You just indicated in your question that you're effectively the development lead. That makes you the "single wringable neck". You're being called to account for the team's work. Why does this suddenly seem unreasonable to you?

I don't see what is negative here, you now have a direct line to authority.

So you've named 4 blockers that could have been tackled by management if communicated early. The project is "critical". You don't have the experience to do it without help. Connect the dots. You're being helped forcefully because you didn't ask for help when it was needed. This is help and trust, they could have just replaced you.

I wonder why a failed sprint escalates up to the director. Explain the director that this sprint was not the first failed sprint in the world's history of development.

You've improved the teams' practices, but the attempt to use these improved practices failed to produce the desired output. Anyone else see a problem here?

I WISH I had a daily one-on-one with a PM who was charged by management with removing the obstacles in my way.

I don’t think this can be turned into a positive experience for you, if you don’t get the money out of it, update your resume

@JoelEtherton A Senior given the role of Lead without prior notice seems right to you? Why does THAT seem reasonable to you? Why should a new hire be held accountable for, all intents and purposes, scope creep?

"With me and me alone" Is this company "agile" with daily meetings? Is this "one on one" in addition to daily team meetings or is this literally the only daily meeting you have? Are you able to move this type of meeting into an agile direction for the team if it isn't agile and if it is, why isn't there daily meetings so stuff like this isn't found out "weeks" later?

@WernerCD: I didn't make him a lead. He indicated he was made a lead. A lead is accountable. It doesn't matter if they're a new hire or not. That's the nature of the role.

@JoelEtherton He's an Engineer (started as a software engineer) and he'd consider himself a Senior (I'd argue that I'm a senior) but he's been handed the responsibilities of a lead (essentially the role I adopted). He's not got the title, pay or perks of a lead... just the responsibilities. He's being held accountable for actions two levels above his paygrade.

@WernerCD In the software engineering world, lead is rarely an official title. It generally just refers to the software engineer doing the architecture role on the project, possibly (or possibly not) including assigning work to other engineers on the team. It isn't a higher level role with a new title or salary. Also in the software enginnering world title is a lagging indicator- you're generally working at a level above where you actually are ranked for a little while before getting the bimp.

@GabeSechan Every job I've had has had differentiation between Programmer, Lead and management - of varying degrees but differentiation none the less. Maybe that's a point of question that needs to be asked since obviously there's shades of grey that affect expectations of management and employees? "lagging title" I don't disagree... but there's a difference between getting stuff a little above your paygrade and many levels above. I'd expect an intern to work on stuff a Junior does... but not a senior and definitely not a Lead/Manager+.

@WernerCD I've worked at HP, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Shopify and others. Lead has never been a title. Management is generally separate, lead is just a senior who's taken on the role for a project. I'll agree that there is a difference between going up 1 level vs many. Although I've been forced to do that at startups, those are kind of special beasts.

@GabeSechan My current job at a major bank has 3 levels of developer... Roles basically amount to Junior, Senior and Team Lead. Last job didn't but we had 5 programmers in the company and there was differentiation between CTO, Lead and the other three. Job before that was for State office and there was DEFINITELY levels in that job with varying responsibilities. I agree with the lag part (always try to act like a level above) but 2 levels+? not expected at any of those jobs.

@WernerCD Field matters. Banks are typically highly hierarchial. Tech companies aren't. A junior could be doing the work of a senior, it just means you really need to give him a raise before he leaves for someone else who does. In fact at a tech company it's fairly rare to know what level exactly someone is- we don't really discuss it, its just a field in the db for HR to level salaries at. Level on a day to day basis is more a matter of what have you done and how did it go to set a level of respect. I don't know where OP worked, so that could factor into it.

@GabeSechan without wanting to go into too much more "discussion" I think expectations matter... because my expectations (more hierarchy-ial) vs yours (more free-flowing-iness) are going to make a WORLD of difference in expectations vs reality. Both in employee and leadership.

@WernerCD: you missed the operative clause. I didn't make him a lead.

@JoelEtherton He indicated he was an Engineer with Senior experience and Lead responsibilities - not title or pay. There's a disconnect there that needs to be addressed - a junior shouldn't have lead responsibilities.

@WernerCD: I still didn't make him that. I think you might be impaired.

@JoelEtherton When you say "you're being held accountable" - your words - then you are making him lead. He doesn't have the title, pay or expectations (or he shouldn't.). Why is a new hire being held accountable for stuff many layers above his paygrade? You seem to think he shouldn't be surprised... I would be surprised if, as a Junior, I was expected to pick up managerial tasks. Just my 2c and my last comment :) We'll have to agree to disagree but I'm responding to your words.

Welcome to middle management, where your #1 job is to report blockers, which are probably things you could do faster yourself instead of walking some else through it, but you don't have time for that and you don't have a second to do it for you either. The solution is either you eating your dinner cold, or having your hand held, which they're willing to do (!!!).

I deal with it in construction by getting paid by the hour. Negotiating that stupid thing you guys call salary is above my pay grade.