How to hire an advisory board member

How to hire an advisory board member, step by step

Here's a step-by-step advisory board member hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an advisory board member job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new advisory board member
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an advisory board member, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an advisory board member to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an advisory board member that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of advisory board members and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Advisory Board Member	Description	Hourly rate
   Advisory Board Member	Top executives devise strategies and policies to ensure that an organization meets its goals. They plan, direct, and coordinate operational activities of companies and organizations.	$8-104
   Operations Vice President	The responsibilities of an operations vice president will revolve around overseeing business operations and ensuring workforce and workflow efficiency through evaluations and providing strategic plans that would drive the company to meet its vision and mission. An operations vice president, in adherence to the company policies and regulations, also has the power to hire and train employees, even to execute disciplinary actions such as termination or suspension when necessary... Show more	$50-119
   Vice President	Vice presidents are usually considered the second-in-command in the organization, depending on the organization structure. They take over when the president is unavailable to fulfill duties... Show more	$51-112

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Community Outreach
   • Non-Profit Organization
   • Strategic Direction
   • Policy Changes
   • Public Health
   • Alumni
   • Mental Health
   • Community Services
   • Advisory Boards
   • Business Development
   • Student Body
   • Teen
   • PowerPoint
   • Student Health

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Work with a team of 13 other members to manage, fill, and distribute THON merchandise orders.
   • Participate in THON, a yearlong effort to raise money and awareness in the fight against pediatric cancer.
   • Develop organizational policies and procedures for staffing, fund raising, governance and administration of the new organization.
   • Engage perspective student questions on the admitted students' Facebook page.
   • Create and organize a school wide math night to support parent involvement through mathematics
   • Serve as regular panelist discussing current events, school life and other teen relate issues.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your advisory board member job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An advisory board member can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, advisory board members' average salary in montana is 68% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level advisory board members 92% less than senior-level advisory board members.
   • Certifications. An advisory board member with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an advisory board member's salary.

   Average advisory board member salary

   $63,675yearly

   $30.61 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level advisory board member salary

   $18,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 14, 2026

4. Writing an advisory board member job description

   A good advisory board member job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an advisory board member job description:

   Advisory board member job description example

   The Oceanside Family Success Center, located Downtown in Atlantic City, NJ is a community-based, family-centered, neighborhood gathering place where any community resident can go for family support, information and services. Its purpose is to enrich the lives of children by strengthening families and neighborhoods. The Parent/Community Advisory Board (PAB) serves as a voice for the community. Members promote center activities and services and work collaboratively with the center director/supervisor to ensure that services and activities are reflective of the community needs and interests. The PAB advises and recommends; it does not govern with legal accountability or have direct oversight, administration or implementation of Center operations.
   
   To be successful in this position you must become able to do the following essential duties and responsibilities always:
   Functions within Center procedures. Operates according to established expectations. Meets communication requirements as outlined in volunteer expectations section below. Meets meeting & participation requirements as outlined in volunteer expectations section below. Meets compliance requirements as outlined in volunteer expectations section below.
   Volunteer Expectations
   
   Communication Requirements
   
   Communicates Center-related concerns to supervisor and makes suggestions for improvement in an appropriate and timely manner. Communicates any performance concerns or training needs to supervisor in an appropriate and timely manner. Conducts self in a professional manner that positively reflects the agency culture. Demonstrates competent verbal communication with internal and external customers. Is attentive and responsive to customer needs in a helpful, supportive and timely manner. Works collaboratively with PAB members and agency staff to effectively communicate and problem solve.
   Meeting & Participation Requirements
   
   Regularly attends PAB meetings. Serves on at least one PAB committee. Meets with supervisor as scheduled.
   Compliance Requirements
   
   Follows Center procedures and encourages same in others. Submits documentation of time spent on volunteer activities. Ensures quality and accuracy of written and verbal communications.
   Necessary Skills and Abilities Must demonstrate initiative, creativity, be dependable, reliable and work well independently. Must be able to exercise independent thinking and good judgment under all circumstances. Must be able to analyze work, set goals, develop plans and utilize time effectively and efficiently. Must regularly be able to see, speak and hear. Frequently required to stand, sit, walk, bend, use hands and arms and must occasionally lift up to 20 pounds. Must be sensitive, flexible and responsive to gender, race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, religion, age, sexual orientation or any other special needs as reflected in the ability to communicate with staff and/or clients. Assume an active role in Center events by leading workshops/groups and recruiting new participants. Survey community needs for enhancing existing services.
   Qualifications: To qualify for this volunteer opportunity you need to have the below minimum requirements and experience: Must be a resident of Atlantic City, NJ or have strong ties to the community. Must not be a staff member of any agency providing or referring services to the Center. Must have relevant skills/experience appropriate for PAB roles and responsibilities. Must successfully complete a criminal background check. Must be at least 18 years old.
   
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5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right advisory board member for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your advisory board member job on Zippia to find and recruit advisory board member candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit advisory board members, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new advisory board member

   Once you've found the advisory board member candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new advisory board member. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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