We’ll cover the latest employer data for salaries, skill requirements, and experience expectations for SAFe Roles in 2024. Unlike the next leap day, you shouldn’t wait another four years to prioritize your next career move.
Our comprehensive report delves into the current job market for six key SAFe roles (based on Q4, 2023 data):
In this one-hour session, we’ll review the report highlights and our upcoming releases to help you with specific professional development goals, skill growth, and new AI tools for enhanced productivity with SAFe.
Speakers
Tamara Nation
VP, SAFe Professionals at Scaled Agile, Inc.
Thomas Vong
Sr Director, Certification and Recognition at Scaled Agile, Inc.
Are you pursuing a fulfilling career with SAFe® but unsure where to begin or how to progress?
We know that SAFe roles don’t always follow traditional career paths. That’s why we created the SAFe Careers Snapshot, based on employer data from Q4, 2024 and Q1, 2025.
Whether you’re eager to kickstart your SAFe journey or seeking ways to elevate your current role, the 2025 SAFe Careers Snapshot is your compass to navigate the exciting landscape of SAFe opportunities.
Our comprehensive report delves into the heart of the current job market for six key SAFe roles:
Each role offers a detailed breakdown with insights into the skills, certifications, and earning potential required to excel, all based on real job market data.
Key SAFe Careers Snapshot Takeaways
The following trends were identified across all the roles we researched:
SAFe-certified roles show salary levels 24,000 USD higher than national averages for similar roles
SAFe certifications can boost your annual salary by 12,000 USD on average
Technology is the top industry hiring SAFe roles, followed by finance, government and contracting, and healthcare
SPC and SA certifications are highly sought after, particularly in government-related job postings
Demand for AI/ML proficiency has surged, now listed in 25 percent of SAFe-related job descriptions
In-person work is back: 53 percent of roles now require on-site presence, which is the highest rate since 2020
Average earning potential rose from 40,000 USD to 50,000 USD, reflecting compounding gains over time
What Will You Learn in the 2025 SAFe Careers Snapshot?
If you’re wondering about the earning potential of someone in your role with a SAFe certification or how to reinvest in your career path this year, the SAFe Careers Snapshot offers helpful guidance.
Here’s a sampling of the types of questions you’ll get answers to in the report, broken into three critical career categories.
Salary and earning potential:
How much should I expect to earn in a role like Scrum Master?
How much could my salary change with a SAFe certification?
How do years of experience or new skills impact my salary?
How much more can I earn as a SAFe-certified Architect, Product Manager, or Agile Coach?
We analyzed market averages for similar roles and the difference a certification can make. We also charted progressions to higher-paying roles based on your current career stage.
Employability and competitiveness in the job market:
How many employers require SAFe certification?
Does SAFe certification increase my chances of finding a job?
Can I apply my SAFe certifications to other roles besides the one I currently hold?
Career advancement:
What skills can take you to the next level or land you that first dream job?
What certifications and experience do employers look for in a role like Agile Coach or Architect?
What role-specific SAFe Skills can accelerate my transition to leadership?
We break down (by role) how many employers require and prefer SAFe certification as a demonstration of competency. The results show just how much you gain a competitive edge through active certification.
We understand career decisions aren’t one-size-fits-all. That’s why we’ve tailored our recommendations to fit multiple stages of career progression with the following categories:
I want this job: You want to get hired at an organization that’s using SAFe
I want to grow: You want to enhance your value with role-related training and development
I want to advance: You want to position yourself for advancement to a new role
In addition to role-based recommendations, we included key findings for each role, a summary and outlook section, and additional information on the value of SAFe certification. Dive into some of the findings and hear about new releases to further your SAFe career journey in this recent webinar.
Download the report today and embark on a transformative journey toward realizing your full SAFe potential. This is the best time to start working differently and building your future.
P.S. Looking for global insights? A localized version is also available for India.
