Overview
Jira Align consulting for portfolio, program and transformation leaders
Jira Align is Atlassian's enterprise planning app. It gives leaders one view of progress, risks and dependencies across portfolios and teams, and connects strategy, funding and capacity to the work teams do in Jira and Azure DevOps. Teams keep working in their own tools, and Jira Align coordinates planning at program, portfolio and enterprise level. It supports the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), LeSS, Scrum@Scale, Disciplined Agile and the Spotify model, as well as custom and hybrid models that mix agile and waterfall.
Atlassian now sells Jira Align in its Strategy Collection, alongside Focus for strategic planning and Talent for workforce planning. Unlike Jira and Confluence, Jira Align Data Center isn't reaching end of life in 2029.
Great Minds configures Jira Align and the connections it depends on. We're an Atlassian Silver Solution Partner and an integrator first, based in Sydney. Jira Align's portfolio view is only as good as the Jira data underneath it, so we start by checking that team spaces, work types and estimates are consistent enough to roll up. Where they aren't, fixing Jira comes first.
Jira Align suits organisations running many teams in a scaled framework, with leaders who need funding and strategy linked to delivery. If you have a handful of teams, Plans in Jira Premium may be enough, and we'll tell you so.
Capabilities
What we configure in Jira Align
We configure Jira Align around your planning cycles, portfolio structure and chosen framework. Most engagements cover these four areas.
If Jira moves to Cloud while Jira Align stays on Data Center, the connection between them crosses from your network to Atlassian's and needs new firewall rules, authentication and testing. We plan that as part of the work, not after it breaks.
Atlassian products
Jira Align, fully integrated into your enterprise ecosystem
Portfolio decisions often need data from outside Atlassian: budgets from finance, demand from the CRM and people data from HR. We connect those sources so Jira Align isn't fed by spreadsheets, through our Atlassian integration practice.
Jira Align work usually sits alongside these Atlassian services.
Atlassian consultingOperating model, framework and portfolio structure agreed before Jira Align is configured.
Atlassian implementationConsistent Jira spaces, work types and estimates, so team data rolls up cleanly into Jira Align.
Atlassian cloud migrationMove Jira to Cloud ahead of the 2029 Data Center end of life, with the Jira Align connection rebuilt.
Atlassian managed services & supportOngoing administration of Jira and Jira Align, and support for portfolio managers after go-live.How we deliver
A Jira Align rollout, one portfolio at a time
We confirm whether Jira Align is the right tool or whether Plans in Jira Premium is enough, check the consistency of the Jira and Azure DevOps data that will roll up, and agree the framework, planning cadence and the questions leaders need answered.
Portfolios, programs, teams and the work hierarchy, mapped to how you fund and organise work, along with the mapping of work types, statuses and estimates between Jira Align and the team tools.
We configure one portfolio, connect its teams and run it through a full planning cycle before extending. Real planning events show where the design needs to change.
More portfolios in waves, training for portfolio and program managers, and hand-over of administration with the configuration documented in Confluence.
Australian considerations
Licensing, data location and the Jira Cloud move
Atlassian invoices Cloud in US dollars. Buying Jira Align and the rest of your Atlassian estate through Great Minds gives you Australian-dollar invoices and one local partner for renewals. Our guide to Atlassian licensing in Australia covers the Collections and GST.
Atlassian's data residency documentation lists Jira, Jira Service Management, Confluence, Jira Product Discovery, Loom, Focus and Talent, but not Jira Align. If where your portfolio data is hosted matters to your risk or privacy team, confirm Jira Align's hosting with Atlassian before you buy.
Many Australian organisations are moving Jira from Data Center to Cloud before 28 March 2029. Jira Align Data Center continues beyond that date, but its connection to Jira has to be redesigned when Jira moves. We plan the two together through our Atlassian Cloud migration service.
FAQ
Jira Align questions
What is the difference between Jira Align and Plans in Jira?
Plans, included with Jira Premium, handles cross-team planning with capacity and dependencies inside Jira. Jira Align works above Jira and Azure DevOps at program, portfolio and enterprise level, with funding and strategy linked to delivery. Many organisations need Plans long before they need Jira Align.
Which scaled agile frameworks does Jira Align support?
SAFe, LeSS, Scrum@Scale, Disciplined Agile and the Spotify model, plus custom and hybrid models that mix agile and waterfall.
Does Jira Align work with Azure DevOps as well as Jira?
Yes. Teams can keep working in Jira or Azure DevOps while Jira Align coordinates planning above them.
Is Jira Align affected by the Data Center end of life?
No. Atlassian's Data Center end of life on 28 March 2029 covers Jira, Jira Service Management, Confluence, Bamboo and Crowd. Jira Align Data Center continues beyond 2029, but its connection to Jira needs rework if Jira moves to Cloud.
How do we buy Jira Align?
Atlassian sells it in the Strategy Collection, with Focus and Talent. Buying through Great Minds means Australian-dollar invoices and one partner for licensing across your Atlassian products, and we can model the Collection against what you hold today.
People
The people who lead our Jira Align work
Our Atlassian consultants lead Jira Align work, with input from our Atlassian System of Work practice on how goals, planning and knowledge connect across teams.
Whether you're piloting Jira Align in one portfolio or extending it, a senior consultant owns the design and the hand-over to your team.
Case studies
Related Atlassian work
Our published Atlassian case study is the Jira and Confluence implementation for a premium appliance manufacturer: a product launch process once spread across disconnected tools now runs on one platform for more than 50 teams. Consolidating team-level work like this is usually the first step before a portfolio tool such as Jira Align.
Insights
Scaling agile isn’t about more stand-ups. It’s about aligning outcomes with intent.
ServiceNow to Jira Service Management: total cost of ownership in AUDWhat ServiceNow and Jira Service Management cost in AUD: licences, approvers, platform team and a 3-year TCO model for a 100-agent service desk.
Jira Service Management vs ServiceNow: which fits you?Where each platform is strongest, AI and its metering, data residency and IRAP, implementation time and cost profile.
Automation in Jira Service Management: rules, AI agents and integrationsWhat to automate first, building rules well, where AI agents fit, alerting, and automating across identity, HR and CRM.