Securing a NED, Trustee or Advisory role

Following The Marketing Society Fellows-led event in London titled 'Life on the Outside: Connections and Conversations with Annabel Venner and Martin Glenn,' which centered on NED (Non-Executive Director), Trustee, and portfolio roles, Chris Macleod, Chair of Global Fellows, shares his valuable insights and top ten tips.

1. It’s like any job hunt – but some different aspects you need to recognise and address. Roles likely to be more strategic, less functional, not executive. And more focus on governance, risk, reporting. A different skill set, and a different set of contacts/sources of opportunities

2. Background work is important to understand what NED/Trustee/advisory work entails. It's different to executive work - Is it right for you?

3. You need to have a clear proposition; Why are doing this/what are you offering/why me? And have thought through the impacts – e.g., on status and profile if these are important, and personal finances

4. Marketing experience may be relevant, but you need to present yourself as a potential NED, not as a CMO. You will usually need to demonstrate knowledge of current governance and reporting requirements

5. Good preparation is vital: your CV should reflect NED requirements and responsibilities; your online profile should do the same and reflect your proposition

6. Seek advice, particularly from current NEDs/ Trustees/Advisors, but don't go off too quickly, make sure your proposition is honed and your support material, like CV and online profile, are aligned behind it

7. You may need to reach beyond your existing networks, including different professional groups and head-hunters. Think about who you know and how to extend your contact base

8. Consider getting preparatory experience in similar roles e.g., Trustee, Advisory, volunteer – unpaid

9. There are some good online job sources and also preparatory courses, but consider carefully - some charge - think about whether they make sense for you and your circumstances

10. You need to be determined and prepared to be patient - it may take a while for the right role/s to appear and the recruitment cycle can be lengthy

Join our members-only Coffeehouse thread from this event where we will share further resources and discuss NED, Trustee and Portfolio Roles 

Chris has wide-ranging experience in Marketing, and general management, having spent time in senior roles with both advertising agencies and clients. Most recently, he was Director, customer and revenue, for Transport for London (TfL) one of the largest transport providers in the world.