Qualifying as a director is only half the journey — the other half is finding the board seat itself. Board opportunities take different forms: paid non-executive roles on established companies, volunteer positions on non-profit and community boards, informal advisory seats on growing businesses, and more. Directors Association works to connect our members, once trained and designated, with real board opportunities across all of these routes.
Paid Non-Executive Director (NED) and Independent Non-Executive Director (INED) roles on private companies, JSE-listed entities and state-owned enterprises, where directors are remunerated for their time, expertise and fiduciary responsibility.
Board positions on non-profit organisations, foundations, retirement funds and community structures, where directors serve without pay but gain real governance experience and give back through their skills.
For entrepreneurs, SMMEs and medium-sized businesses not yet ready for a formal board, our Advisory Board Programme places directors on informal, flexible advisory boards that provide strategic guidance, governance, financial and operational oversight — without the fiduciary obligations of a statutory board.
Our Professional Director Database lists trained, designated directors by area of expertise — legal, finance, medical and more — so companies and boards looking to fill a seat can find a director with the right qualifications and designation.
Beyond training and designation, Directors Association actively supports members in finding their first board seat — through our database of director opportunities, referrals to organisations seeking directors, and preparation support such as the Board Readiness Assessment and our free monthly Info Session, so members understand what boards look for and how to position themselves for a seat.
Directors Association’s recruitment and placement partner is ELGroup Advisory Services. Every candidate ELGroup places has already been trained and made board-ready through Directors Association before being put forward for a role — we build the directors, ELGroup places them. ELGroup places across a wide range of sectors, including corporate, public sector, NPOs and foundations, SMEs, JSE-listed entities and state-owned enterprises, and across every type of board position, from advisory board directors to NEDs, INEDs, trustees, board chairs and committee chairs.
(ELGroup Advisory Services’ own site is not yet live — a direct link will be added here once it is.)