Regional Director, Europe Support Centre

The Regional Director leads the Europe Support Centre of the World Scout Bureau (WSB) with the responsibility of providing strategic and operational support to National Scout Organizations (NSOs) and National Scout Associations(NSAs) in the European Scout Region. The Regional Director also provides effective support to the European Scout Committee and contributes to the implementation of World Scouting’s Strategy for Scouting and Triennial Plan across the Region. The position plays a key role in advancing World Scouting’s mission by strengthening regional impact, representing the organisation in relevant spaces, and expanding strategic opportunities and partnerships throughout the European Scout Region.

Key Responsibilities

The key responsibilities of the Regional Director are to advance World Scouting’s operations and impact in the European Scout Region, aligned with our Strategy for Scouting, the Regional Scout Plan and resolutions adopted by the European Scout Conference.

Assist NSOs in the European Scout Region to:

• Identify the needs of NSOs in the areas of Scouting’s educational Youth Programme, volunteer adult resources and management, good governance, child and youth safeguarding, institutional and organisational development, and communications, advocacy and partnerships.

• Ensure the effective and efficient delivery of support services to NSOs and NSAs through an innovative hands-on approach to strengthen capacity at the national and local levels of Scouting.

• Encourage and facilitate the quality growth of membership among NSOs and NSAs in the European Scout Region.

• Maintain regular communication and visits with NSOs, as well as current and potential partners in the European Scout Region, to ensure a consistent and effective exchange of information among NSOs and NSAs both regionally and globally.

• Develop relevant region-wide partnership, youth-led advocacy and resource mobilisation plans, enabling World Scouting to expand and diversify its income streams, and position the organisation as a leading voice on youth policy and youth programming at national levels.

• Support NSOs to receive government recognition of Scouting as the world’s leading educational youth movement and a leader in non-formal education.

• Ensure that NSOs in the European Scout Region have strong collaboration with each other and are committed to the global unity of the Scout Movement.

Support the good governance of the European Scout Committee to:

• Coordinate the necessary human and financial resources - both within World Scouting and through external partners- to effectively support the needs of NSOs and NSAs.

• Foster close and trusting relationships among the staff of the WSB at the Europe Support Centre, as well as between the Chairperson and members of the European Scout Committee.

• Serve as secretary to the European Scout Committee and collaborate with the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson to support data-driven decision-making.

• Encourage and support the European Scout Region’s effective participation and delivery of World and Regional Scout events.

• Maintain positive relationships within Switzerland as the host country of the Europe Support Centre.

• Promote an organisational culture based on the values of transparency, accountability, respect and continuous improvement.

Consult with World Scouting’s Secretary General to:

• Effectively manage the Europe Support Centre, currently consisting of 16 FTE staff, and contribute to the overall management of the WSB by playing a full and active role as a member of the organisation’s Senior Management Team.

• Establish objectives and action plans to submit to the European Scout Committee for consultation and agreement.

• Provide regular reporting, updates and information on the work of the Europe Support Centre to the WSB’smanagement, the European Scout Committee, NSOs and NSAs in Europe, and other Support Centres.

• Strengthen links, dialogue and cooperation with the other four Scout Regions (Africa, Asia-Pacific, Arab and Interamerica).

• Prepare, plan and organise regional institutional events, such as European Scout Committee meetings and the European Scout Conference, and provide support to other world and regional events hosted in Europe by NSOs.

• Ensure the effective integration between the work of the Europe Support Centre team and the WSB’s Practice Teams (Member Support; Education, Research and Development; Communications and Digital; World Events; and Corporate Services).

• Attend meetings of the WSB and the World Scout Committee as required.

• Undertake any other tasks requested by the Secretary General of World Scouting.

Lead the management and operations of the WSB’s Europe Support Centre:

• Establish the Europe Support Centre work plan and manage its implementation.

• Collaborate with key staff and the Regional Treasurer to plan and prepare the annual budget (2 million USD), and ensure its effective implementation through strict monitoring of income and expenditure.

• Facilitate staff engagement and participation in the WSB’s Practice Teams, fostering a culture of collaboration, respect and accountability.

• Prepare, oversee and follow up on applications for various funding sources.

• Develop and maintain relationships with partners and donors funding initiatives and activities in the European Scout Region.

• Ensure adherence to WSB’s risk management approach to effectively identify and manage risks.

• Ensure the effective management of staff and operations of the Europe Support Centre (currently consisting of 16 FTE staff) is aligned with the WSB’s People and Culture Strategy.

