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Building a successful portfolio career as a Non-Executive Director (NED) is a lot like launching a start-up. When you first step out on your own, the temptation to be everything to everyone is incredibly strong. You might think that keeping your positioning broad will prevent you from missing out on potential opportunities.
However, experienced board members quickly learn that the opposite is true. In the executive matchmaking space, generalists get overlooked, while specialists get hired. To secure high-value board positions, you must treat yourself as a business. That means identifying your target market, refining your unique value proposition, and building a highly intentional inbound and outbound marketing strategy.
To help you navigate this transition, we sat down with ChairX member, Jon Keating, Chairman at Springtime Technologies and NED at Nomentia, to share his proven three-part framework for getting noticed, building long-term board relationships, and creating a sustainable portfolio career.
When companies search for a Non-Executive Director, they are rarely looking for a jack-of-all-trades. They are facing a specific inflection point, such as rapid international scaling, a complex restructuring, or preparing for an exit and they need an expert who has successfully navigated that exact scenario before.
If your professional profile tries to appeal to every sector and business size, your message gets diluted. From a recruitment perspective, if a headhunter can't instantly categorise your niche, you likely won't make the shortlist.
Stop Generalising, Start Positioning
To stand out, Jon recommends applying classic go-to-market principles to your own background:
"Early on in building a portfolio career, it is easy to position your experience and interests too broadly in order to not cut off potential opportunities. Over time, I realised that it is like being your own start-up. The key is to understand your ICP, target market, and your superpower, and make sure that comes across very clearly to any potential hirer."
— Jon Keating
Optimising Your LinkedIn Profile and CV for Board Roles
Your executive resume and LinkedIn profile are your digital storefront. When a corporate chair or a private equity partner lands on your page, they should instantly understand who you target and what roles you want.
Review your digital presence and ask yourself:
Refining and narrowing your focus over the last few years ensures that when people view your profile, your core value proposition is unmistakable.
Securing a Board Director appointment typically relies on two distinct pipelines: proactive outbound networking (the classic ChairX model) and inbound attraction via search firms (the Goodman Masson model). Many successful independent directors find that their roles split neatly down the middle.
Unlocking the Power of Warm Referrals
Your existing network cannot help you if they do not know what you are looking for. Many executives hesitate to announce their availability because it feels uncomfortable or self-promotional. Jon emphasises that getting over this hurdle is crucial for outbound success.
"When you are transitioning into portfolio work, transparency is your best asset. Gritting your teeth and sharing a structured, honest update with your network about your career transition acts as a massive catalyst. People genuinely want to help, but they need to know exactly what puzzles you are trying to solve."
— Jon Keating
A single well-crafted, honest update frequently yields immediate introductions, peer recommendations, and unexpected interview opportunities.
Winning Cold Inbound Opportunities
The other half of your portfolio pipeline relies entirely on discoverability. When executive search firms or board chairs hunt for candidates, they filter by highly specific, search-optimised criteria.
If your digital profiles are optimised with keywords related to your niche (e.g., SaaS Board Member, Audit Committee Chair, M&A Advisory), you will naturally surface in cold searches. By marrying a clear niche with a distinct digital presence, you allow the right inbound opportunities to find you.
If your primary target market includes mid-market companies or growth equity Private Equity (PE) firms, your approach to relationship-building must shift. Winning a corporate director role in this space is almost entirely a matter of timing.
PE partners look for specific operators who can step into portfolio companies exactly when a need arises. Because you cannot predict when a portfolio company will require your specific skillset, you must view these interactions as long-term relationships rather than immediate transactions.
Building Your Investment Firm Network
A sustainable approach to managing relationships with private equity firms involves a slow and steady strategy:
"It may take one or two years of consistent communication before a fund manages a portfolio company that perfectly matches your experience. However, by nurturing deep relationships with key firms and staying known to recruiters, you position yourself at the top of their list when the right opportunity finally surfaces."
— Jon Keating
Once you reach full capacity with your active roles, you can naturally scale back your outbound outreach and focus entirely on execution.
Building a portfolio career is a journey best taken with the right partners by your side.
Click here to learn more about ChairX and become a member.
Reach out to our Goodman Masson team to support your next move!
Learn how to position your board profile, leverage your network, and build long-term relationships to secure high-value Non-Executive Director roles.
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