The job market in the tech industry is no longer what it used to be. A few years ago, it felt like a massive party full of opportunities. Companies were hiring at record levels, fueled by cheap capital and rapid growth. But today, the landscape looks very different.

From Peak to Decline

Between 2012 and 2022, tech companies across the world were in a hiring frenzy. Job postings reached historic highs as businesses chased growth at any cost. Yet, this peak was short-lived. Rising interest rates, pressure from investors for profitability, and the end of easy money triggered a sharp downturn.

As a result, many roles saw job postings drop by 60–70%. Companies began restructuring, eliminating positions that seemed distant from direct value creation. This trend has been called “The Great Consolidation”—a time when responsibilities merge, and organizations expect more from every employee.

The New Message of the Market

In today’s environment, a job title alone no longer guarantees survival. Every role must prove its value to the business in clear and simple terms. This is where new leadership roles have emerged—leaders who not only manage processes but also own results.

The Rise of the Agile Delivery Manager

Interestingly, even with the downturn, demand for Delivery Managers has remained more stable compared to many other positions. Why? Because this role directly answers the critical question on every executive’s mind: “Who is responsible for delivering value from start to finish?”

The Agile Delivery Manager is not just a rebranded Project Manager. It is a role born for today’s result-driven, ROI-focused economy.

Scrum Master vs. Agile Delivery Manager

At first glance, both roles may look similar. But the difference lies in perspective and scope:

Scrum Master: Focused inward, on one or two teams. A servant-leader who ensures Scrum is followed, removes blockers, and nurtures team health and predictability.
Agile Delivery Manager: Focused outward, across the entire value stream. Responsible for coordinating multiple teams, managing dependencies, addressing risks, and ensuring alignment with business objectives. Success is measured by delivering real business value, not just by team-level improvement.

Why the Growing Demand?

  1. Scaling Agile: Moving from one team to many creates complexity. Delivery Managers fill the gap by coordinating across “teams of teams.”
  2. Beyond Framework Dogma: Mature organizations mix Scrum, Kanban, and hybrid practices. Delivery Managers adapt pragmatically, instead of forcing a single framework.
  3. Proactive Risk and Dependency Management: In modern product development, risks are the norm. Delivery Managers track, negotiate, and resolve issues before they escalate.

Conclusion

The rise of the Agile Delivery Manager reflects the maturity of Agile itself—moving from optimizing within teams to achieving business-wide outcomes. While Scrum Masters remain vital for building healthy teams, Delivery Managers provide the leadership needed to integrate these teams and deliver impactful value at scale.

Source

This article is adapted from content originally published by Iran Agile.