What does it really take to become a Non-Executive Director?

For many senior executives, NED roles feel like a natural next step. They offer strategic influence, intellectual stimulation, board-level learning and the possibility of building a portfolio career beyond full-time executive life.

But the reality is often more complicated.

In this Nexters conversation, Gareth Helm speaks with Sarah Pierman, founder of Dynamic Boards, about the modern NED market, how senior executives can build credible board experience, and what people often misunderstand when they first start looking for Non-Executive Director roles.

Dynamic Boards is a platform for finding NED, trustee and public appointment roles, with free access for candidates to view advertised opportunities. Sarah’s perspective is especially useful because she has seen the NED market from both sides: as a board member herself and as someone trying to open up access to board roles more widely.

This recording starts around 10 minutes into the session due to technical issues, so it captures the final three-quarters of the conversation. The full written summary covers the whole discussion, including the opening sections that were not fully recorded.

In this film, Sarah talks about:

• Why NED roles are not a get-rich-quick scheme
• The difference between being executive and non-executive
• Why first-time NEDs need to show they understand governance
• The risk of expensive NED courses and guaranteed board-seat promises
• Why trustee and school governor roles can be valuable preparation
• How marketing, customer and growth experience can add value on boards
• Why startup and SME boards can blur the line between advisor, consultant and director
• Public appointments and government board roles
• Why good NEDs are “nose in, hands out”
• The role of Dynamic Boards in making NED and trustee roles easier to find
  
  

What can senior leaders learn from Sarah Pierman about becoming a NED?

Sarah’s message is both encouraging and cautionary.

Becoming a NED can be hugely valuable. It can give senior executives broader strategic exposure, strengthen their governance understanding, help them build a portfolio career and allow them to contribute to organisations they care about.

But it is not a casual side project.

A NED is a legal director. The role carries accountability, responsibility and potential liability. It requires preparation, due diligence and the ability to contribute at the right level. It is not simply about bringing your executive expertise into the room and telling the management team what to do.

As Sarah puts it, a good NED needs to be:

“Nose in, hands out.”

Curious, questioning and close enough to understand the issues, but not taking over the executive team’s job.

Why NED work is not a quick route to easy income

One of Sarah’s clearest warnings is that NED work should not be treated as a quick way to replace an executive salary.
Some senior executives imagine that a few well-paid board roles will quickly add up to a flexible portfolio career. In practice, those roles are competitive, often require specific board experience, and may take time to build.

Sarah’s advice is to approach the market with eyes open.

Do not ditch a full-time executive role assuming that NED income will quickly replace it. Build credibility gradually. Take the role seriously. Understand the likely time commitment. And remember that a board role advertised as a few days a month can become much more demanding if the organisation hits difficulty.

The first-time NED challenge

A central theme in the conversation is that many first-time NED candidates fail to show that they understand what being non-executive actually means.
Sarah describes this as one of the biggest mistakes aspiring NEDs make.

Boards do not simply want a successful executive. They want someone who can step back, ask better questions, understand governance, challenge constructively and avoid becoming operational.

For people coming from senior executive roles, this can be a real mindset shift.
You are no longer the person running the function, making the call or driving delivery every day. Your value comes from judgement, perspective, challenge, risk awareness and helping the board and executive team think better.

That means your NED CV and application need to be different from your executive CV. You need to show board readiness, governance understanding and clear relevance to that specific organisation.

Why generic NED applications fail

Sarah also warns against generic applications.

Senior candidates sometimes assume their track record will speak for itself. But boards want to know why you are right for this organisation, at this moment, with this board and this set of challenges.

That means doing proper research.

Who is already on the board?


What skills are missing?


What stakeholders matter?


What stage is the organisation at?


What specific problem can you help the board think through?

A good NED application does not simply say, “I am senior and experienced.” It says, “Here is why my experience is relevant to what this board needs now.”

Beware the NED training trap

One of the most memorable parts of the session is Sarah’s warning about expensive training schemes and organisations that promise guaranteed board seats.

