On Thursday 12th December we hosted an online panel to discuss how to get your first Non-Executive Director role in the public sector. Mark Turner and Rosemary Baylis-West from GS were joined by Welsh Government Lead NED, Carys Williams, Scottish Government and Network Rail NED, Fiona Ross and Former Civil Service Commissioner, Joe Montgomery CBE.

Click here to watch the replay

A note from Rosemary

It was great to see so many first time applicants from all parts of the United Kingdom at our event and to welcome our expert panel from UK Government, Welsh Government and Scottish Government to share their expertise, advice and insights.

Mark and I are delighted to share this brief digest of what we covered, for the benefit of those who joined us and those who weren’t able to do so on the day but are interested to hear more.  We hope that this is helpful as you seek your first NED role, move into your next one or perhaps assist someone else with their NED journey. Hopefully there are many useful takeaways for people at a range of stages in their journey. We weren’t able to answer all of the questions asked during the session and we hope to have covered them all here.

Please network with me on LinkedIn, and don’t hesitate to reach out for advice and support. If your query is about a Central Government role it would be a pleasure to assist you personally. If you seek a Health, Housing, Local Government, Community Protection, Regulation, Faith, Not-for-profit or Education perspective, I will gladly connect you with the right person to speak with at our firm.

With every best wish,

Rosemary

 

Board insights – key takeaways from our expert panel:

Why be a NED and what is it like?

• Purpose of being a NED – you are providing a problem-solving resource to an organisation where you are not a staff member. You’re there to bring sound judgement to the resolution of problems. Remember, Boards are almost always accountable to someone – and the requirement for sound judgment is often about helping an organisation to answer responsibly to its funders, its regulator, the Charities Commission or possibly Companies House – as well as to its customer-base and the wider range of stakeholders. These realities are worth bearing in mind when making the case that you have a sound appreciation of good governance.
• Early challenges and learnings when you first become a NED – thinking about how to be: will you be a good colleague and play into consensus at the risk of being captured by the status quo, or will you press for change, argue for a different approach and be a bit of an outlier? Somewhere in the middle of those two is the sweet spot where you can build powerful relationships and effectively advocate for change.
• Later challenges and learnings when you become more experienced – hold the Nolan Principles at the forefront of your mind in difficult and complex organisations: this helps to balance commercial and public service interests, for example. In Wales the bonus principles of kindness and courage (often referred to as the eight and ninth Nolan Principles) are there as well – these are important to keep in mind for any Board role.

Deciding what to apply for:

• Follow your passion – apply for roles where you can add value from a passion / interest perspective.
• A counterpoint – you may wish to cast the net wider, while of course considering the fit with your own principles and interests.
• Consider whether you are / want to be a generalist or a specialist NED. Sometimes Boards look only for specialists, and sometimes for generalists.
• Consider starting regionally rather than nationally.
• Consider whether you want to be a decision-maker or be an advisor.
• Additionally some Board roles are very public: you might be highly visible with Board meetings that are publicly attended and you might need to be an ambassador – consider whether this is something you want.
• Consider what mode the organisation is in – start-up, steady state, crisis, transformation, turnaround – these modes require different things from NEDs, and you need to consider this to judge your ability to add value.

Sticking with it:

• Its not uncommon to go for several opportunities before converting applications to interviews and then to appointments – stick with it, and use executive search firms like us at Gatenby for support, context conversations, paperwork feedback and interview preparation where we are involved in the process. If a search firm is not involved, do as much reading / prep as you can to try and get to know the organisation online.
• Anticipate that the time commitment will be more significant than stated – early on, you need to get to know the organisation, the Board, the staff team, operating model, customer basis, competitors.
• Resilience and patience are important in applying, and also in moving from private to the public sector – once in role, you may find the pace is slower, there are long papers and meetings; and currently many tough decisions need to be made and difficult advice given.
• There is also fun and interest to be had in these roles – despite the time commitment, you will learn a lot from Board colleagues and the Chair. Look carefully at who the Chair is – can you work well with them. What are the gaps in the current board profile and how might you address them?
• Build trust with your Board colleagues once in role.
• All boards are looking for you to apply fairness, openness, sound judgement and bring the ability to problem solve.

