✦︎ NUROLE BOARD ACADEMY ✦︎

For organisations developing board-ready leaders

The Nurole Board Academy is the corporate offering from Nurole Plus delivering a structured, personalised programme to help your senior executives take the next step towards non-executive roles. Whether they are preparing for a future portfolio career or broadening their leadership perspective, the Academy equips them with the insight, skills and network to thrive.
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Support your senior leaders on the path to the boardroom

Helping your leaders step into the boardroom enhances their strategic capability, strengthens retention, and prepares them for the next stage of their careers - while bringing fresh insights, enhancing business performance and broadening your organisation’s external influence.
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Boost performance
Retain top talent
Enhance skill set

Invest in your future leaders
with Nurole Board Academy

£5000 + VAT per annum

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Who's it for

Leadership talent

Ideal for high-potential leaders looking to broaden their strategic perspective alongside their executive responsibilities, as well as seasoned executives preparing for a portfolio career as they approach retirement. 

Whether they are taking their first steps towards the boardroom or looking to secure more senior non-executive roles, the Academy provides the guidance, network, and opportunities to help them succeed.

Businesses

The Nurole Board Academy is designed for businesses looking to invest in the professional development of their senior executives - typically those at C-suite, divisional leadership, or senior functional head level.
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The Academy helps leaders enhance their strategic, governance, and leadership capabilities through exposure to non-executive opportunities, equipping them with skills and perspectives that strengthen their performance in executive roles and prepare them for future career progression.

Why Non-Executive roles benefit senior executives

Supporting your senior leaders to take on non-executive roles is an investment that delivers both immediate and long-term returns. Here are some of the key ways it strengthens their leadership capability and your business:
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Broaden experience

Gains exposure to different leadership, governance, and communication styles.

Brings fresh strategic insights back to their executive role by observing new business models and sectors.

Increase confidence

Contextualises challenges in their executive role by seeing how other businesses tackle similar issues.

Gains an external perspective on the value and impact of their function and leadership.

Enhance decision-making

Participates in high-level, long-term decision-making beyond day-to-day operational demands.

Builds resilience by navigating complex challenges such as crisis management, regulatory change, and leadership transitions.

Build networks

Connects with senior leaders across industries and broadens their circle of trusted advisors.

Forges relationships with potential partners, clients, or future collaborators.

Gain a holistic view

Develops a broader perspective on executive and non-executive dynamics, improving their empathy and influencing skills.

Develops an understanding of cross-functional pressures and strategic trade-offs at a board level.

Accelerate leadership development

Builds readiness for future C-suite or CEO roles by expanding strategic and governance capabilities.

Develops the mindset and judgement required to contribute effectively at the top table.

Timeline of activity with Nurole Board Academy

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✦︎ STEP 1

Onboarding

The programme begins with a structured onboarding session, led by one of our experts. This session is designed to understand the participant’s individual career journey and aspirations - whether they are exploring their first non-executive opportunity, seeking to build on existing board experience, or focusing on longer-term career development. Together, we develop a personalised plan of action tailored to their goals and stage in their career. This includes agreeing on key focus areas as well as setting a clear timeframe with scheduled check-ins to ensure they stay on track. Every step is shaped around their needs, ensuring the right support is in place at the right time.
✦︎ STEP 2

Quarterly progress reviews

Every quarter, we meet with the participant to review progress, tackle any challenges, and adapt our approach based on their evolving goals, availability, and success to date. These one-to-one sessions are tailored to each individual’s needs and may include targeted support with board CVs, applications, networking strategies, interview preparation, or other key areas - ensuring they remain on track towards securing the right non-executive opportunities.
✦︎ STEP 3

Ad hoc support

Beyond the scheduled review sessions, participants can access ad hoc support whenever they need it. They can arrange one-to-one calls with our team for targeted guidance - whether it’s help with a specific application, preparing for an upcoming interview, or seeking advice on a particular opportunity. This flexible, on-demand support ensures participants receive the right help at the right moment, giving them confidence at every stage of their board journey.
✦︎ STEP 4

Post-success support

Our support continues beyond securing a board role. We ensure participants transition smoothly into their new position and continue to thrive in the boardroom. We offer a range of resources to help them maximise their impact and stay “board fit” as their non-executive career progresses:

‍Onboarding guidance – tailored advice to help participants integrate effectively into their new board role and navigate the early months with confidence.

‍Board mastermind groups – exclusive peer networks where serving non-executives share experiences, tackle challenges, and learn from each other in a confidential setting.

‍Fireside chats – insightful conversations with industry leaders, offering perspectives on governance, boardroom dynamics, and the evolving demands on non-executives.

‍Ongoing development – continued access to Nurole Plus resources, events, and thought leadership to support long-term board success.

Our commitment extends beyond helping participants secure a role—we support their development as highly effective, influential board members.

