Shape the future of professional rugby in Wales.

The Welsh Rugby Union is seeking to appoint two Independent Board Members to its Professional Rugby Board (PRB). These are pivotal governance roles at a defining moment for the professional game in Wales, offering the opportunity to influence the future structure, sustainability and success of Welsh rugby at the highest level.

Established in 1881, the WRU is the governing body for rugby union in Wales and one of the founding unions of World Rugby. It is both custodian of a proud national sport and operator of a modern, commercially driven organisation; responsible for national teams, the professional game, community rugby, and the iconic Principality Stadium.

The organisation is navigating a complex and evolving environment - balancing the transition of the professional game towards a more sustainable model, accelerating the growth of the women's game, strengthening commercial performance, and embedding a positive, inclusive and high-performing culture across the entire system.

The PRB sits at the centre of decision-making across professional rugby in Wales. It oversees strategy, performance and financial sustainability, bringing together WRU leadership, professional clubs, player representation and independent voices to help guide the direction of the game.

As the game continues to evolve, the PRB is leading a period of significant transition, including potential structural changes to the professional model, requiring careful judgement, strong governance and clear, system-wide thinking.

As an Independent Board Member, you will play a critical role in ensuring the PRB operates as an effective, balanced and high-performing Board, bringing independent perspective, constructive challenge and strategic oversight at a time of complexity and change.

You will contribute to shaping strategy, scrutinising financial sustainability and supporting collective decision-making that is in the best interests of professional rugby as a whole, while helping to build alignment across a diverse and highly engaged stakeholder landscape.

We anticipate that one of the appointed candidates will take on the role of PRB Chair, leading the Board and acting as a bridge between the professional game, its community, and the WRU Board, helping to create informed and aligned decision-making across Welsh rugby. This is a highly demanding and time-intensive role, requiring a consistent and visible presence across the professional game. You will be expected to lead complex, and at times challenging, discussions, shape the strategic agenda, and hold the space between competing stakeholder interests. Beyond formal meetings, the role requires ongoing engagement with clubs, executives and partners - providing leadership, stability and momentum through a period of significant change.

Who we are looking for

We are seeking experienced, credible and values-driven individuals who bring:

• extensive Non-Executive Board-level or equivalent senior leadership experience
• strong strategic thinking, and decision-making capability
• experience in complex, multi-stakeholder environments
• experience of organisational change or transformation
• the ability to provide independent challenge, and influence outcomes
• high levels of integrity, judgement and resilience

Experience in areas such as commercial growth, strategic financial oversight, governance, or elite performance systems would be valuable, as would an understanding of rugby or comparable high-performance environments.

Candidates must be demonstrably independent and able to act at all times in the best interests of professional rugby in Wales.

Why this role matters

These are not typical Board appointments. They sit at the heart of decisions that will shape the future of the professional game in Wales for years to come.

You will contribute to defining a more sustainable and competitive model, balancing ambition with realism, and helping to ensure Welsh rugby remains resilient, relevant and successful in a rapidly evolving global landscape.

Cyfle i lywio dyfodol rygbi proffesiynol yng Nghymru.

Mae Undeb Rygbi Cymru (URC) yn awyddus i benodi dau Aelod Bwrdd Annibynnol i'w Fwrdd Rygbi Proffesiynol (BRP). Mae'r rhain yn rolau llywodraethu allweddol ar adeg dyngedfennol i'r gêm broffesiynol yng Nghymru, gan gynnig cyfle i ddylanwadu ar strwythur, cynaliadwyedd a llwyddiant rygbi Cymru ar y lefel uchaf yn y dyfodol.

URC, a sefydlwyd yn 1881, yw corff llywodraethu rygbi'r undeb yng Nghymru, ac mae'n un o sylfaenwyr World Rugby. Mae'n gofalu am gamp sy'n destun balchder cenedlaethol ac yn gweithredu sefydliad masnachol modern; gyda chyfrifoldeb am dimau cenedlaethol, y gêm broffesiynol, rygbi cymunedol, a lleoliad eiconig Stadiwm Principality.

Mae'r sefydliad yn gweithredu mewn amgylchedd cymhleth sy'n datblygu - gan daro cydbwysedd rhwng symud y gêm broffesiynol tuag at fodel mwy cynaliadwy, cyflymu twf gêm y menywod, atgyfnerthu perfformiad masnachol, a gwreiddio diwylliant o fod yn gadarnhaol ac yn gynhwysol a pherfformio ar lefel uchel ym mhob rhan o'r system.

Mae'r BRP wrth wraidd prosesau gwneud penderfyniadau ynghylch pob agwedd ar rygbi proffesiynol yng Nghymru. Mae'n goruchwylio strategaeth, perfformiad a chynaliadwyedd ariannol, gan ddod ag arweinwyr URC, clybiau proffesiynol, cynrychiolwyr chwaraewyr a lleisiau annibynnol ynghyd er mwyn helpu i arwain cyfeiriad y gêm.

Wrth i'r gêm barhau i ddatblygu, mae'r BRP yn arwain cyfnod o newid sylweddol, gan gynnwys newidiadau posibl i strwythur y model proffesiynol, a fydd yn gofyn am grebwyll gofalus, llywodraethu cadarn a gwaith meddwl clir drwy'r system gyfan.