Virtually every large enterprise is exploring how they can use AI to gain a competitive advantage in the market. However, its potential for creating unintended consequences is equal to AI’s benefits.
When:
November 30, 2023, 10:00 am – November 30, 2023, 11:00 am MST
Where:
Zoom
Who:
Agile Coach, Consultant, Product Manager, Product Owner, Program or Project Manager, Release Train Engineer, Scrum Master
In this webinar, we will explore the crucial aspects of integrating AI responsibly in today’s products and learn how SAFe can help ensure your AI endeavors are transparent, fair, and safeguarded.
• Compliance & Regulation: Understand the critical regulatory landscapes governing AI and how to navigate product development within these constraints.
• Ethical Considerations: Examine the moral imperatives of AI, from ensuring unbiased algorithms to the broader societal impacts and considerations.
• Transparency, Accuracy and security: Learn how to cultivate trust in AI products by ensuring clear decision-making processes, high accuracy rates, and robust security measures.
Speakers
Dr. Steve Mayner
VP Framework, Methodologist & SAFe Fellow at Scaled Agile, Inc.
By reducing the routine, repetitive tasks that create toil for the individual contributor, Gen AI tools enable more ‘time in zone’ for higher-order, critical thinking work.
When:
December 13, 2023, 10:00 am – December 13, 2023, 11:00 am MST
Where:
Zoom
Who:
Agile Coach, Consultant, Product Manager, Product Owner, Program or Project Manager, Release Train Engineer, SAFe Members, Scrum Master
In this session, we will unravel the potent capabilities of tools to streamline technology product development and elevate creative and strategic focus.
• Generative AI Overview: Dive into generative AI and its positive impact on SAFe roles, offering a competitive edge in the tech development landscape.
• Practical Application Examples: Witness real-world examples of how top-tier generative AI tools replace mundane tasks, ensuring optimal utilization of human effort for pivotal roles.
• Transition to Higher-Order Tasks: Learn strategies to redirect workforce focus from repetitive tasks to critical thinking assignments, catalyzing innovation and strategic growth.
Speakers
Cheryl Crupi
Methodologist and SAFe Fellow at Scaled Agile, Inc.
Rebecca Davis
Methodologist and SAFe Fellow at Scaled Agile, Inc.
Building, Operating, and Scaling AI-Enabled Solutions with SAFe
SAFe Enterprises often encounter challenges integrating AI technology into their production solutions. Early adopters of AI have found ways to address the common barriers to building, operating, and scaling AI-enabled products.
When:
November 15, 2023, 10:00 am – November 15, 2023, 11:00 am MST
Where:
Zoom
Who:
Agile Coach, Product Manager, Product Owner, Program or Project Manager, Release Train Engineer, Scrum Master
This webinar will examine the impacts of AI solution development on people, processes, and technology, as well as the commitments SAFe organizations should be prepared to make for creating desirable, viable, feasible, and sustainable AI solutions.
• Identify the new roles needed in Agile teams and ARTs, and the upskilling needed across all SAFe roles.
• Understand the new processes that must be added to the product development lifecyle to support AI solutions.
• Explore the new classes of tools that form the architectural runway needed to support AI development.
Speakers
Marc Rix
Methodologist & SAFe Fellow at Scaled Agile, Inc.
Harry Koehnemann
Methodologist & SAFe Fellow at Scaled Agile, Inc.
Dr. Wiselin Mathuram
SPCT, Chief Transformation Officer at International Business Consultants, LLC
Jeff Shupack
SAFe Fellow, President of Advisory Practice at Project & Team, Inc.
The Implementing SAFe® Exemplar course, offered by Scaled Agile, Inc., stands out as a distinctive learning experience. It is taught by the world’s most seasoned SAFe® Fellows and members of the Scaled Agile Framework team. This is your golden chance to learn directly from the architects of the framework, those at the cutting edge of pressing business challenges. Bring your toughest questions and get insights straight from the experts. You won’t want to miss this unparalleled opportunity with the Implementing SAFe® Exemplar.
