Top five sectors most in need of non-execs revealed
Across the UK, businesses are in need of experienced leaders and executives, from a range of backgrounds, to fill a surge of non-executive director (NED) positions, according to new insights.
The latest list, devised by elite business network In Touch, illustrates the available positions and salaries for non-executives in the UK, with boards requiring expertise across a broad range of specialisms including marketing, finance, and governance.
Healthcare and Pharma top the latest list of the sectors most in need of NEDs, with the charity and education sectors in second and third. Taking fourth and fifth place in the most in-demand NED sectors are management and then sport, leisure and travel.
London and The South East have the highest demand for experienced leaders, followed closely by the North West and West Midlands.
Combined with detailed insights from its own annual NED salary survey, In Touch’s analysis has revealed more experienced leaders are needed to fill high-paying non-executive positions in many of the top sectors.
“Our analysis shows there has been an explosion of NED vacancies, particularly in healthcare, but many professionals may not see themselves as a suitable fit for such roles,” said Oliver Tarpey of In Touch, a leading network for board-level professionals, who developed the insights.
“Across all sectors, large organisations can truly benefit from the vast array of specialities and experience that NEDs can bring. Professionals need to be proactive by gaining access to training and support to ensure their skills are deemed valuable to boards.
“This is particularly true in the fields of health, charity, education, management and sport, and we know there are tens of thousands of people – experienced leaders and ambitious executives – who could contribute a wealth of knowledge to developing these sectors further by becoming a non-executive director.
“Business leaders with experience across any sector can become NEDs, and whether it’s for personal development, a sense of giving back or simply supplementing their earnings, there are good reasons to explore the extensive opportunities that are currently available.”
Of the five sectors where non-executive directors were most in demand, In Touch can reveal the average salaries for 2019 were:
1. Healthcare and Pharma £12,224
2. Charity/not-for-profit, £13,802
3. Education £6,913
4. General Management £13,758
5. Sport, Leisure and Travel £4,953
“Many people have thought about becoming a NED, but never really explored how to go about it,” Tarpey added.
“In Touch is the market leader for the development and coaching of board-level professionals, so we’re determined to help more leaders and executives find a role in order to fill the growing numbers of NED vacancies we’re seeing in the UK right now.”
A recent In Touch survey showed that the main time commitment for a NED in the UK is between 11 and 15 days per annum (25 per cent of respondents), meaning many executives can hold multiple NED roles.
Through their award-winning platform, In Touch provides members with tools to further enhance their career development. This includes executive coaching, training, CV writing and webinars as well as providing members with a range of networking opportunities.