Practical tips for your paperwork – top tips for your CV and statement

A 2 page CV + 2 page statement is in vogue at the moment.

Your CV:

The CV is there to serve the biographical factual element, and the evidence of core achievement. If you are applying as a first time Non-Executive, and therefore are unable to demonstrate prior NED experience, think about some of the skills and qualities that might be looked for if you’re sitting on the other side of the table:

• Team leadership
• Team working
• Strategic contribution
• Compliance / governance / oversight
• Providing challenge / being a critical friend / ability to provide balanced critique
• Functional evidence – finance, marketing, communications, HR, legal for example. Even if you’re not a finance professional, make sure you convey that you understand budget management, stewardship and resources
• Other hot topics at the moment – transformation / modernisation / improving customer journey / digital and data – mention any experience in these areas
• Political astuteness without being politicised

Think about core achievements and impact for some / all of these that might point to your ability to be a good non-executive.

Top tip: For each of the organisations where you have worked, briefly highlight turnover, number of employees, scope of what it does for anyone who might be less familiar with it.

Your letter of application / statement of interest:

This is the document that brings you to life, in particular your motivation and interest for this specific role:

1. Major on motivation

The first half of the first page should be focused on answering the question “why this organisation, why now” – demonstrating your motivation and interest. Think about answering the following points in preparing this key section of your statement:

• What have you noticed about them that’s interesting / distinctive?
• What are they doing strategically?
• What are their challenges – service delivery / legitimacy / governance / people and culture / financial – what might be on mind of the Board?
• What are their plans for the future?
• What speaks to you about the mission and values of the organisation?
• Why are you looking for your first NED role? Why do you feel ready?
• Why are you passionate about them or their sector?
• Talk about any lived experience or personal connection.

Leave them in no doubt about why you have applied for this specific role. Demonstrate in the first half of the first page the thinking and research you have already done about the organisation you’re applying to. You’ll really stand out from other candidates through doing this.

We at GS will support you with context conversations as a candidate. If you’re applying through another executive search firm, ask for a context conversation. Then build this into your statement.

If you’re applying direct to an advert, ask the organisation direct for a conversation and if they are not inclined to offer one, you can still do wider research online on what they’re about.

Give them a bit of a feel for your personality – what kind of Board member will you be?

2. Structure your paragraphs very specifically to match their person specification.

Almost always, strategic abilities and the ability to challenge constructively will be named in the candidate pack; as will the ability to work as part of an effective Board team. Assert using active language that you offer this experience, gained in x and y setting, and then evidence it, focusing on impact and how you know your approach / contribution was successful.

3. Make clear you can fulfil the time commitment, make clear you can fulfil any other requirements of the role e.g. travel involved with the role.

4. Clear, concise language with good grammar and no typos.

Practical tips for your interview

1. Go in confidently – they are already interested in you having seen your application and liked it. It’s ok to be nervous and to say you’re nervous, too.
2. Build on the motivation described in your letter. You will be asked “why us / why this Board.” Build on what you said in your letter / statement. Share your wider reflections / research you have done about them and why it has deepened your interest. Show that you have continued finding out about them after submitting your application. Before your interview go and talk to some people involved with the organisation. Read widely about the organisation online. Share your findings at interview when you are describing your motivation and interest.
3. Talk about why now – why do you feel ready and able to seek your first NED role?
4. You will be asked for practical examples of things you have done and where you have added value – prepare these in advance.
5. You will be asked about how you can help the organisation address / lean into diversity and inclusion – for example it might be a question of how it rations service delivery fairly; how it reflects the community it serves. Think about what diversity and inclusion might mean in the context of this organisation?
6. The Panel will likely ask you about your personal working culture and approach to team working. Go to the interview knowing what they need culturally – eg are they undergoing transformation, are they a start-up organisation? Ask the headhunter or the organisation direct what the organisation seeks from the Board team. You can then talk about relevant experiences from your executive career that could add value.
7. Look at their values and competency / performance frameworks in advance – a lot of panels frame their questions around these.
8. Look for opportunities to build chemistry with the interview panel. Try and seek an opportunity turn the interview into a conversation and consider in advance the questions you might ask them.
9. Think about creating competitive advantage / a USP for you, in this interview:
   • Who do you know that might help you – who could you talk to by way of preparation, and help you understand the organisation’s challenges / opportunities?
   • Look at who’s on the Board at the moment – what can you bring that might be subtly different?
   • Have you got lived experience?
   • Professional insights that might help them?
   • Are you immersed in the local community – eg for NHS roles?

