NZR had previously announced the five-person panel would include board chair David Kirk, 132-test All Black Keven Mealamu, interim CEO Steve Lancaster and former Black Sox coach Don Tricker.
Coles comes back into the All Black environment after retiring in 2023, having played 90 tests over 11 seasons.
The panel will find a successor to Scott Robertson who was sensationally sacked as All Blacks coach last month.
Robertson guided the team to 20 wins in 27 tests over two seasons, however Kirk said that the NZR board had concerns over the trajectory of the team before next year's World Cup in Australia.
The leading candidates appear to be Jamie Joseph and Dave Rennie, after confirmation that Joe Schmidt would stay in his role as coach of Australia's the Wallabies and Blues coach Vern Cotter's move to the Queensland Reds at the end of this year's Super Rugby Pacific season.
NZR have confirmed the window for applications has closed but have not set a timeframe on naming Robertson's replacement.
The governing body said it would not take applications from non-New Zealanders or coaches without international experience.
- additional reporting by Reuters