Be sure to check out additional course offerings provided by our Partner Community on the Training Calendar.
Want to become SPCT certified? Learn more about the SAFe® Practice Consultant-T (SPCT) certification here.
What makes this an Exemplar?
Taught by SAFe Framework team members and SAFe Fellows
Testbed for new IP
SPCT Immersion week
Event Overview
Ready to lead a Lean-Agile transformation?
Need a deeper understanding of the Scaled Agile Framework?
Looking to teach SAFe courses yourself?
Implementing SAFe® offers attendees the broadest level of insight into each layer of a SAFe implementation. This course is for those who want to be a leader in a Lean-Agile transformation. This course and resulting certification will help you understand the roles of each person in SAFe organization and then plan and guide a SAFe transformation.
You’ll learn how to identify value streams, launch agile release trains, optimize flow, and apply OKRs to Strategic Themes that define the targeted outcomes for the SAFe transformation. You’ll also practice the principles of Agile product management and product delivery. If you’re looking for a comprehensive and practical understanding of how to help an organization achieve business agility effectively, Implementing SAFe® is the right course for you.
Instructors
Dean Leffingwell Co-Founder and Chief Methodologist (Scaled Agile, Inc.)
Recognized as one of the world’s foremost authorities on Lean-Agile best practices, Dean Leffingwell is an author, entrepreneur, and software and systems development methodologist. His two best-selling books, Agile Software Requirements: Lean Requirements Practices for Teams, Programs, and the Enterprise and Scaling Software Agility: Best Practices for Large Enterprises, form much of the basis of modern thinking on Lean-Agile practices and principles. Founder of several successful startups, including Requisite, Inc., makers of RequisitePro (acquired by Rational), Mr. Leffingwell also served as Chief Methodologist to Rally Software, and prior to that, as a Sr. Vice President at Rational Software (now part of IBM). He currently serves as Chief Methodologist to Scaled Agile, Inc., which he co-founded in 2011.
Andrew Sales Chief Methodologist and SAFe Fellow (Scaled Agile, Inc.)
Andrew Sales is an experienced Agile Consultant and previously led the Agile Services Practice across EMEA for CA Technologies (formerly Rally). Drawing on his diverse range of skills and experiences from project management, software development, product management and sales, Andrew has worked with many organizations to help them successfully establish better ways of working. He is passionate about continuous improvement and provides coaching to teams and leaders, supporting them in achieving improved outcomes for their business and their customers.
Rebecca Davis SAFe Methodologist and SAFe Fellow (Scaled Agile, Inc.)
Rebecca Davis has been leading Agile teams, trains, and leaders for over 15 years within startups, mid-size, and Fortune 100 enterprises. Davis brings her experience as a former Release Train Engineer, Scrum Master, Portfolio Lead, Quality Director, and LACE Director into her current activities. Rebecca is a SAFe Fellow, Methodologist, and SPCT on the Scaled Agile Framework Team who highlights joy and energy within her work. Most recently, Rebecca led the Agile Transformation as Director of Scaled Agile Practices and Leader of the Digital LACE within the Fortune 4 and Global 7, where over 4 years, she expanded Scaled Agile Practices from 300 to over 10k working within a Scaled Agile model across the organization, including IT, Marketing, Digital experiences, and Retail business
Agilists have been talking about business and technology alignment since the beginning of the Agile movement. Many experience challenges with integrating POs and PMs from the business onto the delivery ARTs, especially if the ARTs are in technology organizations. What’s the career incentive and path? What skills are needed? And how to create high-performing teams including the business members. Join this expert panel of Mark Saymen and Vikas Kapila to discuss why this is important and tips to help overcome these challenges.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to transform to business-enabled ARTs!
Sign Up Now!
Speakers
Deema Dajani
SAFe® Fellow, Product Director (Scaled Agile, Inc.)