Gaining experience

GS runs our own development programme to help those without Board experience to gain it in the public and non-profit sectors – if you’re interested to hear more, our team would love to hear from you: https://theinsightprogramme.com/

Themes from the Q & A

Where to find non-executive opportunities:

• Everything will be advertised somewhere e.g. online national media – Times / Guardian
• Headhunter’s websites – a nucleus of about 6 of us in the public and non-profit sectors
• Public appointment roles are advertised here: https://apply-for-public-appointment.service.gov.uk/roles; in Wales: https://www.gov.wales/public-appointments; in Scotland: https://www.gov.scot/collections/public-appointments/; in Northern Ireland: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/public-appointment-vacancies
• Universities often advertise roles
• Women on Boards, Dynamic Boards, Action for Trustee Racial Diversity
• LinkedIn

What stands out in the best NED applications?

• Answering the question: ‘why this, why now’ fully, with thoughtful tailoring to the organisation’s specific challenges, priorities – showing you have done your research.
• Evidence of impact – not just asserting ‘I have done x in y organisation’ but also drawing out the impact – how do you know that your approach / contribution / leadership was successful?

Additional tips for statement – particularly around brevity, playing back their brief:

• It’s good to use key words from their person spec in each paragraph to signpost for the reader which essential or desirable criterion you’re addressing, and put these in bold type – for example: strategy, stakeholders, leadership experience – you don’t need to repeat the entire criterion word for word. More important is your evidence to back up the assertion that you fully / partially meet that criterion.

First time NED applicant / no prior NED experience:

• As per the advice above on your application paperwork and at interview, show what transferable experience and skills you can offer from executive life.
• Highlight the type of NED you would seek to be – bring out the style and qualities you feel would be additive – link with the Nolan Principles? Demonstrate your awareness of the role of the NED and the difference between executive and non-executive roles.

Resources, networks, courses, training, opportunities to be an observer / apprentice?

• Professional qualifications in corporate governance are also worthwhile
• Institute of Directors courses
• NHS gives you so much training – it’s free
• GS runs our own programme to help you gain experience – theinsightprogramme.com

Points on stage of life / career:

• There is no ideal time to have spent in executive life – whether you’re early in career, mid career or looking for a NED role having retired, your experience will be additive to most boards and there is genuine appetite from most appointment panels to consider people at all stages of career / life. The key thing is to demonstrate a) a record of achievement in what you have done and b) transferable skills.
• Many companies will regard it as additive if their employees take on NED roles but usually you need to discuss this with your employer first. For example, GS has a number of employees who are NEDs, Trustees and Chairs – the company grants two Corporate Social Responsibility days for this – and many other organisations do something similar. Some organisations approach this differently however, and so the best thing is to seek a conversation with your employer first, before starting the process of applying for roles. If you feel you might struggle to fit in a role with a significant time commitment then listen to that instinct and start with something that’s a more modest time commitment.
• Headhunters should always be able to help you position stage of career in the way that is right for you and in a way that will resonate with the organisation.

Experienced C-suite looking to move into non-exec (paid or unpaid):

• Lean into your functional expertise and anything from adjacent sectors – what are the concentric circles?
• Public to private to Plc – an ascending scale of remuneration. Look widely and be confident in your transferable skills.
• Demonstrate your ability to add value to the counsellor / advisor to the C-suite of the organisation you are applying for, being mindful to demonstrate your awareness of the boundary between NED and Exec.

