Scouts hunt for marketing chief

The Scout Association is looking for its first marketing and communications director.

It is also seeking a marketing supremo for its World Jamboree in 2007 to celebrate the movement’s centenary.

The charity has revamped its corporate identity, logos and uniforms, as well as the programmes it offers young people, in a bid to bring its image up to date.

Until now, the Scout Association’s marketing activity has been aimed at procuring sponsorships, though the organisation also offers team building weekends for companies and markets its own brand of clothing under the Outdoors brand.

Marketing was represented at board level by the finance director.

Communications director John Fogg is about to retire and his post will be merged with the new position.

The Cub Scout badge has been without a sponsor for the past two years since Vauxhall pulled out. Photographic retailer Jessops sponsors its photographic badge. Dixons is also a sponsor of the Scouts.

The Scout Association has recently commissioned Mori to carry out an opinion poll of companies to establish how they value a relationship with the Scouts.

The Scouts has over half a million members aged between six and 25 years old in the UK, and 28 million members worldwide.