The Right Policy Hire Protects More Than Strategy - It Protects Your Members.
In membership organisations, Policy & Public Affairs roles don’t operate in isolation.
They shape member trust, influence reputation, navigate governance scrutiny and carry real external risk.
Choosing the wrong recruitment partner doesn’t just slow down a hire, it increases the chance of getting it wrong.
This practical checklist is designed specifically for governance-led, member-focused organisations. It helps you evaluate whether a recruitment partner truly understands:
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Member representation and stakeholder complexity
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Governance dynamics and board exposure
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Access to discreet, high-calibre policy talent
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The reputational weight senior policy roles carry
Before you appoint a search partner, make sure they are equipped to protect what matters most, your members and your reputation.
Download the due diligence guide and sense-check your approach today.

DOWNLOAD A Practical Checklist for Successful Policy & PUBLIC AFFAIRS Hiring
Avoid costly mis-hires in policy roles
Stress-test your recruitment partner
Access passive, high-calibre talent
Benchmark salary and scope accurately
Protect member trust and reputation
We needed someone who could hit the ground running, manage a broad policy brief, and communicate effectively with our members and with government. Membership Bespoke found us just that, quickly and professionally. Their sector insight and honest, straightforward approach made for a smooth process from start to finish.
I think if other membership associations are looking for a recruitment agency, I would highly recommend Membership Bespoke. The service they provide, they listen to us, they take on board our feedback, they tweak the candidates we get through. And they now get us. So we continue to work with them as a partner, and they are providing us every time we have a vacancy with quality candidates first time.
I really value the exceptionally comprehensive approach taken by Membership Bespoke. The clear lines of communication mean that at any point in time we know the progress of each role.
They understand our culture and instinctively know who has the potential to fit into IPFA and have what’s needed to provide the support required by our members. I really like to take-on people who are highly motivated to learn and develop, and Membership Bespoke has an uncanny knack of providing us with candidates who are compelled to absorb information and grow.
The position of Commercial Director is vital to our organisation’s leadership, playing a key role in our ongoing development. After an initial attempt to fill this important role proved unsuccessful, we turned to Membership Bespoke for their expert help. Their deep understanding of our specific needs and thoughtful approach resulted in an excellent appointment that has already begun driving meaningful progress for the BDIA.
Membership Bespoke did an excellent job. The talent identified was very strong, which meant we were selecting from a pool of strong candidates. They were easy to work with and the speed of communication and keeping in touch throughout the process meant that we were able to secure the talented people we needed, while working against a very competitive backdrop. They needed to pull upon their experience of the membership sector and use their expertise to search other sectors to find us the team we required to get up and running quickly to provide the services needed by the membership at a challenging time.
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