Her phrase was direct:
“There are sharks out there, Gareth, don’t be bitten.”

Sarah is not against NED training. In fact, Dynamic Boards is developing courses to help people perform better once they are in board roles. But she is clear that a course alone will not get someone appointed.

Training may make you a better NED once you are in role. It is unlikely to be the thing that gets you through the door.

What matters more is your experience, your judgement, your proposition, your ability to articulate your value and the relevance of your background to the board’s needs.

Trustee and school governor roles can be serious preparation

Sarah was positive about trustee and school governor roles as ways to build governance experience, but with an important warning.

Do not take a trustee role simply as a stepping stone to a paid NED role.
Charities, schools and public bodies need committed people who care about the work and are willing to serve properly. If you take the role seriously, however, it can teach you a lot about governance, stakeholders, accountability, difficult dynamics and influencing without executive power.

For senior leaders trying to build a NED portfolio, this can be highly relevant.
The challenge is to explain that experience properly. Do not describe it as a nice voluntary role. Translate it into board-relevant language: governance, risk, assets, stakeholders, accountability, safeguarding, finance, decision-making and chairing.

Why marketing leaders belong on boards

One of the strongest points for the Sideminds community is Sarah’s view that boards need more people with marketing, customer, digital and growth experience.
Historically, many boards have been dominated by finance, legal and general management backgrounds. Those skills matter, but they are not enough.

Boards also make decisions about growth, customers, reputation, brand, communication, behaviour change and market opportunity. Those are areas where senior marketers and commercial leaders can bring a valuable perspective.

Sarah’s message to marketing leaders was simple:

“You guys are needed on boards.”

That is an important reminder for senior executives who may assume board work is only for finance, legal or general management specialists.

SME and startup boards need careful role clarity

The conversation also explored the difference between formal boards, advisory boards, startup boards and investor-led boards.
Sarah was clear that in smaller businesses the boundaries can become blurred. A NED role can drift into consultancy. A board advisor can become too involved in decisions. An investor director may dominate the board without necessarily bringing the expertise the company most needs.

For anyone considering a role in an SME, startup or founder-led business, the message is clear: understand what you are being asked to do.

Are you being appointed as a legal director?


Are you an advisor?


Are you a consultant?


Are you representing an investor?


Are you there for governance, growth, accountability, introductions or expertise?

Clarity matters because the responsibility, liability and expectations are different.

Public appointments and government board roles

Sarah also spoke about public appointments.

Many senior executives think first about commercial NED roles, but public bodies, government organisations, arm’s-length bodies, NHS trusts, housing associations, charities and schools also need independent board members.

These roles can be slower to secure and may involve more scrutiny, including ministerial sign-off in some cases. But they can also be excellent places to learn good governance.

For people building a board portfolio, public appointments can be a serious route to consider alongside commercial NED roles, trustee roles and advisory positions.

What Dynamic Boards does

Dynamic Boards was created to make board opportunities more visible and accessible.
Sarah explained that the platform advertises NED roles for free and allows people to sign up and view roles without paying. It also includes trustee roles and public appointments.

That matters because access to board roles has often depended heavily on networks. Many roles still move through informal routes, but platforms such as Dynamic Boards help open up the market and make opportunities easier to find.

Everything to candidates for free, they are funded by companies using their advertising services. They would love to help your board find their next NED/Chair/Trustee, please contact them if they can help.

You can find Dynamic Boards here:
https://dynamicboards.co.uk

More support available at Dynamic Boards:

• View their live NED, Chair, and Trustee roles here

• Follow them on Linkedin (we've been challenging the market to ADVERTISE!)

• Tips for writing your CV cover letter: blog here

• Application tips from recruiters: video playlist here

• The legal risks of being a Non-Executive Director with Jo Haigh: blog and video here

• NED pay: blog here

• How to pitch a NED role to your primary employer: blog here

• NED Jargon: blog here

• Coffee break? Watch one of our NED chats here, or our NED Community talks here 

• If you have an interview for a NED role, please get in touch. We’d be happy to arrange for you to have a pre-interview call with someone who is already on a similar board as a NED.

