Non-Executive Directorships

View current Non-executive opportunities

For individuals, cross-sector non-executive opportunities are a means of broadening personal experience whilst contributing to the development of strategy in another sector. For the board, non-executives offer a valuable external perspective, contacts and a sounding-board on key strategic issues.

WIG has sourced its non-executive candidates from a wide variety of organisations in WIGs membership and beyond, including:

An increasingly diverse range of Boards have recruited WIG non-executives, such as:

Departmental Main Boards
(Home Office; DWP; Defra; DfID; CPS; DCMS; Northern Ireland Office; Northern Ireland depts)

Operational boards
(Correctional Services Board; State Veterinary Service)

Audit Committees
(Defra; UK Passport Service)

Project/programme boards
(England Rural Development Programme Project Board; Treasury Solicitor's Department Information Systems Board;
Defra Strategy Group; CAP Reform Board)

Remuneration Committees
(MoD Personnel Pay Board)

Agency Boards
(Forensic Science Service; Companies House; Criminal Records Bureau; HM Land Registry; Valuation Office Agency; Government Actuary's Department)

Financial boards
(Inland Revenue)

Facilities management boards
(Inland Revenue & HM Customs & Excise; FCO Services)

"I much appreciated WIG's help in recruiting two excellent non-executive board members who have made a significant contribution to the Foreign Office's strategic and organisational development".
Sir Michael Jay, former Permanent Under Secretary of State and Head of the Diplomatic Service, Foreign & Commonwealth Office.

"Acting as a non executive director of the FCO has added a whole new dimension to my experience and at the same time allowed me to contribute my background in finance and global management to a very worthwhile aspect of government.

The benefits, I believe, truly flow both ways I gain further experience of providing non-executive comment and challenge and a unique perspective on foreign affairs and, in turn, I hope and believe that my comment and challenge is constructive and supportive of the Board of the FCO as it seeks to achieve its operational and strategic goals.
Alistair Johnston, Vice Chairman at KPMG

Case study with Cathy Raines, Corporate Audit Director at AstraZeneca, who explains the rewards gained through her non-executive role at the Criminal Records Bureau:

It has been a very refreshing experience for me to apply my experience and skills in a different arena. I had worked exclusively in the Pharma industry for almost 20 years, and meeting new people, with whom I had no history or guaranteed credibility, provided a new motivational edge and an opportunity to use and develop my influencing style in a different environment.

What attracted you to being a non-executive?

From a personal point of view, I wanted to benefit from the development that would come from working in an arena that was totally different to Pharma. I felt that such an opportunity could help me validate whether my skills and experience counted for anything outside of my everyday world and could help identify development areas that would enhance my performance. From a business viewpoint, I felt that it would be interesting to both offer and experience alternative ways of working, particularly in the public sector, in which I had no experience.

What benefit do you feel AstraZeneca has gained from your non-executive role?

I think the benefits are intangible but nevertheless very real. Of course, AstraZeneca has benefited from the exposure to different methodologies and business processes. However, perhaps more importantly, they have benefited from a senior leader who feels reinvigorated by the self-knowledge that she has been able to add value in a completely different arena: internal credibility enhanced by an external role.

Need more information?

Download the 'becoming a non-executive' flyer here (PDF 128.6k)

If you would like to be notified about non-executive opportunities, please e-mail your name and contact details to nonexecutive@wig.co.uk

Interested in recruiting a non-executive to you board?