Draws on a Startup background and an MBA from Kellogg Deema helps established enterprises create the environment to shape disruption with business agility and Lean Portfolio Management (LPM). Started her Agile journey in the early 2000’s as a Product Manager, Director of Strategy, and pre-IPO turn around specialist. Deema transitioned to advisory where she led some of the largest transformations to Lean-Agile with SAFe in Financial Services and Insurance. Deema currently serves as a Scaled Agile Product Manager focused on LPM and Leadership. Co-founder of the Women in Agile, a non-profit organization focused on breaking barriers and inclusivity in the agile community.
Vikas Kapila
CEO (Enterprise Agility Consulting)
Vikas is a business transformation practitioner with a passion for applying Lean-Agile principles, behaviors and practices to enable delivery of highest business value with built-in quality at the earliest in a predictably and sustainable cycle. He excels at quickly delivering business value, simplifying the seemingly complex, and delighting customers. He is able to achieve these results by consistently building radically prolific, high performing teams by believing to look listen & learn before initiating collaboration, coaching, training and facilitation.
Mark Saymen
Title (Agile Agilist)
A career story from Developer to Partner has taken me around the world implementing digital transformation, training, and implementing SAFe. Mark thrives with ambiguity and challenges. Mark welcomes tough questions and complex challenges leveraging the power of Digital to help organizations create a culture of innovation and increase team happiness, fulfillment, and engagement. Some of my tools are Resilience Engineering, DevOps, Coaching, Agile at Scale, Training, and Mindset.
Earn your SAFe® RTE Certification and help lead Agile Release Trains
Unique to SAFe®, the Release Train Engineer (RTE) is part of the trio of leaders, including product managers and system architects. This is critical in leading Agile Release Trains (ARTs) to deliver value. The RTE must create the right environment, have the right conversations, facilitate the right meetings, and gather the right people to make decisions based on the right data.
In the SAFe® RTE course, you’ll learn to execute SAFe and continuously improve PI Planning and other vital SAFe events. You’ll discover how to coach leaders, teams, and Scrum Masters in new processes and mindsets. And you’ll get the guidance and tools you need to work effectively in remote environments with distributed teams.
Attendees learn:
How to lead ARTs and large solutions in a SAFe organization
How to apply Lean-Agile knowledge and tools to release value
How to foster relentless improvement
How to build a high-performing ART by becoming a servant leader and coach
Course workbook and SAFe Studio access to help you prepare to take the certification exam, claim your digital badge, and tools to get started in your SAFe role
One-year access to SAFe® Studio with your first class attend
Access to the latest Framework guidance
Access to RTE Essentials Online Learning Series
Facilitation Guides for all ART events
Online collaboration tools for facilitating SAFe ART events, like PI Planning and System Demo
Access to content, tools, and resources you need to practice Scaled Agile Framework every day
SAFe® Release Train Engineer certification exam
What people say about SAFe® Release Train Engineer
“Mastering the role definitely comes with practical experience, however, this was certainly a 100% life skill foundation.”
What people say about SAFe Release Train Engineer
“I really appreciate the RTE role and how SAFe takes the best of Agile and Lean methodology.”
What people say about SAFe Release Train Engineer
“The course exercises were relevant and well paced to provide input and supplement our learning.”
What people say about SAFe Release Train Engineer
“It reminds RTEs of the importance of coaching, how to manage conflicts, and building high performing teams.”
Join our virtual event on Wednesday, March 15, at 12:00 PM MDT/6:00 PM GMT to see the full launch and learn what it means for your organization. Sign up to receive a reminder one hour before the event to ensure you don’t miss it.
Welcome to the third post in our series about SAFe best practices to create a healthy relationship between product owners (POs) and product managers (PMs) that helps to achieve business agility and drives product success. You can check out the previous post here.