• Support each staff member to clearly identify their responsibilities, work plan objectives, career growth and performance, adhering to the WSB’s performance management cycle.

• Ensure compliance with the WSB employee handbook and other organisational policies, procedures and good practices.

• Maintain good working conditions, adequate office facilities and equipment for staff.

Requirements

Experience and Qualifications

• Senior executive in the fields of education, management or business

  development.

• Postgraduate or master’s degree or other relevant professional qualifications or experience are an asset.

• At least five years of experience in a senior managerial role, including responsibility for leading diverse staff teams.

• Demonstrated understanding of Scouting’s educational proposal and its implementation at national and grassroots levels.

• Proven knowledge of good governance practices and experience in developing and delivering support to National Scout Organizations (NSOs).

• Solid experience in budget planning, financial oversight, and monitoring.

• Experience in people management and working with volunteers in a professional capacity.

• Experience in advocacy, partnership development, and fundraising activities.

• Proven ability to coordinate and collaborate with distributed, virtual, and international teams.

• Previous work experience in non-governmental organisations (NGOs); international NGOs considered an asset.

• Experience in youth work or non-formal education at the national or international levels.

• Familiarity with Scouting’s educational method and participation in organisational capacity-strengthening workshops are advantages.

• Experience in planning, organising, and delivering events.

• Experience in Scouting at national and/or international levels is an asset but not a requirement.

Competencies

• Strong commitment to the development, growth, and values of the Scout Movement.

• Demonstrated intercultural competence and sensitivity to cultural differences, with an international outlook and ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment across the European Scout Region..

• Proven leadership style that empowers, coaches, and supports staff, with a focus on accountability, innovation, service improvement, and collaboration.

• Strategic and analytical thinking, with the ability to prioritise, manage multiple tasks, and lead teams effectively.

• Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills, with the ability to negotiate diplomatically and foster cooperation among diverse stakeholders.

• Effective communicator with strong command of English (spoken and written); knowledge of additional WOSM languages (French, Spanish, or Arabic) is considered an asset.

• High digital proficiency, including the use of online collaboration platforms, cloud-based systems, digital communication tools, and advanced use of Microsoft Office Suite.

• Strong organisational skills with a proactive, self-motivated, and efficient working style.

• Demonstrated emotional intelligence, trustworthy, and able to build and maintain positive and productive working relationships.

• Professional, ethical, and values-driven, demonstrating integrity and consistency in decision-making and conduct.

• Able to work under pressure and tight deadlines with a positive, solutions-oriented approach.

• Willingness and availability to travel frequently, including occasional work during evenings and weekends.

Summary of Employment

Terms and Conditions

The WSB offers a range of tangible and intangible working benefits. This is a full-time position with an open-ended contract under Swiss law.

• A monthly salary will be appropriate to the seniority of the role.

• The position is based in the Europe Support Centre in Geneva, Switzerland. Remote employment will not be considered for this role.

• Contractual hours of work are a minimum of 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday, but additional hours may be required for the effective performance of the role, for which there will be no additional remuneration. The successful candidate must be willing to work in the evenings and on weekends, when necessary.

• The holiday entitlement is 25 days per annum plus public holidays in Geneva, Switzerland.

• The WSB has a pension plan and medical plan – full details will be provided on employment.

• Relocation support will be provided.

How to Apply

Applications should be submitted using the online system before 23:59 CET on November 17, 2025 and should include:

1. A curriculum vitae with full details of professional experience, education and career history.

2. Completion of application form and cover letter outlining the candidate’s suitability for the role, related skills, knowledge and experience to the requirements of the job description. The candidate’s particular interest and motivation in applying for this role with World Scouting should also be outlined.

3. Contact information of up to three people who can provide references.

Applications should be submitted using the online application form. Ideally, the Regional Director, Europe Support Centre will start on February 1, 2026.

The World Scout Bureau (WSB) is an equal opportunity employer and strongly believes in and practices diversity, equity and inclusion. We are committed to creating an inclusive and diverse work environment where all qualified candidates will receive equal consideration in applying for the job opportunities and subsequent career advancement. Our employment practices are open to everyone, regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or other protected characteristics. We believe that fostering an inclusive culture and embracing diverse perspectives strengthens innovation and growth within WSB. We encourage people from all backgrounds, including those from underrepresented communities, to apply for the job opportunities created and announced by WSB.