Commissioner Job Descriptions

Council Commissioner

• Report to the council president and serve as an officer of the local council, a member of its executive board and executive committee, and as a National Council member representing the local council.

• Be responsible for the unit service function of the council.

• Chair the regular meetings of the district commissioners.

• Provide sufficient training opportunities so that every commissioner receives training shortly after commissioning.

• Plan and conduct an annual commissioner conference for training, recognition, and morale.

• Appoint assistant council commissioners.

• Encourage and help district commissioners recruit full staffs.

• Assist in recruiting district commissioners as needed.

• Verify that proper techniques are used to select and recruit unit leaders.

• Maintain Boy Scouts of America standards of uniforming, wearing of insignia, use of the program, and other policies and procedures.

• Promote the Quality Unit as a standard of performance and ensure, through the district commissioners, recognition of unit leaders and units achieving this standard.

• Be responsible, through the district commissioners, for the presentation of program plans, ideas, and materials via effective district roundtables.

• Be responsible, through the district commissioners, for the effective use of the annual service plan to ensure the health and tenure of units.

• Keep the president and executive board apprised of the condition of units.

• Cooperate with the membership/relationships chairman to successfully conduct the annual membership recruiting effort.

• Serve as a member of the council Key 3.

District Commissioner

• The district commissioner leads the commissioner staff and does the following:

• Identify and recruit enough of the right people as commissioners so that all Scouting units in the district receive regular, helpful service, assistant district commissioners, Cub Scout roundtable commissioner, Boy Scout roundtable commissioner, Venturing roundtable commissioner, enough unit commissioners for each to serve only three units

• Train members of the commissioner staff. Provide Commissioner Basic Training. Conduct orientation/personal coaching. Guide commissioners toward Arrowhead Honor and Scouter’s Key. Promote continuing education for commissioners

• Supervise and motivate unit commissioners to visit each unit regularly, identify unit needs, and make plans to meet unit needs.

• Administer the annual commissioner service plan, which gives specific purposes for commissioner contact with units at designated times of the year.

• Oversee the unit charter renewal plan so that each unit reregisters on time and with optimum membership.

• Guide roundtable commissioners to ensure that monthly roundtables are well-attended, and provide practical and exciting unit program ideas.

• Plan and preside at monthly meetings of the district commissioner staff.

• Work with the district chairman and district executive to stimulate and coordinate the work of the district (the district Key 3).

• Help meet district goals.

• Represent the district as a member of the council commissioner cabinet.

• Support local and national Scouting policy, procedures, and practices.

• Attend district committee meetings to report on conditions of units and to secure specialized help for units.

Assistant District Commissioner

• Report to the district commissioner.

• Recruit a full staff of unit commissioners to serve their assigned units and area.

• Help the district commissioner train unit commissioners and roundtable commissioners: Conduct personal coaching/orientation sessions. Participate in the formal basic training courses. Help unit commissioners attain the Arrowhead Honor, Commissioner’s Key, and Distinguished Commissioner Service Award.

• Attend monthly district commissioner staff meetings, including a meeting with your unit commissioners to review unit needs.

• Serve units with no assigned unit commissioner.

• Maintain regular contact with unit commissioners under your supervision: To assess units’ strengths and weaknesses To help find solutions to units’ problem To provide information, informal training, program ideas, and recognition To help unit commissioners work successfully with unit committees, chartered organization representatives, and chartered organizations.

• Involve unit adults in training and roundtables.

• Evaluate, at least quarterly, the performance of unit commissioners and provide the help necessary to give the unit commissioner the confidence and expertise to serve assigned units effectively.

• Support the district’s and council’s program emphases.

• Become familiar with the program themes offered by the BSA for Cub Scout pack s, Boy Scout troops, Varsity Scout teams, and Venturing crew s.

• Supervise the operation of the annual service plan for assigned units.

• Accept other assignments made by the district commissioner.

• Keep track of re-charter status and progress of all units.

• Promote uniform - wearing and BSA standards.

District Roundtable Commissioner

• Report to the district commissioner.

• Conduct monthly roundtable meetings: Develop regular roundtable plans. Participate in the annual council roundtable planning conference.

• Meet with the district executive and district commissioner to review the council’s master roundtable plan and adapt to the district plans.

• Lead a monthly roundtable planning session. Use national aids: Boy Scout or Cub Scout Roundtable Planning Guide, Roundtable Planning Sheets, Scouting magazine, Program Helps, Boys’ Life, etc.

• Determine what contributions can be made by resource people, and arrange for their participation.

• Recruit roundtable staff, as needed, to handle program elements, projects, physical arrangements, hosting, and participation.

• Coach the chartered organization representative.

• Involve unit adults in training and roundtables.

• Train roundtable staff: Use the Boy Scout or Cub Scout Roundtable Planning Guide.

• Working well in advance, assign specific roundtable program projects. Follow through with those who have accepted assignments.

• Secure help from commissioner staff: Report on roundtable plans regularly at each district commissioner staff meeting.

• Enlist the district commissioner’s cooperation in getting unit commissioners to attend roundtables.

• Promote roundtable attendance: Obtain the unit commissioner’s help in bringing new leaders to roundtables.

• Follow up on units not participating .

• Keep roundtable attendance records and share them monthly with the district commissioner.

• Evaluate roundtables: At least twice a year appraise the effectiveness of roundtables. Seek suggestions from unit leaders.

• Attend monthly commissioner staff meetings ; report on the roundtable program and attendance.

Unit Commissioner

• Report to the district commissioner or assistant district commissioner as assigned.

• Help each unit earn the Quality Unit Award.

• Use the annual commissioner service plan, with its scheduled opportunities for commissioner contact with units.

• Know each phase of Scouting and its literature.

• Be able to describe how each works. Visit meetings of assigned packs / troops / teams / crews / posts regularly, usually once a month.

• Visit regularly with the unit leader. Listen to what the unit leader has to say. Offer encouragement and support. Using the literature and profile sheet, help the leader see opportunities for improvement.

• Maintain good unit leader relationships.

• Encourage unit participation in district and council events and training.

• Work to ensure effective unit committees.

• Visit with the unit committee periodically. Observe the committee, offer suggestions for improvement, and work to solve problems.

• Make certain that proper techniques are used to select and recruit unit leaders.

• Facilitate on-time charter renewal of all units.

• Help the unit conduct a membership inventory of youth and adults.

• Help the unit committee chairman conduct the charter renewal meeting. See that a completed charter renewal application is returned to the council service center.

• Contact the head of chartered organization following the charter-renewal meeting to describe the unit’s progress and to make arrangements for the charter-presentation ceremony.

• Attend all meetings of the commissioner staff.

• Become trained: Initial orientation and basic training Arrowhead Honor and Scouter’s Key Annual council commissioner’s conference

• Set the example.

• Adopt an attitude of helpfulness.

• Keep promises.

• Be concerned about proper uniforming.

• Be diplomatic.

• Know the resources available to the unit in the neighborhood, district, and council.

• Conduct own Self-Evaluation, No. 34424A.