In this post, we’ll dive into examples of how you might find yourself in the feature In this post, we’ll dive into examples of how you might find yourself in the feature factory described in our first post. Plus, we’ll offer some thoughts about how to get back to strong PO/PM relationships and focus on delivering value.
Scenario One: Who are you talking to?
Picture this: You’re a PM at a company that’s designing a new app. In the spirit of customer centricity, you’re actively getting feedback. You’re regularly talking to a couple of hyper-engaged customers from Company X. It’s a large company and you’ve got a strong relationship with one of their internal champions who’s easy to get in touch with. During one of these customer feedback sessions, a developer on your team joins the call, too. Afterwards, while you’re confident things are headed in the right direction, your developer wonders out loud why the customer thinks to feature A is great if she really hasn’t used it yet.
Contacting the same customer for feedback on every new thing your company is working on isn’t the best approach. Why? If you’re not careful, you might end up thinking about her as representative of all the rest of your customers with the same job title. That’s likely not the case, so you should also be talking to customers at different companies with different needs for whatever it is you’re building. Another thing to think about: if it’s just you talking to the same customer all the time, you’ll often believe that your organization is always building the right thing. Inviting other people in your organization to collaborate with you on those customer calls might uncover a different perspective, as your developer did in the previous scenario. Having those two or three perspectives in the room is greater as a whole than as individual viewpoints.
Scenario Two: What are you measuring?
Picture this: Your organization developed a page on a website and is seeing 20 percent user adoption on that page. As the PM, you think that’s successful because you’re hitting a key performance indicator (KPI) revealing that 20 percent of people logging in are using the page. But your PO feels that’s not necessarily true because the metric represents the same handful of people logging in, not 20 percent of overall users, which is how they interpreted the KPI of “20-percent adoption.” To address the data conflict, you and the PO look at the feature to see what the details of the KPI were. Turns out there aren’t any details, nor is there any mention of baseline metrics. So, neither of you know if the page was successful or not, or if you should pivot or persevere, or what to compare the data to. And the team’s efforts turned into a feature factory because the goals were really about getting the features out the door instead of the goals themselves.
It seems really apparent that PMs and POs need to agree on what measurements translate to a successful outcome, and how they’ll be tracked and interpreted. But we often skip over that part, just assuming all that will be obvious when the time comes. But actually, that assumption often leads to data conflicts. Aligning on metrics is hard work. You may not even know exactly how to measure success yet and you might have to slow down before you speed up, but agreement is critical to avoid future data conflicts.
Get smart
The same applies to determining the goal of the work and the value to the customer using SMART objectives. Many of us are familiar with these. But really, how often do you and the team take the time to get alignment and a clear, shared understanding of all the details of your objective? Is it specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound (SMART)? Or is it just specific but not measurable?
And remember, it’s ok to fail, as long as you’re learning and applying what you learn to improve. The learning part is only possible in a culture that allows for failure, for example, where you’re not hitting the metrics. It’s a culture where people don’t feel the need to mess with the data or avoid committing to a measure from the beginning. It’s part of the innovation process to fail. If the culture doesn’t allow for that, then you’ll get a culture of people that skip that step on purpose to make it look like they’re successful..
The trap of the feature factory is easy to fall into. I hope now that you have a clear path to:
Improve how you collect and perceive customer feedback
Write clearer KPIs with baseline metrics
Clearly define and align on SMART goals across teams
Armed with this information, you can better recognize the trap, and use your PO/PM relationship to stay out of it.
Check back soon for another post in our PO/PM success series.
About Lieschen Gargano Quilling
Lieschen Gargano is an Agile coach and conflict guru—thanks in part to her master’s degree in conflict resolution. As the scrum master for the marketing team at Scaled Agile, Lieschen loves cultivating new ideas and approaches to Agile to keep things fresh and exciting. She also has a passion for developing best practices for happy teams to deliver value in both development and non-technical environments. Fun fact? “I’m the only person I know of who’s been a scrum master and a scrum half on a rugby team.”
