Finding a NED role, whether paid or unpaid, in any sector usually requires you to promote your potential to appropriate recruiters. One way of 'advertising' your interest, if you are a CIPD chartered member, is to join our NED directory.
Many NED roles, particularly in the public and not-for-profit sectors, are advertised in the press or on websites. Follow the link for more information on public appointments and to help you find a NED role on an NHS board or a national or regional public body within the UK.
Follow the link for information about trustees and trusteeship, governance in the voluntary and community sector and NED positions on the boards of, for example, arts organisations and housing associations.
The task of filling private sector roles is often given to search firms. Some private sector roles are also advertised in the national press.
The Non-Executive Director website provides a public directory where you can 'advertise' your interest and search for vacancies. This service is free for an initial period.
The Association of Executive Search Consultants (AESC) is the worldwide professional association for the retained executive search industry. It offers senior executives a one-stop link to search professionals at leading search companies throughout the world.
Headhunters and how to use them (Nancy Garrison-Jenn 2005) is a source of information on search firms. Our library contains a range of helpful resources including reports by search firms and other reports on what companies are looking for.
For information on what is involved in becoming a non-executive director or charity trustee look at our information about non-executive directors.
We welcome ideas about how to add value to this site. Please send it to us via the Contact us form. We would particularly value contributions from search firms about what they look for in potential NEDs. We would also value individual biographies that could be used as case studies.
Public appointments links
Appointments Commission
The Commission, on behalf of the Secretary of State, recruits and appoints chairs and non-executive directors to NHS organisatons, Foundation Trusts and Central Government Departments. The website provides information for applicants, non-executive directors and independent assessors. It also contains details of all public appointments currently being handled by the Commission.
Directgov - Public Appointments
On this site, run by the Public Appointments Unit in the Cabinet Office, members of the public can search for public appointment opportunities in public bodies operating in England and throughout the UK. Links are provided for opportunities in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA)
This website supports the work of the Commissioner for Public Appointments whose role is to regulate, monitor, report and advise on over 10,000 ministerial appointments to public bodies in England and Wales and some bodies in Northern Ireland. It provides:
- a code of practice
- a publications section containing a number of downloadable leaftlets and guides covering such topics as recruiting members of the public onto boards, public appointment of disabled people and procedures for making formal nominations
- information on how to apply for a public appointment
- case studies showing how the appointment process can go wrong.
- Go to the OCPA website
The Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland (OCPA NI)
This website supports the work of the Commissioner in the way ministerial appointments are made in Northern Ireland. It provides a code of practice for ministerial appointments to public bodies and a range of leaflets and guides, including a guide for independent assessors and a guide on probity and conflicts of interest for candidates.
The Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland (OCPAS)
The Office set up to regulate and monitor the way in which ministerial appointments are made to the boards of many of Scotland’s public bodies. The site includes:
- case studies of people who have been appointed to boards
- a publications section providing a range of information leaflets and guidance
- the Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies in Scotland.
- Go to the OCPAS website
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Charity trustee appointments links
Arts & Business
A charity helping business people to support and engage with the arts. Provides a board bank which recruits and provides access to senior-level managers to serve as non-executive directors on arts organisations' boards.
City Women's Network (CWN)
A network of senior women executives working in London and the surrounding area. Their aims include 'encouraging more women to become directors, to take on public appointments and to become trustees.'
do-it.org.uk
The UK's only national volunteering database with over 1,000,000 volunteering opportunities, including a trustee category.
Get on Board
The campaign to raise the profile of trusteeship and attract a new generation of trustees, promoted by the former Governance Hub, the Charity Commission and Volunteering England.
National Housing Federation (NHF)
NHF aims to support and promote the work of housing associations and campaign for better housing. Offers the Get on Board scheme which aims at matching skilled and experienced candidates to board vacancies withing housing associations.
NCVO – Governance and Leadership (incorporating The Governance Hub)
The present site includes a range of practical guidance for small and larger organisations, a code of practice and case studies.
NCVO - Trustee Bank
A trustee recruitment source for voluntary organisations. The webpages contain an extensive range of resources on all aspects of trusteeship. They also provide a directory of brokerage services and a situations vacant page listing a selection of current trustee vacancies.
REACH
Recruits people with managerial, technical and professional expertise and places them in part-time, unpaid roles, including trusteeship, in organisations that need their help.
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