Role description for a District Commissioner BACK
Detailed description of the role
The role of District Commissioner is based around six key areas of leadership and management.
1. Providing direction – as an effective District Commissioner you will be required to:
Lead by example to promote a co-operative culture of working in the District.
Create a vision for the future development of the District that takes into account the strategic objectives of The Scout Association and the plans for your County/Area/Region(Scotland).
Develop a plan to realise the vision for the District, implement and regularly review it.
Provide leadership, inspiration and motivation for all adults volunteering in the District.
Ensure that everyone in the District follows the policies and rules of The Scout Association.
Carry out regular one-to-one meetings and support adults who report directly to you.
2. Working with people – as an effective District Commissioner you will be required to:
Develop good working relationships based on trust and Scout values with the adults in the District and with others in Scouting.
Manage succession planning and identify the roles that you need to make the District work effectively and recruit suitable people into those roles.
Allocate tasks to people within the District and monitor the progress of those tasks.
Support adults in the District to develop by completing formal training requirements, learning on the job, trying out new skills and addressing problems affecting performance.
Build a team spirit in the District and support the development of the team as a whole.
Address conflict as it occurs within the District and reduce the likelihood of it happening through good communication and other methods.
Run effective team meetings in the District and participate fully in the District Executive and County/Area/Region (Scotland) meetings.
Ensure that adults in the District perform to agreed standards and if serious problems occur, the correct procedures are followed in consultation with the County Commissioner/Area Commissioner/Region Commissioner (Scotland).
Appropriately acknowledge good work carried out in the District (through local events and the national Scout adult award scheme).
Carry out effective reviews and re-assign or retire people if necessary.
Build and maintain collaborative relationships with other relevant organisations in the District’s local area.
3. Achieving results – as an effective District Commissioner you will be required to:
Satisfactorily complete projects in the District for which you are responsible.
Ensure that all the initiatives in the District are managed appropriately.
With the District Executive Committee and the District Team ensure that Scouting is promoted locally.
Build up an understanding of the young people in your local area and ensure that Scouting is promoted effectively to them.
Monitor and review the progress that Group Scout Leaders are making against their targets and development plans.
Have a robust District development plan in place and regularly review progress.
Satisfactorily resolve problems and issues raised by adult and youth members of the District and by parents or carers of youth members in the District.
4. Enabling change – as an effective District Commissioner you will be required to:
Support and encourage adults in the District to think of new and creative ways to improve the District.
Be enthusiastic about new ideas, give constructive feedback on those ideas and encourage and support further work on them.
Communicate your vision for the future of the District and lead people through changes that this vision requires.
Develop effective plans to implement change and then carry them out, working together with relevant members of the District.
Recognise the contribution of others towards change and improvement.
5. Using resources – as an effective District Commissioner you will be required to:
As part of the District Executive Committee, ensure that appropriate financial measures are in place.
As part of the District Executive Committee, ensure that there is an adequate income for the District including the identification of other income sources such as grants.
Work with the District Executive Committee and Group Scout Leaders to ensure that Scouting in the District is safe.
Work with the District Executive Committee and the District Team to ensure that the District has sufficient physical resources to support its work with youth members.
Work with the District Executive Committee and the District Team to minimise the negative impact and maximise the positive impact that the District has on the environment.
Make decisions about matters within the District based on the best available information.
Ensure that all adults in the District have the right information provided in a timely manner and in the most effective way.
6. Managing your time and personal skills – as an effective District Commissioner you will be required to:
Agree realistic goals and targets with the County Commissioner/Area Commissioner/Region Commissioner (Scotland) for the development of the District that work towards The Scout Association’s strategic objectives.
Consider the future requirements of your role then identify the skills and knowledge that you need to develop or improve and the steps you will follow to do so.
Regularly check how you use your time and identify possible improvements so that you focus on the goals and priorities that you have agreed with the County Commissioner/Area Commissioner/Region Commissioner (Scotland).
Ask other adult volunteers for feedback about how you carry out your role and act on it.
Attend National, Regional and County/Area/Region(Scotland) meetings, workshops and events.