

Salary : $125,000 - $165,000