How I got my first paid board role

by | Feb 18, 2020 | Getting your first Board Role

I thought it might be useful to share my own Board journey. These journeys are unique to the person and their circumstances and mine is certainly not the standard way in. The most common route to Non-Executive Director roles are retirement from a senior executive career and NED roles as a way to keep busy and earn an income. Mine was nothing like that and I encourage as wide a diversity of possible and people to consider taking a Board role. It’s never ever too early!

In 2011, aged 33 I had a very hazy idea of what a NED actually was. I had run my own business (twice) and was in a full time CEO role for a public/private partnership. I was working with a Board of Non-Executive Directors and I wondered how possible it would be to sit on the other side of the table for a change. It seemed so much easier than running the business. Little did I know!

I started looking for local roles and came across a voluntary role on the Board of a Credit Union. I didn’t do any of the things I would recommend now to my clients like due diligence, matching roles to your skillset, thinking ahead to which paid roles I’d want, risks to reputation or researching the requirements of the role. I simply saw the role and applied!

In retrospect I was very lucky because it turned out to be a rewarding role and gave me experience which were critical to securing paid roles. Credit Unions are heavily regulated and understanding governance and regulation are key skills for many NED roles. Financial governance is also a key skill for NEDs – all members of a Board have a responsibility to ensure the financial viability of the organisation.  There were also people issues around retention and recruitment and the Credit union was merging with another so there we cultural and systems issues. I learned a lot in a short space of time in a supportive environment. I also came to learn that the advertised time commitment is almost never correct and the time taken by roles will expand as much as you let it.

In 2012, my father became terminally ill and I didn’t feel I could sustain my 60 hour plus a week job and Trustee role. I thought I’d look for a paid board role to keep some money coming in and keep me in the job market. I saw a role for an NHS Board member and thought I’d apply. I was still quite naïve about what was involved and again failed to do any diligence or follow the process I would now recommend!

The application process for Public Appointments is very standardised and competency based. This means that you will answer several questions on the application for which test if you have the desired skills for the role. The format is a paragraph with a specified word count where you outline an example of having used the skill. I like this method as usually there is no CV involved and I believe it reduces bias in the recruitment. The examples you give can be from any field as long as they show you using the skill. My Credit Union experience proved invaluable and I used it to answer 2 of the 4 questions.

I was pleased to get an interview for the NHS Board role. I had no one to help me prepare and was really going into the interview blind. This is something I would never recommend and there’s so much help available now which wasn’t around at the time. The first part of the interview was with a panel and the second part was an exercise in reading a Board paper and then telling the Panel what questions you would ask about the paper in the Board meeting. I enjoyed the intellectual challenge and was very pleased to find out that I had got the position.

This was where the real learning about being a paid Non Executive Director started and I’ll outline my experience in another blog post to follow.

Find out which service will suit you best:

Gravitas Process Group Program

How long: 12 weeks – 1 hour call weekly group call (with some homework before and after)

When: May to July  2020

Register Here (need link)

What is covered:

  1. What kind of Board roles are there?
  2. What kind of Board do I want to sit on?
  3. What kind of role am I suited for?
  4. What will be Board USP be?
  5. Where to find roles
  6. Recruiters/Headhunters
  7. Networking
  8. Board CV
  9. Covering Letters
  10. Interview Preparation
  11. Due Diligence
  12. Your Board Strategy

Who is this for:

  • Aspiring Non Exec’s
  • Happy working in a group
  • Can commit to one-hour call per week 

Cost: £1495

Board Bootcamp Women's Retreat

How long: 3 days (with some homework before and after)

When: 20-22, November 2020

Register Here (need link)

What is covered:

  1. What kind of Board roles are there?
  2. What kind of Board do I want to sit on?
  3. What kind of role am I suited for?
  4. What will be Board USP be?
  5. Where to find roles
  6. Recruiters/Headhunters
  7. Networking
  8. Board CV
  9. Covering Letters
  10. Interview Preparation
  11. Due Diligence
  12. Your Board Strategy

Who is this for:

  • Aspiring Non Exec’s
  • Happy working in a group
  • Looking for an intensive and fast solution

Cost: £995 - £1795 depending on room chosen

One on One Coaching

How long: 1 hour per session. Have as many as you like.

When: Start now

Schedule Your Session Here (need link)

What is covered: You decide! Any of the areas covered in the Gravitas Process for aspiring non-executives.

Support for existing non-executives with current Board issues they may be facing.

Portfolio Careers including:

  • What sort of things can I have in my portfolio?
  • How do I balance my time between work and family?
  • How do I transition from full time work to a Portfolio Career?
  • Help with specific areas of your portfolio
  • Developing Your Portfolio Strategy.

Who is this for:

  • Aspiring Non Exec’s
  • Current non-executives
  • Wants to work one on one

Cost: £150 per hour

CV Review

How long: 1 week depending on how quickly you can redraft

When: Start now

What is covered:

I look at your current CV. We have a call where I ask you questions to draw out the information needed for your Board CV. I will then make comments on your first and final drafts.

Who is this for:

  • You know you need a Board CV
  • You know you need a Board CV
  • You’ve seen a Board role you want to apply for

Cost: £495

Not sure what is the best fit for you? Schedule a free call to find out.