Community Relations and Program Relations Executives

Early this past summer, a task force was formed to find innovative ways to improve the Council’s support of our Districts, balancing the Council’s financial, professional staff, and volunteer resources. Participants of the task force included volunteers and community leaders who have worked through organizational and staffing model changes previously in Scouting and their workplaces.

The task force recommended dividing what are now a wide range of skills and responsibilities done by District Executives into more-specialized district staff functions, with two professional staff now supporting each district.

The staffing model was recommended by the task force because it created multiple process improvements across our cistricts, for the professional staff, district volunteers, and our entire council. The plan allows staff to focus on job specialization, team concept, faster job training, and an improved district executive candidate pool. Districts should see improved support from the specialized executives, increased volunteer ownership, and new program opportunities through the creation of the Activities/STEM Director.

The staffing model changes were rolled out to districts through the fall of 2016, with staff changes taking effect on January 1, 2017.

Districts will maintain their individual identities and will now be supported by two professional staff. District professional staff were partnered primarily based on District geography, looking also at District membership and the number of units in each district. The goal was to have partnered executives serving Districts that were close enough to realize process improvement and shared resources, while also being of similar size throughout the Council.

Two of our smaller districts will be merged: Prairie Lakes and Rolling Hills. Discussions with those two districts have started and the key leaders in those districts are working through the details.

Districts’ key volunteers will meet with their two assigned executives during the fourth quarter of 2016 to start the process of identifying “go to” areas and functions, and District Committee chairs and members will start working with their new support executives in January.

Community Relations Executive (CRE) – Job Functions

1. Work with New Unit Organizers to conduct new unit sales calls and organize new units.
2. Work with the District Finance Chair, CFOS and FFOS volunteers to achieve finance objectives.
3. Work with District Nominating Chair and Committee to identify district-level volunteers.
4. Maintain relationships with principals, superintendents, and community education.
5. Maintain relationships with unit volunteers regarding appropriate areas of responsibility.
6. Assist Nominating Chair and District Chair with identifying and recruiting all district volunteers.
7. Achieve appropriate District JTE standards.
8. Assist with new unit organization.
9. Work with district PR and website volunteers.

Work with new and existing charter partners to start new units, maintain and create partnerships.

Program Relations Executive (PRE) – Job Functions

1. Work with District Membership Chair to achieve membership objectives, SNFS and other campaigns.
2. Guide District Popcorn Campaign.
3. Work with District Commissioner to provide excellence in unit service and re-charters.
4. Support Advancement, Camping, Training and Activities Program Chairs in providing program services to units.
5. Execute membership recruitment campaigns and help units achieve membership objectives.
6. Achieve appropriate District JTE standards.
7. Support District Commissioner(s) with units achieving Journey 2.0 standards.
8. Complete annual recharter process on time.
9. Work with commissioner staff on Roundtable planning and execution.
10. Visit units at camp.
11. Ensure unit participation in district/council programs and activities.
12. Work with unit treasurers and assist with unit finance management and budgeting.