Our Client
The Scouts Association is one of the UK’s largest youth charities, with over 500,000 members and 145,000 volunteers.
Awarded Charity of the Year 2022, the organisation is known for its innovative, inclusive culture and commitment to youth development.
The Background
The Scouts required a Head of UK Safety Transformation to lead a strategic overhaul of safety across its national operations. This pivotal role involved working with senior volunteers and HQ leaders to embed a proactive safety culture.
The ideal candidate needed transformational leadership, strategic vision, and deep stakeholder engagement experience.
Our Approach
We applied our Executive Search methodology, combining deep sector knowledge with a research-led process. We...
Conducted briefings to understand strategic goals and cultural fit
Mapped the market across charity, education, leisure and hospitality sectors
Assessed candidates via structured interviews and benchmarking
The Outcome
We successfully placed a senior safety leader who has since made a measurable impact across the Scouts’ national operations.
The candidate has driven strategic change, improved volunteer engagement, and strengthened the overall safety governance of The Scouts Association.
Safety Transformation: Developed and embedded a national safety strategy across HQ and volunteer networks.
Volunteer Engagement: Built trust and collaboration with senior volunteers across 8,000 scout groups.
External Representation: Strengthened the Scouts’ voice with regulators, families, and external stakeholders.
Why Us?
At Irwin and Colton, we understand that executive hiring is about more than just qualifications; it’s about finding leaders who can shape culture, drive performance, and deliver long-term value.
Our Executive Search service is tailored, discreet, and built on deep industry insight and a robust, research-led approach. Whether you're hiring for a board-level role or a critical leadership position, we act as a trusted partner, bringing clarity, confidence, and expertise to every stage of the search.
For support with Executive Search recruitment, please contact us.