Not yet C-suite looking to move into non-exec (paid or unpaid):

• There is a drive to get more specialist expertise at Board level – we are finding that people who are not yet at C-suite level are very interesting to our client panels from the practical / technical standpoint, but also with developing / developed strategic ability.
• If you see a Board that is advertising for more than one vacancy, there may be a particular openness to appointing one or two people who are first time NEDs.
• Demonstrate in your paperwork and interview how passionate you are and how willing you are to learn.
• There may be an opportunity to join a Committee and then progress to Board level.

Transitioning from Trustee to NED – the scale up:

• The key point here is to demonstrate your awareness of the scale up in size, complexity, intersection with wider sectors and stakeholder map, and show the thought you have already given to how you will navigate the transition points.
• There is general scale up from Trustee to NED, and from not for profit to larger scale public sector, to private sector to Plc.

Moving from private to public sector; or cross sector; or from the political arena:

• There is a particular emphasis on gathering expertise from people from the commercial world – public bodies often need that level of support from the private sector eg in the areas of tech, cyber, finance and a range of others. However your application paperwork and interview should show the thinking you have done about the transition points and how you will navigate these.
• Some roles seek prior sector experience and this will be clear in the advert / headhunter’s brief. In these cases it can be hard to make the move if you’re not coming from that sector, but if the role is being handled by a headhunter, ask for a realistic perspective on whether you might have a chance of being longlisted. If not, try and seek some experience in softer ways with that sector, for example volunteering in other ways, becoming a community governor before seeking a bigger NED role, or undertaking a course in that sector.
• Advice for former politicians of the opposite party – much of the previous advice applies – follow your passion (what would be in the public domain about your areas of interest or expertise whilst in parliament), seek an honest conversation with the recruiter, find the organisations (and there are plenty) where a former politician can add real value.

Specialist /  generalist  / central government specific:

• All of the content here is relevant to central government but we would add in the point that the public appointments process can be long – sometimes up to a year from application to appointment, and so it’s important to stick with it and lean on others for support. If you’re applying direct, find people with connectivity to the sector / theme / organisation itself who might be able to provide this. If you’re applying through us or another headhunter, lean on us for allyship, advice and support.
• Even if you’re a specialist eg cyber, data, legal, HR – make sure you describe and showcase your generalist skills – as above, broad strategy, teamworking, the ability to provide balanced critique.
• You do not have to have commercial or finance experience to be a strong candidate for NED roles – ensure you provide evidence of the generalist skills required, as above.

Support from headhunters / approach of headhunters:

• At GS we always offer support by looking at draft CVs and statements if you want to share them (we don’t write CVs but can recommend people who do)
• Ask for context conversations to help you tailor your statement if you are applying via a headhunter. If you are applying direct to an advert, this will seldom be offered but you can still do your research online.
• Whether your past experiences of applications have been positive or negative, talk with us about these if you are comfortable and would like to do so. We can help you prepare for applications and interviews to build positively on what you have experienced previously.
• If you are a candidate from a diverse background (either protected characteristics or wider diversity eg socio-economic), and you feel for whatever reason that you would benefit from additional support during the application process, ask for this. If a headhunter like us is running the process, that should be straightforward.
• You will be asked to complete diversity monitoring forms via most organisations that you apply to, and usually this data will collected and stored anonymously. However you can of course opt to describe lived experience of diversity in your statement of interest, should you wish to do so.
• We can’t speak for other search firms, but at GS we do not use AI to assess candidates’ suitability, only to prepare factual biographies, because we believe that nothing replaces human judgement about the nuances of someone else.

Practical factors – being local, specific credentials:

• Sometimes it is important to be local to the role and you should consider this when looking at whether you’re a realistic candidate for the organisation in question.
• Headhunters should always give you an honest view of this – or if other factors are critical eg we’re working on some roles at the moment that require fluent Welsh speakers.