What’s included

Comprehensive support for both participants and organisations.

For Participants

Personal onboarding
Build and optimise your Nurole profile. Discuss your board aspirations and identify development priorities. Receive initial guidance on starting or progressing your board career.

Board CV and personal positioning
Tailored advice on presenting your career highlights for maximum impact. Support in creating or refining a board-specific CV. Help crafting your "elevator pitch" and articulating your skills and experience effectively.

NED resource hub
‍Access to a library of articles, guides, and event recordings. Practical resources to deepen your understanding of board responsibilities and governance.

Access to board opportunities
‍Apply for exclusive Nurole board roles. Discover additional board opportunities collated from across the web (50+ roles per month). Be proactively contacted by Nurole consultants when your profile aligns with new opportunities.

For Organisations

Annual engagement and progress reporting
Receive a detailed annual report providing visibility into each participant's progress and engagement.

Dedicated Account Support
A single point of contact to ensure your organisation's needs are met. Regular check-ins to review participant progress and gather feedback.

Participant Feedback
Insights into the themes emerging from participant development needs. Updates on common challenges and areas requiring additional support, helping you align wider leadership development strategies.

Organisational Insights
Visibility into the types of board roles your senior talent is pursuing. Broader market intelligence on board-level skills in demand and cross-sector governance trends.

Meet the team

Nurole Board Academy is led by Nurole non-executive search specialists and NED experts.

Madeleine Milne

With a background in media, entertainment and professional services, Madeleine ran another popular NED network before joining Nurole to lead Nurole Board Academy and Nurole Plus. She also serves on three not-for-profit boards in education, conservation and grant giving.

Susie Cummings

Is founder of Nurole and has over 30 years headhunting experience. She specialises in listed and Chair roles.

Grace Thomas

Started her search career at Russell Reynolds Associates, before moving to JCA Group (now Heidrick and Struggles) and leads Nurole's search execution team as well as overseeing Nurole’s NuReview board evaluation offering. She is a Trustee of an animal welfare charity.

Alex Fish

Has been working in the
not-for- profit team in Nurole search. Having worked on over 100 board searches for leading charities, Alex recently moved into the Nurole Board Academy team to support onboarding efforts and ensure communications are tailored to the needs of individual participants.

✦︎ Interested for yourself? ✦︎

Download the sample letter now and take the next step towards developing your board career.

If you want to make the case to your employer that the Nurole Board Academy is a valuable investment in your professional development, we’ve got you covered! Use our customisable sample letter to share with your manager - it highlights the programme’s benefits for both you and your organisation, making it easy to start the conversation.

Download Sample Letter

Frequently
asked questions

Who is the Nurole Board Academy designed for?

The programme is designed for senior executives - typically C-suite, divisional leaders, and senior functional heads - who would benefit from developing board-level experience alongside their executive role or as part of their long-term career development.

How does the programme benefit my organisation?

Supporting senior leaders in developing board experience enhances their strategic capability, broadens their external perspective, and strengthens decision-making - bringing fresh insights and networks back into your business. It also supports retention and succession planning by investing in future board-ready talent.

How much time will participants need to commit?

The programme is designed to be flexible and fit alongside demanding executive roles. The onboarding and check-in sessions are scheduled at the participant’s convenience, and the pace is driven by their individual goals and availability. Securing and taking on a non-executive role typically requires a few days per month, but this is always tailored to their circumstances.

 How will I know if the programme is working?

We provide an annual report summarising each participant’s engagement, progress, and outcomes. This gives you full visibility into their activity and development. You’ll also receive feedback on broader themes and organisational insights.

What happens if a participant is not ready to take on a board role immediately?

The programme is built around the individual. Some participants may move quickly towards a role, while others focus on developing their positioning and understanding over time. We work with each participant to ensure their journey aligns with their development stage and career ambitions.

What if my organisation has specific requirements or goals for participants?

We tailor our support to your needs. If you have particular goals - for example, developing leaders in a specific market, function, or governance area - we can align the programme and reporting accordingly.

Can multiple people from our organisation take part?

Yes, we work with organisations to support both individual executives and cohorts. We can discuss options to ensure the programme scales to meet your development priorities.

What ongoing support is available after participants secure a board role?

Our post-success support includes onboarding guidance, peer mastermind groups, fireside chats with experienced board members, and access to Nurole Plus resources and events to ensure participants remain “board fit” and continue to deliver value.

Can participants step back if their executive workload increases?

Yes, the programme is flexible. Participants can pause or adjust their level of engagement based on work demands, ensuring the programme works alongside their executive responsibilities.

How much does the programme cost?

The programme is priced at £5,000 + VAT per participant per annum. Please get in touch with our team to discuss further.

Get in touch

Book a call with one of our team to discuss your needs in more detail.

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