Board Nomination Guide

Why board recruitment deserves a process

Finding replacement directors is one of the biggest challenges clubs face. Long-serving directors are stepping down, and stewardship of a club — and the community services it delivers — is too important a task to leave to chance. A structured nomination process helps clubs identify people with the right skills, knowledge and experience to guide the club through its next chapter, rather than simply filling a vacancy with whoever puts their hand up.

Step 1: Do your preparation

Before advertising a board vacancy, it pays to understand exactly what your club needs. This comes down to three steps:

1. Audit your current board’s skills. Identify what capabilities already exist on your board, where the gaps are, and what skills you’ll lose if a particular director steps down.
2. Revisit your strategic plan. Your club’s strategic objectives set the parameters for what skills will be needed over the next few years — not just today.
3. Look inward first. Analyse your membership database for people who may already have the skills your board needs, and invite them to consider nominating.

Step 2: Use a diversity matrix

A Diversity Matrix helps boards move from gut feel to evidence when assessing their own composition. Each director’s experience is rated across key skill areas — such as financial, legal, marketing, risk management, technology and community engagement — on a simple Low (1), Medium (2), High (3) scale.

Once every director has been rated, the results are consolidated into a board-wide view, and a Recruitment Priority rating (Low, Medium or High) is applied to each skill based on the club’s current and future needs.

Importantly, a low board experience score in a given skill doesn’t automatically mean recruitment for that skill should be a high priority — it depends on whether the club actually needs that skill now or in the near future.

Step 3: Market to the right candidates

Once you know what you’re looking for, it’s time to go looking for it — with a mix of approaches depending on budget and reach:

• Advertising — local community papers, notice boards and radio can be effective for reaching people connected to the local area. Keep ads simple: lead with the opportunity, not the fine print. Details like meeting frequency, board size or turnover are important, but they belong in the conversation after a candidate enquires, not in the first hook.
• Internal channels — newsletters, noticeboards, digital signage, website and email are the most direct way to reach existing members and patrons about an upcoming Board Nomination Information Session.
• External channels — the Australian Institute of Company Directors, the Australian Institute of Community Directors, Seek Volunteer and Volunteering Australia can help extend your search beyond the membership base.

Step 4: Hold a board nomination information session

This session is often the difference between attracting candidates with the right attitude and experience, and filling a seat by default. A good session covers:

• the roles and responsibilities of a club director
• mandatory director training requirements and recommended ongoing development
• the key pieces of Federal and State legislation directors must know and comply with
• the legal and financial responsibilities and liabilities that come with the role
• the real time commitment involved — more than a two-hour meeting once a month
  the technology used to support governance and oversight at a modern club

ClubsNSW’s Learning & Development Team can facilitate this session for up to 10 candidates, either face-to-face or virtually.

*Prices exclude GST. The person booking the session must be a CEI Member.

What candidates need to know

Prospective directors should understand the full pathway before nominating:

1. Attend the Information Session to understand the role, legislation, liabilities and time commitment involved.
2. Nominate formally with the club’s Chair or Secretary Manager, providing a completed nomination form and a statutory declaration confirming they are not bankrupt and have no disqualifying criminal record.
3. Complete Mandatory Director Training within 12 months of election (or qualify via Recognition of Current Industry Knowledge), covering Director Foundation & Management Collaboration and Finance for Club Boards.
4. Commit to the role — attending monthly board meetings, contributing to committees, keeping board matters confidential, staying current through ongoing education, and representing the interests of the whole membership rather than any one faction.

Resources to support your nomination process

To help run a smooth, well-documented process, ClubsNSW provides:

• Candidate Information Flyer — a plain-language explainer for prospective directors on what the role involves
• Nomination Form Template — for candidates and their proposer/seconder
• Statutory Declaration Template — the formal declaration required under the Oaths Act 1900 (NSW)
• Recruitment poster and email invite templates — ready-to-use text for promoting your Information Session

Getting support

Succession planning isn’t a once-off task — it’s an ongoing part of good governance.

For help running a nomination process, booking an Information Session, or accessing the templates above, contact ClubAssist.