• When you become a NED/ Chair/ Trustee you'd be welcome to join their NED Community.

What senior leaders can learn from Sarah’s advice

Sarah’s advice offers several practical lessons for senior leaders exploring NED work:

1. Do not treat NED work as easy money


Board roles can be rewarding, but they take time to build and carry real responsibility.

2. Understand the difference between executive and non-executive work


The shift is from doing and directing to questioning, challenging and governing.

3. Create a board-specific proposition


Your executive CV is not enough. You need to explain your board value clearly.

4. Research each opportunity properly


Boards want to know why you are relevant to their organisation, not just that you are senior.

5. Be careful with paid schemes and guaranteed board-seat promises


Training can help, but it is not a magic ticket.

6. Take trustee and governor roles seriously


They can build real governance experience, but only if you commit properly.

7. Translate your experience into board language


Talk about governance, stakeholders, risk, strategy, accountability and decision-making.

8. Do proper due diligence before accepting a role


Understand the organisation, the board, the liabilities and the expectations.

9. Know where you add distinctive value


Marketing, customer, digital, growth and communications experience can be highly relevant.

10. Remember: nose in, hands out


Be curious and strategic, but do not try to run the business from the boardroom.

A realistic view of the NED market

What makes Sarah’s advice valuable is its realism.

She is positive about NED work. She believes more people from different backgrounds should consider board roles. But she is also clear that this is serious work.
For senior executives thinking about their next chapter, that balance matters.

A NED portfolio can be part of a meaningful next career move. It can bring learning, contribution, challenge and variety. But it needs to be built with patience, humility, clarity and care.

If Sarah’s advice has made you think about your own next chapter, Sideminds can help you work through the options.

Whether you are considering a NED role, advisory work, an interim route, trustee roles, a portfolio career or a more purposeful next move, our tools and coaching programmes are designed to help senior leaders move from uncertainty to practical action.

Explore our free career tools or get in touch with Gareth to talk about your own transition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this the full Sarah Pierman interview?

The video recording captures the final three-quarters of the conversation. Due to technical issues, the first part of the session was not fully recorded. The written summary covers the whole discussion, including the opening sections.

Who is Sarah Pierman?

Sarah Pierman is the founder of Dynamic Boards, a platform that helps people find NED, trustee and public appointment roles. She has also held board roles herself and is focused on making board opportunities more accessible.

What is Dynamic Boards?

Dynamic Boards is a platform for finding Non-Executive Director, trustee and public appointment roles. Candidates can sign up and view advertised roles for free.

What is a Non-Executive Director?

A Non-Executive Director is a legal director of an organisation who contributes to governance, strategy, oversight and challenge without being part of the day-to-day executive team.

What is the difference between a NED and a board advisor?

A NED is formally appointed as a director and carries legal responsibility for board decisions. A board advisor can advise and challenge, but should not be part of formal decision-making unless they are formally appointed as a director.

Do you need training to become a NED?

Training can help someone perform better once they are in a board role, but training alone is unlikely to get them appointed. Boards are more interested in relevant experience, judgement, governance understanding and clear value-add.

Are trustee roles useful for becoming a NED?

Yes, trustee roles can provide valuable governance experience if taken seriously. They can

help candidates learn about accountability, stakeholders, risk, influence and board decision-making.

Is being a school governor useful board experience?

Yes. School governor roles can provide serious governance experience. The key is to translate that experience into board-relevant language when applying for commercial board roles.

Are public appointments NED roles?

Many public appointments are effectively Non-Executive Director roles in public bodies or arm’s-length government organisations. They can involve strong governance and scrutiny, but the process can be slower than private-sector appointments.

Is becoming a NED a good way to replace executive income?

Not quickly for most people. Some NED roles are well paid, but they are highly competitive and often require specific experience. Many roles pay modestly, and trustee or school governor roles are usually unpaid.Enter your text here...