Fel Aelod Bwrdd Annibynnol, byddwch yn cyflawni rôl hollbwysig o ran sicrhau bod y BRP yn gweithredu fel Bwrdd effeithiol a chytbwys sy'n perfformio ar lefel uchel, gan gynnig safbwynt annibynnol, her adeiladol a goruchwyliaeth strategol yn ystod cyfnod o gymhlethdod a newid.

Byddwch yn cyfrannu at lywio strategaeth, craffu ar gynaliadwyedd ariannol a helpu i wneud penderfyniadau ar y cyd er budd pennaf rygbi proffesiynol yn ei gyfanrwydd, gan helpu i sicrhau cysondeb o fewn tirwedd rhanddeiliaid amrywiol a hynod weithgar.

Rydym yn rhagweld y bydd un o'r ymgeiswyr a benodir yn cyflawni rôl Cadeirydd y BRP, gan arwain y Bwrdd a ffurfio pont rhwng y gêm broffesiynol, ei chymuned, a Bwrdd URC, yn ogystal â helpu i sicrhau prosesau gwneud penderfyniadau cyson sy'n seiliedig ar wybodaeth ynghylch pob agwedd ar rygbi Cymru. Mae hon yn rôl hynod heriol sy'n gofyn am lawer o amser a phresenoldeb cyson ac amlwg ym mhob rhan o'r gêm broffesiynol. Bydd disgwyl i chi arwain trafodaethau cymhleth, a fydd hefyd yn heriol ar adegau, llywio'r agenda strategol, a bod yn ganolwr rhwng buddiannau croes rhanddeiliaid. Y tu hwnt i gyfarfodydd ffurfiol, bydd y rôl yn gofyn am ymgysylltu parhaus â chlybiau, swyddogion gweithredol a phartneriaid - gan gynnig arweinyddiaeth, sefydlogrwydd a momentwm drwy gyfnod o newid sylweddol.

Am bwy rydym yn chwilio

Rydym yn chwilio am unigolion profiadol a hygred sy'n gweithredu ar sail gwerthoedd ac sy'n meddu ar y canlynol:

• profiad helaeth o gyflawni rôl ar lefel Aelod Bwrdd Anweithredol neu uwch-arweinydd cyfatebol
• gallu cadarn i feddwl yn strategol a gwneud penderfyniadau
• profiad o weithio mwn amgylcheddau cymhleth sydd â llawer o randdeiliaid
• profiad o newid neu drawsnewid sefydliadol
• y gallu i herio'n annibynnol a dylanwadu ar ddeilliannau
• lefelau uchel o uniondeb, crebwyll a gwydnwch

Byddai profiad mewn meysydd fel twf masnachol, goruchwyliaeth ariannol strategol, llywodraethu, neu systemau perfformiad elît yn werthfawr, yn ogystal â dealltwriaeth o amgylcheddau rygbi neu amgylcheddau perfformiad uchel tebyg.

Rhaid i ymgeiswyr allu dangos eu bod yn annibynnol ac yn gallu gweithredu er budd pennaf rygbi proffesiynol yng Nghymru bob amser.

Pam mae'r rôl hon yn bwysig

Nid penodiadau Bwrdd nodweddiadol mo'r rhain. Bydd yr ymgeiswyr llwyddiannus wrth wraidd penderfyniadau a fydd yn llywio dyfodol y gêm broffesiynol yng Nghymru am flynyddoedd i ddod.

Byddwch yn cyfrannu at ddiffinio model mwy cynaliadwy a chystadleuol, gan daro cydbwysedd rhwng uchelgais a realaeth, a helpu i sicrhau y bydd rygbi Cymru yn parhau i fod yn wydn, yn berthnasol ac yn llwyddiannus o fewn tirwedd fyd-eang sy'n datblygu'n gyflym iawn.

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Recruitment Timetable

Closing date
9am Monday 3rd August 2026

First Stage Interviews (In Person)
end of w/c 31st August 2026

Second Stage Interviews (Shortlisted Candidates Only - In Person)
w/c 7 September 2026

PRB Chair Conversations (Preferred Chair Candidates Only - In Person)
w/c 21 September 2026

How to Apply

For an informal and confidential conversation, please reach out to our retained consultancy team at GatenbySanderson:

• Louise Bickley: louise.bickley@gatenbysanderson.com
• Rebecca Hopkin: rebecca.hopkin@gatenbysanderson.com
• Peter Buffoni: peter.buffoni@gatenbysanderson.com

Closing date for applications: Monday 3rd August (9:00am)

I gael sgwrs anffurfiol a chyfrinachol, cysylltwch â'n tîm ymgynghori penodedig yn GatenbySanderson:

• Louise Bickley: louise.bickley@gatenbysanderson.com
• Rebecca Hopkin: rebecca.hopkin@gatenbysanderson.com
• Peter Buffoni: peter.buffoni@gatenbysanderson.com

Dyddiad cau ar gyfer ceisiadau: Dydd Llun 3 Awst (9:00am)