2-Apr-17-2025-03-30-16-9267-PM

YOUR LEGACY MATTERS: protect and future-Proof Your membership organisation with effective Succession Planning

Every strong membership organisation is built not just on today’s leadership, but on the vision of tomorrow. Without a clear succession plan, your organisation risks losing:

  • Continuity, stability, and the trust of your members. 
Effective succession planning ensures your members, stakeholders, and team thrive through change - preserving institutional knowledge while welcoming new perspectives.

At Membership Bespoke, we help membership organisations take a proactive approach to succession planning. We work closely with boards and leadership teams to identify potential gaps, and – where needed – bring in senior-level expertise from outside the organisation. Your organisation’s legacy matters, and at every step, we walk alongside you - dedicated to providing the leaders and vision that will secure your future.
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a snapshot of The membership clients we have delivered senior talent for

Clients Aug 2025

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Download our complimentary Succession Planning Guide and toolkit for Boards, C-suite, and Senior Leaders of Membership Organisations

Leadership change doesn’t need to mean disruption. Inside our guide, exclusively for membership organisations, you’ll find checklists, frameworks, and insights designed to help Boards and CEOs in membership organisations implement, and plan with confidence.

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we are the UK's most experienced senior leadership recruiters for the membership sector

 

Defining requirements

At this stage, we conduct a thorough assessment of your requirements, the role specifications, and your organisation’s culture. We establish the ideal candidate profile, identifying the essential skills, experience, and attributes required for success.

Market research and sourcing

Here, we draw on our extensive membership-focused database and networks of senior leaders and executives. We also carry out detailed market research to find potential candidates in your industry and similar membership organisations. This approach helps us identify both active job seekers and talented professionals who may not be looking but have the right skills and experience.

Candidate evaluation

At this stage, we carefully review each candidate using in-depth interviews, assessments (including psychometric and behavioural tests if needed), and reference checks. We look beyond qualifications and experience, focusing on leadership, cultural fit, and potential to grow with your membership organisation.

Shortlising and presentation

We share a shortlist of the top  candidates with you, along with clear, detailed reports on each individual. You’ll receive all the background, qualifications, and assessment results you need to make the right choice.

Interviews and selection

We support you throughout the entire interview process, offering effective questions to help you get the most from each candidate conversation. We also assist with candidate feedback and interview preparation. Once interviews are complete, you can confidently move forward with making offers.

Offer negotiating and onboarding

We’re here to support you with offer negotiations and will guide you through the onboarding process. We help your new senior appointment settle in, get to know your organisation’s culture, and build important relationships from day one.

Permanent

Long-term hires who align with your goals, values, and future plans. We’ll help you find the right fit - not just for today, but for the journey ahead.

 

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Temporary

Need reliable talent at short notice? We place trusted professionals who can hit the ground running and keep things moving.

 

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Interim

For critical projects, periods of change, or executive coverage, our interim specialists bring experience, clarity, and results from day one.

 

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Executive Search

We work discreetly and strategically to secure senior leaders who understand member-led associations and organisations, the types of Executives who know how to lead you forward.

 

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Long-term hires who align with your goals, values, and future plans. We’ll help you find the right fit - not just for today, but for the journey ahead.

 

OurServices_1-1

Need reliable talent at short notice? We place trusted professionals who can hit the ground running and keep things moving.

 

OurServices_4

For critical projects, periods of change, or executive coverage, our interim specialists bring experience, clarity, and results from day one.

 

OurServices_2

We work discreetly and strategically to secure senior leaders who understand member-led associations and organisations, the types of Executives who know how to lead you forward.

 

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Building the Future of Membership Organisations Through Exceptional Leadership

Leveraging extensive sector expertise and a proven delivery model, we enable membership organisations to appoint senior leaders - ranging from CEOs and CFOs to Managing Directors, Board Directors and Director Generals - efficiently and with long-term impact.

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A significant proportion of our UK clients engage our services to assist in appointing senior leadership.

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Over 96% of senior leaders we place remain in their roles for more than 12 months.

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A significant proportion of UK boards, senior leaders, and HR consultancies report challenges in implementing effective succession planning.

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Over 85% of senior leaders report that their organisation’s approach to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) significantly impacts their decision to remain in their current role.

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.

Julian Davis

Chief Operating Officer - WorldCC: World Commerce & Contracting

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.

Andrew Heffernan

Head of Member Services - R3

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.

Edmund Proffitt

Chief Executive - British Dental Industry Association

TAF has a long-standing and hugely valuable relationship with Membership Bespoke, providing our members with insight and advice based on their years of experience as the leading membership recruiter in the UK. Their expertise in the membership employment market is second-to-none.

Emily Wallace

CEO - Trade Association Forum

Membership Bespoke supported our institution in recruiting a new role in a difficult market within a tight time frame. They rapidly delivered against the brief and were on hand at all times to support the process with quick turnaround times. We had a great experience working with the team and a successful recruitment process.

Membership Director -

Leading Chartered Professional Body

I reached out to Daniel at Membership Bespoke after an extended and unsuccessful period of trying to fill a Senior Marketing position. Daniel quickly got to grips with the nature of the role and skills we were looking for but also took time to understand the culture of our organisation. He very quickly identified a strong shortlist of candidates who were appointable.  We have since used the team at Membership Bespoke for a finance role and again were delighted with the calibre of candidates put forward. 

Clare Bello

CEO - Cornerstone Barristers

Membership Bespoke ran an excellent and efficient recruitment campaign for two executive posts in our marketing team. They understood quickly how the membership ethos translates into the barrister chambers environment, adapted their longlists to our feedback, and put forward some strong and straightforwardly appointable candidates.

Mark Ballinger

Head of Communications and Marketing - Twenty Essex

We found ourselves in need of a new Trade Policy and Committees Manager as our current person was approaching retirement. It was essential to identify an individual with significant experience in overseeing committees and an in-depth knowledge of the food industry. We sought assistance from Membership Bespoke, given their thorough expertise of the membership sector. Their ability to grasp our requirements was exceptional, and they presented us with an impressive selection of talent. Ultimately, we shortlisted two remarkable candidates, making the final choice rather difficult, but we are satisfied with our decision!

Rod Addy

Director General - Provision Trade Federation

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.

Julian Davis

Chief Operating Officer - WorldCC: World Commerce & Contracting

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