Latest / Executive Careers with Fexingo: VP, C-Suite, and Senior Leadership Career Strategy / How Senior Leaders Use Strategic Volunteering for Board Roles
Transcript
- Lucas: Back in March, a CFO I know — let's call her Sarah — was passed over for a board seat at a mid-cap healthcare company. The feedback stung: 'You have the financial chops, but you haven't served on a board before. We need someone with governance experience.' Classic chicken and egg problem. Luna: Right — you can't get a board seat without board experience, but you can't get board experience without a board seat. So what did she do? Lucas: She took the strategic-volunteering route. Within six months, she'd joined the audit committee of a national nonprofit — one that served the same patient population as that healthcare company. She didn't just attend meetings; she led a redesign of their financial controls framework. Luna: And did it work? Did that pro bono service open the door? Lucas: It did. By December, she was on the shortlist for a different healthcare board — and this time, her nonprofit audit committee chairmanship counted as governance experience. She landed the paid role in Q1 of this year. The point is, strategic volunteering isn't just charity — it's a deliberate career lever. Luna: So let's unpack that. What makes a volunteer role 'strategic' versus just busywork? Because I've seen senior execs join five committees and end up with nothing to show for it. Lucas: Exactly. The key is alignment with your target board profile. If you want to serve on the board of a publicly traded industrial company, volunteering at a local food bank — while admirable — won't signal governance readiness. You want a role where you can demonstrate fiduciary oversight, strategic planning, or audit committee work. Luna: So the nonprofit's mission should mirror the sector you're targeting? Or is it more about the function — like audit or compensation? Lucas: Both matter, but function is actually more important. A corporate board cares about your ability to oversee financial statements and risk, not whether you've fed hungry people. Sarah's nonprofit was in healthcare, but what really sold her was the audit committee leadership — that's a transferable governance skill. So aim for a volunteer role that lets you do actual board work: chair a committee, review financials, set strategy. Luna: That makes sense. And the timing — you mentioned she did this in six months. How long should someone expect to volunteer before it starts to pay off? Lucas: I'd say nine to eighteen months. Longer than a sprint, shorter than a career. The key is to pick a nonprofit that's undergoing some kind of transformation — maybe they're scaling, or facing a compliance issue, or launching a new program. That's where you can make a tangible impact and then talk about it in board interviews. Luna: And what's the trap? I've seen executives get stuck — they love the nonprofit work and don't push for the paid board. Lucas: That's the number one trap. You can become the 'perpetual volunteer.' Another pitfall is over-volunteering — joining too many boards dilutes your impact and signals you have too much time on your hands. The sweet spot is one or two strategic roles where you're genuinely contributing and learning. Luna: So if someone is listening and thinking, 'I want to land my first board seat by next year,' what's the first step they should take today? Lucas: Identify three nonprofit or industry associations that align with your target board sector. Then research whether they have a board or committee with an open seat. Many nonprofits are desperate for financial expertise — they'll welcome a senior leader with CFO or COO experience. Reach out to the executive director, offer a pro bono audit committee membership, and start building your governance track record. Luna: And then after a year, you can frame that in a board bio as 'Audit Committee Chair, National Health Nonprofit' — which reads as board experience. Lucas: Exactly. And by the way — if this episode has helped you think about your own board strategy, we want to keep producing these ad-free deep dives. If today was worth a coffee to you, that's the link — buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Seriously, it's what keeps us going without sponsors. Luna: Yeah, listener support makes a huge difference. We don't have a big marketing budget, so every contribution helps us bring on more guests and research. And honestly, it's just a nice way to say 'this mattered.' Lucas: Right. So back to strategic volunteering — there's also the question of how you present this on your resume or LinkedIn. Most executives list volunteer roles under 'Community Involvement,' which buries the governance signal. Instead, create a separate section called 'Board and Governance Experience.' List your nonprofit board seat first, then the paid board you're targeting. That framing matters. Luna: Interesting. So you're basically using the resume layout to tell the story: 'I am a board-ready executive.' Lucas: Exactly. And when you interview for that paid board, don't lead with 'I volunteered at a charity.' Lead with 'I chaired the audit committee of a $50 million organization, where we overhauled internal controls and reduced audit findings by 30 percent.' That's governance experience, not charity. Luna: So the medium is the message. I also want to ask about industry associations — like serving on the board of a trade group. Does that carry the same weight as a nonprofit? Lucas: It can, especially if the association has a strong governance structure. Trade association boards often deal with budgets, strategy, and advocacy — all transferable. The downside is that they can be more political, and some are ceremonial. You need to assess whether the association board is actually doing governance work or just rubber-stamping decisions. Luna: So vet the board before you join. Ask to see the last year's minutes, the committee roster, and the strategic plan. Lucas: Absolutely. And one more thing — timing. Right now, June 2026, the S&P 500 is near all-time highs, and many companies are refreshing their boards. The demand for directors with digital transformation experience, ESG expertise, and audit committee readiness is high. So if you're going to start strategic volunteering, this is a good window. Luna: That's a great point. So if someone is thinking, 'I'll wait until next year,' the risk is the market might cool and board openings could shrink. Lucas: Right. And the other risk is that you'll be competing with other executives who also waited. Better to start building that track record now. Plus, many nonprofits are planning their fiscal-year boards in the summer — so June and July are prime months to reach out. Luna: Great practical advice. So to summarize: pick a strategic volunteer role aligned with your target board sector, focus on committee work that demonstrates governance, treat it as a nine-to-eighteen-month project, and then use that experience to land your first paid board seat. Lucas: That's the playbook. And remember, you're not just giving back — you're building a credential that can open doors for the rest of your career. Thanks for listening, and we'll be back with another episode soon.