Key Points
- The Scout Association (UK) has announced three senior appointments to bolster its Executive Leadership Team (ELT), aimed at supporting the delivery of the new strategy “Place to Belong”.
- These appointments come as Scouts prepares to launch its bold 2026-2035 strategy, focusing on reaching more young people, especially in deprived areas, and empowering them to lead community change.
- The ELT includes key roles such as Chief Executive Aidan Jones OBE, Executive Director of Operations, Executive Director of Finance, Executive Director of Engagement, Executive Director of Strategy, and Executive Director of Commercial Services.
- Recent challenges included a major system implementation, cost reductions, and enhancements to safety approaches, now stabilised to enable growth.
- Scouts supports 450,000 young people weekly through 140,000 volunteers, with 86% public trust per YouGov poll.
- The Operations role oversees movement support, growth, volunteering, safety, safeguarding, events, and international activities, with a £10 million budget.
- Strategy emphasises inclusivity, shared leadership with volunteers, modern governance, and reflecting youth diversity.
- Recruitment for roles like Executive Director of Operations was managed by Society Search, with applications closing 11 February 2026.
What Has Scouts Announced About Its Leadership Changes?
The Scout Association has strengthened its Executive Leadership Team with three senior appointments to drive its forthcoming strategy “Place to Belong”.
As reported by Charity Today, SCOUTS has announced three senior appointments that will further strengthen its successful Executive Leadership Team, supporting the delivery of the organisation’s new strategy, Place to Belong, in partnership with volunteer teams across the Movement.
These moves align with Scouts’ transition into an exciting phase following recent stabilisations. According to the candidate pack from Society Search, Scouts recently faced a challenging period, in which we had to deliver a major system implementation, reduce our costs, and implement significant enhancements to our approach to Safety. But with these changes now bedding down, and our budget coming back into balance, we are once again poised to make the most of the incredible skills across our volunteer and staff network.
Chief Executive Aidan Jones OBE welcomed candidates in the pack, stating this is an exciting moment for Scouts. With that in mind, we have recently adopted and will soon publish a bold new 2026-2035 strategy focused on reaching more young people and empowering them to lead change in their communities.
Who Leads the Strengthened Executive Leadership Team?**
The Executive Leadership Team comprises Chief Executive Aidan Jones OBE at the helm, alongside Executive Director of Operations, Executive Director of Finance, Executive Director of Engagement, Executive Director of Strategy, and Executive Director of Commercial Services. Below this, key heads include Head of Volunteering, Head of Resilience and Safety, Head of Movement Support and Growth, Head of Safeguarding, and Senior International and Events Manager.
The Executive Director of Operations plays a pivotal role as a full member of the Executive Leadership Team, leading the Operations Team and working in close partnership with senior volunteers to contribute to the overall strategic and operational activity of The Scout Association (the national charity for Scouts in the UK).
This leader reports to the Chief Executive and oversees internal relationships with the ELT, Head of Programme, Leadership Forum, Department Heads, all staff, Board of Trustees, UK Leadership Team, and volunteers across the movement.
What Is the New Strategy “Place to Belong”?**
The new strategy, titled Place to Belong and spanning 2026-2035, centres on helping even more people find a place to belong. Scouts’ PDF on the strategy states: Our new strategy is about helping even more people find a place to belong. As Scouts, we’re at our best when we work together. We’ve proved this with our last.
It builds on prior successes like the 2025 vision to prepare more young people with skills for life, supported by volunteers delivering an inspiring programme, with goals to grow, be more inclusive, shape work by young people, and impact communities.
The strategy emphasises modernising operations, embedding shared leadership between staff and volunteers, and ensuring governance and culture reflect youth diversity. Scouts is a federated movement of local Groups, Districts, and Counties, with the national charity providing leadership and resources.
What Role Does the Executive Director of Operations Play?**
The Executive Director of Operations holds strategic and operational responsibility for designing and delivering high-quality services to support members, encompassing movement support and growth, volunteering, safety, and safeguarding compliance.
Main responsibilities include contributing to the ELT as a full member; fostering an inclusive workplace; acting as trusted adviser to the Chief Executive; leading a high-performing Operations Team; ensuring safe participation for all young people; supporting adult volunteers flexibly; collaborating on shared leadership; championing equality, diversity, and inclusion; managing critical incidents; delivering national events; overseeing international activities; monitoring Movement temperature; serving as Lead Signatory for disclosures; managing health and safety; and advocating for growth.
The role carries budgetary responsibility for circa £10 million unrestricted spend, plus oversight of projects like World Scout Jamborees. External relationships span youth charities, funders, the Charity Commission, HSE, and government.
What Challenges Has Scouts Recently Overcome?**
Scouts navigated significant hurdles, including a major system implementation, cost reductions, and Safety enhancements. The Society Search pack notes: We have recently faced a challenging period, in which we had to deliver a major system implementation, reduce our costs, and implement significant enhancements to our approach to Safety. But with these changes now bedding down, and our budget coming back into balance.
LinkedIn post by Chris Reed MSc details his interim tenure: Just over 18 months ago I joined The Scouts on a six-month contract as interim Chief Resilience Officer… I then became interim Executive Director of Operations, following in the footsteps of Matthew Killick (BEM, MBA, CMgr MCMI), leading our safety, safeguarding, volunteering, movement support, growth, international and events functions. Working initially under the leadership of Matt Hyde OBE and Carl Hankinson DL, then Aidan Jones OBE and alongside wonderful ELT colleagues Chloe K., Mark Hislop FRSA, Kieron Moir BEM and Jo Knowles.
These efforts have positioned Scouts for renewed growth, with 450,000 young people weekly gaining skills through 140,000 volunteers.
What Qualifications Are Required for These Leadership Roles?**
For the Executive Director of Operations, essential leadership experience includes senior-level leadership in complex organisations, strategic input, streamlining systems, rigour in debate, people management of diverse teams, budget accountability, and shaping inclusive cultures.
Stakeholder management demands collegiate teamwork, consensus-building with volunteers, committee reporting, and diplomacy. Domain expertise covers youth sector understanding, services for membership organisations, large-scale volunteering, safety/safeguarding, events/international, critical incident management, and impact measurement.
Personal qualities emphasise technical competence, positivity, proactivity, advocacy for diversity, resourcefulness, and alignment with Scout values: Integrity, Respect, Care, Belief, Co-operation.
How Does This Impact Young People and Volunteers?**
These leadership enhancements ensure robust support for 450,000 young people in the 100 most deprived English areas and beyond, building confidence, resilience, and belonging. When many young people are struggling to find purpose and belonging, Scouts helps them develop skills, confidence and a sense of hope.
Volunteers benefit from flexible support, high-quality resources across 7,000 Groups, and shared leadership. The strategy prioritises inclusivity, with plans to expand in deprived areas.
Public trust stands at 86%, per YouGov June poll.
What Is the Recruitment Process and Terms?**
Society Search handled recruitment for Executive Director of Operations, with applications requiring CV, supporting statement against person specification, and referees, closing Wednesday 11th February 2026 (midday UK time). Preliminary interviews: 18th-26th February 2026; final panel: week commencing 16th March 2026.
Terms include £115,000 GBP salary, Gilwell Park location (min two days/week), 28 days holiday rising to 32, pension (Scouts doubles up to 10%), flexible working, and equal opportunities commitment.
Scouts emphasises: Scouts is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute.
For professionals aiming to lead in youth organisations or nonprofit strategy, Leadership and Management courses equip individuals with the skills to navigate complex teams and drive organisational change, much like these Scout executives.